I quite often buy photos based on the title used by the seller. Of course the price has to be right and there needs to be something else that appeals; a look in the eye, a familiarity of features, a special item being worn or held. However, some of the more creative titles make imaginary theories about a person’s life spring so readily to mind, that it can be the deciding factor on whether to purchase or not.

This poor guy, listed under the title – THE MOST BORING MAN on THE PLANET! – got my sympathy. What was he trying to do? He looks completely unaware of the reason he got into the booth. Could it be that he didn’t realise that the flashes indicated the pictures were being taken? To me it looks as though he is still waiting for something to happen. Maybe he still is…

A Man In My Life – 21 January 1995

December 3, 2011

Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)

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Luna Park 21/01/1995

On Melbourne Cup Day 1994, I met my future husband, (unfortunately, now ex-husband), at a Cup Day barbeque hosted by a school friend. We both bet on the same horse that won the cup that year. From the first, we got on really well. We rented a flat in the Melbourne suburb of Balaclava, coincidentally, not far from my favourite photobooths at Luna Park.

I was continuing to develop my hand-made greeting card ranges and thinking about how to move to the next step – publishing my designs.

Jessica Lea Time Machine

December 2, 2011

Photobooth Time Machines

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Responding to the same letter as Cherie in 1997, I received another set of photos from a photobooth enthusiast, Jessica Lea.

Contrary to my memory that it was New Idea that had published my request, Jessica mentions, Woman’s Day in the note that accompanied the photos. Unlike Cherie’s contribution, there was no return address included, so I am not sure I will have the same success at finding Ms/Mrs Lea after so many years. I have already started the detective work, with no luck so far.

I cannot agree with Jessica that she is unphotogenic, except, perhaps, with the exception of the first photo. However, it must be asked, who at that age has ever taken a great photo? I love the transformation of the gawky young girl into a confidant and kindly faced, mature woman. Her photos exude the spirit of enthusiasm that prompted her to send these keepsakes to a stranger.

I do hope I find Jessica, or that she finds me. I am sure I would like her very much.

Bug’s Eye View Found Photo

December 1, 2011

Found Photobooth Photos

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I have no idea where this set of pictures was discovered, what the date was, or even the country in which it was found . I’ve no idea if I myself retrieved it from oblivion, or if a friend found it for me. I can only imagine that these two cuties were extremely disappointed when they found they no longer had it.

Luna Park Facade

November 30, 2011

Random Posts

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I have mentioned St Kilda’s old amusement venue, Luna Park, many times in this blog. I thought it would be nice to show you what the old place looks like after a recent facelift. There are no longer any photobooths there but it is still a place that captures my imagination.

The entrance by day.

: The entrance by night.

Photographic Palaeontologist Probes Skeletal Remains

November 30, 2011

Found Photobooth Photos

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Found, Luna Park, 08/09/1996

Today is the first time since 1996 that I have attempted to reconstruct this strip. Initially, I didn’t recognise these fragments as belonging together. I am surprised at how differently the pieces have aged. A possible reason for the vastly different tones, could be that some were discoloured by other items that were in the bin where they were found. I cringe at the thought.

So what happened here? This young couple entered the booth and snuggled up, looking at the camera, smiling as each flash went off. They waited excitedly for the photos to drop into the shoot. While still wet, they looked at them together and he agreed that there was at least one wonderful shot of her, but none of him that he could admire. She liked them all despite the off kilter framing. They couldn’t agree to disagree. Within five minutes he’d torn up the strip and binned it.

Our young lady returned later to retrieve the cast off images that she’d liked, for the most part not bothering to collect the images of him. She was still in a huff about the destruction of an, albeit flawed, memento.

Lady of the Luscious Lips

November 28, 2011

Found Photobooth Photos

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Found 15/10/1997

This set of photos was found at Flinders Street Station on the 15th of October 1997. I was on my way to meet my school friend, Francis Flanagan. We went to see the film Chasing Amy. I have absolutely no memory of that film, whatsoever.

So who is this young woman and why was this set of pics chucked on the ground? We’ll probably never know who she was/is, yet we can tell a number of things about her and the circumstances under which she took these pictures. She definitely had a poor comprehension of our littering laws, for a start. She is certainly a beautiful girl, who had a certain idea of how she should look in a portrait.

There is a smidgen of a sleeve showing in the top two images. This suggests to me, that she was not there to get a set of fun shots. If she had been, her demeanor would be quite different and the person standing beside her would, most likely, have joined in.

Could it be that she was actually using this booth to get passport photos?? An outrageous idea to someone who sees these automata cameras as toys. If that indeed was the purpose of this sitting, then this dirty set of pictures, with roller marks obscuring parts of the face, would have been unusable. Another reason they could have been discarded is that the four identical portraits option was not chosen.

Obviously, I love it when these photos don’t work and they are rejected for whatever reason. Unfortunately, with these dip and dunk machine all but gone, the unexpected find has become rarer and rarer.

A Certain Rugged Charm

November 27, 2011

Found Photobooth Photos

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Flinders Street Station, December 1997

I found this large-format, single-shot photobooth photo at Melbourne’s, Victorian era, railway station at Flinders Street. I haven’t seen a machine with the option of choosing a large portrait photo in the city for a long time, probably since the day I found this in 1997.

I’d say this example of a booth photo is the epitome of why we call small id photos mugshots. With his unsmiling face, maple leaf ear tattoo, piercing deep blue eyes and furrowed brow it could easily have been a police identification photo. In fact a friend of mine had no trouble believing this was a picture of a wanted man. Personally, I think he has a certain rugged charm, despite his solemn demeanor.

So why was this image torn and discarded? If he was a Canadian, as suggested by the maple leaf, he may have wanted a picture to send home. A friendlier expression might have been more desirable for that purpose. Or did he really just want four identical shots for a passport or other id? He would not have been the first to have pressed the wrong button.