A Reprieve For The Flinders Street Booth

Photo by Donna Demaio for 3AW

Clowning about in the famous Flinders Street photobooth. 30 April 2018
“The photo booth will not be removed from Flinders Street Station. We understand the significance of this photo booth and are working closely with the owner to find a new location at the station.”
Metro, the company that owns the station, now say that they understand the significance of the photobooth yet, only last week, they gave the owner Alan Adler, ten days notice to remove it after 46 years of its presence at the station. Grrr!
Metro changed their tune after local and national media coverage. Yesterday local radio station 3AW did a piece about the saga, as did National Nine News on television.
A local photographer Pinot Nior lent a hand. His post about the booth has had 989 shares, so far. One of his photos of Alan and the booth is below.
There were website articles, most notably at Broadsheet Melbourne and a print article in The Age newspaper this morning.
There is a new Instagram page started by Veronica Charmont @flindersphotobooth where anyone can share photos from the booth.
There is also a book proposed by Phoebe Veldhuizen to collect together as many examples from the booth as possible.
Last but not least there is the Facebook group started by Sarah Rossiter, “Save The Flinders Street Photobooth”, which I told you about in my last post on this subject. The group has kept me and many others abreast of the developing story.
So one hopes that this is a permanent stay of execution but given bureaucratic tendencies towards stupidity I won’t be holding my breath!
(In the two photos below, Alan is holding a copy of Nakki Goranin‘s book American Photobooth, which is my bible for all things photobooth related.)

Photo copyright Pinot Nior

Photo by Christopher Sutherland
Fantastic news! And no doubt you and your blog contributed too, so good on you- your last post certainly sent me to that Facebook group, and raised my awareness 🙂 Fingers crossed it stays in a new location for another 46 years!! G
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Thanks G! Next time you are in Melbourne, hopefully you can jump in and take some snaps. 😊
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Such great news! I saw everything on the fb page I joined. I imagine that in a lot of cases decisions like this are made by someone on a business basis and not really thinking things through. Never underestimate the power of the press or wrath of photobooth crazed fans. Happy Days!
Oh, btw Kate, I have warned Veronica about you.
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Yes, you did warn her about me. 😃😆! I’m yet to call Lorraine (Alan’s wife and business manager) to confirm that a new permanent location has been found, but there has been progress. Thanks to you and others who joined the group. 😀 It all helped!
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I’m very happy this booth will stay put! I have five bucks in my pocket ready to go!
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Good for you, John! Thanks for the support. 😄
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Awesome news!
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Thanks heaps Shayne! 👍🏼💕
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Woo hoo ! That’s awesome ! ……. I’m talking about you putting your make up on Kate ! lol. Seriously, that is good news about the reprieve. I am so pleased that you are happy about it. 🙂 ❤
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Cheers Ralph! Thanks for your support. 😊
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You are welcome Kate 🙂 xx
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WONDERFUL! SAVER FLINDERS STREET!!!
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😀😃😄
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Wonderful news!
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Thank you!
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Excellent news!
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Cheers, Roberta! 😃
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Congratulations.!
I wonder how many interesting anecdotes have Alan Adler to tell us. Lovers, militaries, salesmen, wives, husbands, broken hearts, wannabe actresses and actors and people of all kind have passed through this photo booth, in the hope of immortalizing or sharing a special moment of their lives.
What will happen to them?
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So many people who use the booth also know Alan. He MUST have dozens of stories of the people he has met. I’ve tried to arrange to interview him but he is in his eighties and his wife is very protective of him, as she should be. I hope someone in his family is collecting his memories.
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I am happy when people can make the difference !
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Yes, people have more power than they sometimes realise.😌
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I love this so much! What a great outcome!
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Thanks so much Kate. Go people power!
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I get so excited about the story of that photobooth. Thank you for keep updating. I live a thousand miles from The Flinders Street, however, my heart is with this movement! Yeay!
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That is so cool and thank you for joining in. Yay, back! 😃
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Fingers crossed the booth stays there for many more years! (Loving the photos of you ‘clowning around’, btw)
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Thanks! I’m not sure if I like them yet. Sometimes a few years need to pass . . . 😁
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I think you’ll LOVE them in years to come!
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You could be right! 😉
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great news! i’m glad that it seems to have worked out well.
and other great news – i just stumbled over your interview with lomography.com on my tumblr feed 🙂
how cool is that?! congratulations!
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Wow Peter! Thanks for letting me know. I had no idea it had been published. I best go and see what they wrote! 🙂 🙂
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I hope that your Photo booth is around for many years to come, neat little story 😊
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Thanks, John and I too hope for a long future for the booth!
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What an amazing story! So happy for Alan and the impact his photo booth has on people all around the world!
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Yes, you are right about all around the world. How cool is that? If I’m able, I will be adding a post on another article about Alan today.
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Can’t wait! 🙂
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I saw this article and thought of you. 🙂 https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/jun/04/its-been-my-whole-life-alan-and-his-photobooths-a-picture-essay
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Thanks Matt! Only 20 minutes ago, I did a post on the article. I’m thrilled you saw it in the USA! I thought it would’ve been limited to Australian Guardian readers. It is so nice that my all time favourite photobooth man is now an international star! Do you have a saved “vintage photography “ search in Google or on the Guardian site? I read bits of it most days but missed finding the article. My dad alerted me to its existence.
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Yippee! You must’ve been joyous. Lol. Ah, nice blush spots on your cheeks, Kate! You’re so much fun.
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