I think this is the only photobooth photo I have where the subject is winking. The wink alone might have been enough to make me buy this photo, but this gent’s eyeliner, long hair and his comical, too-small, hat added to its appeal.
There is something about this photo that says “carnival” to me. I can imagine this bloke spruiking for business on any one of the sideshow games of chance and skill. I also think he is quite the cutie, but I have always had dubious taste in men.
I bought this and two other original photobooth display panels from the USA. They date to the late 1960s. These would have been placed on the sides of the booth to show off the quality of the images you could make of yourself. None of the strips are true booth photos, having been copied from the originals for use in multiple locations. As there is some overlap in the models and photographs used, I have chosen this, the best one, to share with you.
I wonder where the booth was located, as none of the models were male? I guess it could have been in an area dominated by hairdressing salons or another type of business with a predominantly female clientele. I love the variety of classic 60s hair and make-up styles.
Sign Detail
Sign Detail
Donna in 1969
Donna in 1972 or 1973
Ch-ch-ch-changes! This is why I love a series of photobooth photos of the same person. No other type of informal photography gives as much consistent detail of a changing face, but why oh why did this childhood collection end up on public sale?
My love to Donna and her friends. I hope they are all still with us.
To see the complete series of Donna’s growth from child to adult, please click here.
Undated. Possibly 1972 or 1973 “Me and Jay”
Above is the last of the photos of Donna in a photobooth with a friend. This time we have Jay, who could be another of Donna’s boyfriends. To me, they seem more like good pals. If a boyfriend, it is unusual that they are not kissing, given her love of a smooch in a booth.
Below we have the last of Donna’s friends or perhaps relatives. The way the notes on the back of each picture are written, makes it unclear whether this girl is named Sister, or if she calls Donna Sister as a nickname or is in fact her actual sister.
The writing on the back is also the only indication in all of the photos, of our blond beauty’s name. As they all came from the same album, I felt it reasonable to assume the notes were addressed to the owner of the album. The person most frequently featured, who is referred to as me in many of them, being the most obvious candidate as the owner.
Top image. 1973 – “To one of my best friends. Stay the way you are Sister” Bottom Image. 1973 – “To Donna, A re… fr.. your friend always Sister”
Donna is photographed with many boyfriends and girlfriends over a period of 4 years from 1969 to 1973 in this series of photobooth photos. It has been a long time since I started these posts, so if you’d like to review the previous photos, please click here.
This is Daisy Holmes. This photobooth photo was taken in the late 1930s.
I was particularly thrilled to find the top image, as my great-grandfather, grandfather and mother were all professional violinists. My mum only retired from teaching in 2014, at the age of 85. I excitedly showed it to her on its arrival from the US, thinking she would be as pleased as I was. Her only comment was, “An instrument that big could not possibly be played by a child that size.”. Okay, not what I was expecting, but useful information for a non-musician such as myself.
So, the question is, was this a family instrument Daisy hoped one day to learn to play? Was it a prop used by anyone who ventured into the photomaton studio? Did she learn the violin and not having her own fiddle with her, choose the oversized prop instrument? Or did she just aspire to learn, with this being her way of communicating her desire to her parents?
Although completely automated, photobooths were originally situated in groups, in shops leased specifically for the purpose. You would pay at a counter, take a ticket to an attendant, who would guide you through the process by telling you how to pose to get the best portrait results.
As it had been in penny photo studios and even in more formal photographic studios, props were supplied that could be used by the clients in whatever combinations they desired. Hats, coats, ties, sporting equipment and musical instruments might have been part of the selection offered. What you chose told the world about you: your hobbies, aspirations, desires.
Daisy was definitely telling a story about herself in the top photo, sending a message to anyone who saw it. Below, she is just an ordinary little girl. Above she is an aspiring artist, musician, actress or . . .
Any other ideas? Let me know by leaving a comment below.
Daisy on 16 April 1938
This photo came from the USA and from an album of images that were mostly dated 1938.
I am guessing this man was on his way to a costume party when he spotted a photobooth and gave it a run. Having said that, it is possible the event was held at a venue with its own booth. The crudely drawn, faux lead-light window background is more typical of private machines than public ones. Looking slightly ecclesiastical, it would be more suitable to someone in a nun’s habit or priest’s robes. I just long to Photoshop in some rolling hills, a barn and some cows to make it more suitable to his costume. That is if I knew how to use Photoshop!
With his fake, glued-on beard and twisted smile, he looks to me as if he is imitating the country hick stereotype that was popular in movies of the era. This picture gave me a laugh when I first saw it for sale. Hope it makes you laugh, too.
The only thing I can say about this is “Why?”. Why do these exist? Why take it into a photobooth? Why do I find this so amusing?
Donna and Lori – 1972
Lori and Cheryl – 1972
Lori and Cheryl – 1972
This is the penultimate installment in the Lori and Me series. As we get closer to the end, I am getting more and more confused about how to group the photos. The top four of Donna and Lori were taken on the same day as the first strip shown in Part 7. However, they are from a different booth that produced miniature, stamp sized photos. Each of the above photos is dated 1972, so I decided to group them with other miniatures of Donna’s friends.
I have enlarged the last picture of Lori and Cheryl to help you to see the detail of Cheryls extraordinary eyeshadow. Although it looks white in the pictures, I imagine that being the 1970s, it would have been a very pale green or pale blue. I think it looks very cool.
Donna is photographed with many boyfriends and girlfriends over a period of 4 years from 1969 to 1973 in this series of photobooth photos. It has been a long time since I started these posts, so if you’d like to review the previous photos, please click here.
Cover of the book, Les Matons
On 19 June 1988 in a photobooth at a Barcelona railway station, artists Hélène Fabre and Christian Bonifas made a series of souvenir photos without thinking further than the pleasure of the moment.
Once home in Nîmes, having been amused by their holiday mementos, they sought out another station hall booth. So began their long infatuation with automatic photography.
After twenty-five years and more than 1500 portraits they still haunt these mini studios to capture their moods, movements and ideas.
Since 1989, under the pseudonym Les Matons they have exhibited these portraits as enlarged color photocopies.
In 2007, they published their first book, a self-titled paperback showcasing a selection of one hundred booth photographs in black & white and colour. (See cover and sample images from the book, above). With accompanying texts by Clotilde Augot, Rémy Leboissetier, Christine Rodes and Bertrand Guery and a song by Frederic Inigo, it is an ode to the Photomaton machine and the variety of creative uses to which it can be put.
Over 136 pages Hélène and Christian dress-up for, laugh, grimace, writhe and twist through fun and surprising poses that are delightfully entrancing. The artistic perspective of these two performers fills every frame.
In 2013, they released a new book, “Small Nature” which presents sixty-four new photobooth pictures. I will write more about Les Matons and show you some images from that book in a later post.
This is another photobooth postcard from my collection but one published by Auto-Snaps which, to my knowledge, did not also own or operate any photobooths. I can find no reference to this publisher online and have never seen another postcard designed by them.
This young man’s name is Donald. An adult has filled in the address and message –
Having a nice time Auntie.
He has signed the card himself and added three kisses. (Please see the image below.)
Like the other postcards I have posted in this series of three, the message is written in pencil. Unlike the others, this one has been posted without an envelope. It was sent from the seaside resort town of Rhyl in Wales. It is dated June 1937. It is interesting that Rhyl is also the town where Cyril Astor had one of his booths in the 1940s through to the early 70s. I imagine it possible that this was one of his earliest booths. His offices were situated nearby.
To see the previous posts about photobooth postcards please click here and here.
Photobooth Journal 