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Carte “Jeunes”

October 16, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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Travel Card

October 1993, Annecy

I started my French lessons in Annecy on the 4th of October. I boarded with Madame and Monsieur Petit in Seynod, just outside Annecy.  They were an amazing couple.  Raymond had asked his wife Rolande to marry him when they were reasonably young, then took 12 years to agree to a wedding date.  By the time they were married it was too late for them to have their own children, so they started fostering.  They had raised over twenty kids, some from babies. All had grown up by the time I arrived. Needless to say they had plenty of room to accommodate foreign guests.

This photo was taken at the train station on the day I was dropped there by the coach from London, while I waited to be collected by the Petits.

First French Visa

October 15, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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October 1993

Early October 1993, London

I have written only “October 1993 French Visa Photo” on the back of this image.  In reality it must have been taken in September as my visa was dated from late that month.  Moana was still in Guatemala and as always, was a brilliant correspondent. I spent a lot of time with Helen White and was also in contact with some friends, Doug and Jay, who Moana and I had met in Guatemala. I was back to making and selling my hand made greeting cards and worked at Liberty up until two days before my departure by coach for Annecy.

Movie of You

October 15, 2011
Movie-Of-U, Vintage Photobooth
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I was thrilled to be the only bidder on this rare photobooth lenticular photo.  It is made up of three exposures taken in succession on the same frame. The frame is placed under a lined sheet of acetate and when tilted appears to show movement.

In this example the lady’s eyes shift from the centre, then to the side and her mouth opens and closes. It is unfortunate that in the position needed to make a scan of the image, the sitter looks slightly cross-eyed.  What you can see above is actually parts of two of the three individual exposures.  For more information about these fabulous booth photos see Näkki Goranin’s book American Photobooth.

Getting Enrolled

October 14, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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September 1993

Early September 1993, London

By the time this photo was taken I had decided to enrol to study French at the Institut Savoisien D’Études Français, a Department of the University of Savoy, in Annecy.  The institute was for foreigners to learn French and starts from the beginner level.  It was quite a surprise therefore, to find all the application forms and information about accommodation were solely written in French.  I was extremely grateful to Del Holbrook for her French language skills, as the project wouldn’t have moved passed the enquiry stage without her help. I had less than a month left in London before the course started.  I remember being very nervous as it was the first time I had gone anywhere on my own without the prospect of meeting up with friends on arrival.

Liberty Again

October 13, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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August 1993

August 1993, London

While away, I decided that I would definitely give up my place on the museum studies course in London.  Meeting an American, who spoke fluent French, at our language school in Antigua, made me reconsider past ambitions to learn to speak French. Back in London I reapplied to Liberty for a few months work, while deciding where to go to study in France.

This is a picture taken for my second identity card for Liberty of London.

My Dad

October 12, 2011
My Family in Photobooths
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David, 1994

This is my Dad, David.  As with my Mum’s photo, this was taken for an international drivers license in 1994.  Neither of my parents are all that fond of getting their photos taken but Dad is definitely the most reluctant.  He is a voracious reader and keen gardener, producing vegies and other comestibles year round.

Earlier this year I coaxed both Mum and Dad into a digital booth at Chadstone shopping centre.  I wouldn’t say there was a lot of moaning, but their reluctance was verging on outright refusal, until a deal was struck to make sure the visit included coffee and cakes.  It was a major victory for me to get them into a booth after a 17 year gap.  I will be posting the results one day soon.

My Mum

October 12, 2011
My Family in Photobooths
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Margaret 1994

This is my Mum, Margaret.  The photo was taken in 1994 for an international drivers license for her first trip overseas.  Sue was living in Dublin and I was just back from France when we met up with Mum and Dad in London.  Now 82, Mum is still a working violinist, teaching four afternoons per week.  She is also involved in many local musical projects and concerts, along with my Dad, David.

Shaky Sue

October 12, 2011
My Family in Photobooths
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14 January 1999

January 1999, Cheltenham, Victoria

This is my favourite strip of photos of my sister Sue and probably my all time favourite photobooth photos.  There is something about the movement in them all and the pixie-like impishness of the last photo that really appeals to me.  It was taken in an old black and white photobooth at Southland shopping centre when Sue was 5 months pregnant with her son Calvin Patrick.  It was our third outing to find me a bridesmaid dress for her forthcoming wedding to Tim Meaghan. I am not sure who was being fussy, Sue or me, (or both of us) but we still hadn’t found one at the end of this trip.

A Visitor and Another Journey

October 10, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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Liarne and Kate 1993

July 1993, Spain

I left Guatemala and returned to London early in July.  Within days of my arrival back at my Holbrook haven, I had news from a friend in Australia, Liarne Corke, that she would soon be in the UK. A few days after her arrival in London, we bought cheap flights to Spain, hired a car and explored the southern coast for a week. Liarne and I had met as a result of sharing the same ex-boyfriend.  Our beloved Ricky-TP has the unusual trait of staying friends with every girl he has ever gone out with. We are both still good friends and Rick, too is still a very important person in both our lives.

This photo was taken in a photobooth that was on a back street, near the edge of a steep decline, in front of a row of homes.  We were in Arcos de la Frontera in Spain.  It is the only time I have managed to get Liarne into a booth, so far. It was also the first time, in adulthood, that I had been photographed in a booth with someone else. It has also turned out to be the earliest uncut strip in my collection.  All in all, a very special strip of photos.

Photomatic Prices

October 9, 2011
Photobooth News, Vintage Photobooth
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Some months ago I was sent an email from Ebay for the day’s listings of photomatic photobooth items. These two darlings were listing as a buy it now for $9.99. I immediately clicked on the link to make a purchase but the items had been removed. They had been re-listed as two separate auctions. The first one sold for $70.99, the second for $92.00. Needless to say I was not the winning bidder on either lot. It made me very happy about the wee, wee prices I have paid for my many treasures. I bet the seller was thrilled!