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Tag Archives: self-portrait

A Friend and Photobooth Dogs – My Femme Fatale – Part Seven

October 2, 2011
My Femme Fatale, Photobooths in Print, Vintage Photobooth
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One day, earlier this year I received the above book in the post from the USA. In addition to collecting photobooth photos and ephemera, I also collect books about photobooth photos, of which there are a surprising number.  This one Photobooth Dogs by Cameron Woo was published in 2010.  Over the previous year or two, I had noticed in my online shopping adventures, that vintage booth photos that included a dog, were going for higher and higher prices. I fully expected to see one or two pups that I recognised in this book.

Having made myself a cup of tea, I settled down for a long peruse. There were some stunning snaps of dogs alone or with their owners, big and small, cooperative and not so cooperative but the photos that really grabbed my attention were of an unexpectedly familiar face.  There was My Femme Fatale in all her glory with a companion I hadn’t seen before; a fuzz-faced poodle. It had been some time since I had looked at my French collection, so before mentioning my discovery to anyone, I sought them out to confirm that it was indeed my lady.

And here she is forever immortalised in print – living on in the book, in my blog, in my collection and my imagination.

Loving Liberty

October 1, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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June 1992 London

Liberty of London Identity Card

June 1992, London

Prior to heading off to Central America, I had arranged to meet Moana in England, where she had been working for the previous 2 years. I was also very keen to catch up with the Holbrooks and the many friends I had made on my last visit to London.  What was supposed to be a one month visit, turned into 9 months by mutual agreement with Moana. Rather than eat into my savings, I decided to earn some money to support myself and make the most of what that wonderful city has to offer.

I started to sell my hand made cards around town. Among the numerous stores I successfully approached was Liberty in Regent Street.  I made three ranges of cards exclusively for them.  On one visit to deliver an order, I discovered they were looking for casual staff for a sale period, so made a successful application. After working as a temp for one month, I was offered a two day per week permanent part time position.

As you can see the booth photo was taken for my id-card for my temp job.

International Driving

September 29, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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Rejected for International Driver's License

License, January 1992

January 1992, Melbourne

In January 1992 I had almost finished my two year contract at the Crafts Council and was preparing for my next trip.  I had done some driving lessons whilst living in London but failed my test as I was unable to reverse around a corner!  After about one month at my job as Promotions Officer I was told that part of my responsibilities was to visit regional centres to offer our support to their craft guilds.  I asked how I would get there when told I would be heading to a region with no public transport.  When they realised I had no drivers license and realised that they had not ascertained that fact at the interview, (it was not a prerequisite of the job and they didn’t ask), they also realised they were stuck with me.  They reluctantly paid for my driving lessons, some of which I did in their Toyota Hilux van.  Thus, on my next trip away from home, keen and excited to be a driver, I thought I might need an international license.  As it turned out it would be many years before I had the opportunity to drive outside Australia.

The first picture, I rejected, the second I found better, though why I found the nasty green tee-shirt acceptable for either photo is beyond me.  It is a measure of how easily one could find a photobooth in those days that I was able to get to two very different machines, within walking distance, on the same afternoon.

Dreaming of Future Journeys

September 28, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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May 1991

Passport 1991

May 1991, Melbourne

Less than a year and a half back home and I was already planning another overseas adventure.  I had kept in touch with Moana, who had suggested we might go to Central America to study Spanish and continue our Latin American explorations.  I didn’t hesitate to accept the invitation. When this picture was taken I was living in Buckingham Street in Richmond with Sarah, a newly qualified solicitor and vibrant, bon vivant.  I spent many an hour monopolising the study in her house while developing and making new designs for my hobby greeting card business.

This May 1991 booth pic was for my passport in anticipation of the next journey.  Could my lipstick get any more intense?

Back in Australia

September 28, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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January 1990

January 1990

January 1990, Melbourne

Back in Australia I was still looking for work and staying at my parent’s home in East Bentleigh.  Within a week or two of date of this picture, I had started working as Promotions Officer for the Crafts Council of Victoria, at the Meat Market Craft Centre in North Melbourne and found a place to live in East Brunswick.

Whilst at the Endell Street Place in London, I had been impressed with the quality and variety of hand made cards which we had bought from local craftspeople to sell in the shop.  Having been unable to use my designing skills in making ceramics, I decided to put my creative drive to use by starting to make my range of stationery. During my last November working there, I designed a range of hand made Christmas cards which sold very well.  The proceeds partly helped to pay for my South American travels.  Once back in Melbourne I again began to tinker with some designs which I presented for consideration to a lovely lady in Chapel Street Prahran, who had just opened her own home wares and gift shop.  With her advice on fashionable colours and presentation I developed a range of hand painted designs which I began to sell at craft and gift shops around town.

The photos above were taken at Spencer Street Station in Melbourne.  I am wearing hand painted silk earrings (clip-ons, as I have never had pierced ears) which I purchased from the Endell Street Place.  In answer to the question most often posed about this group of pics, my hair is tied back, not shorn.


Close to Going Home

September 27, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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28 October 1989

October 1989, France

After having stayed a few nights at the holiday home of the Holbrook family, in Normandy, I was dropped at a railway station by Del Holbrook and her kids, Rosie and Richie, to make my way to Paris.  I believe I was on my way there to meet Moana for a four day exploration of the city, which marked the end of a 2 year 10 month period away from Australia. I would very soon be on a plane back home, to a new job and a new hobby that would become a part-time business.

This picture was taken at the train station at Abbeville in Picardie.  It was the first time I chose the large portrait option in a photobooth.

Introducing My Sister

September 27, 2011
My Family in Photobooths
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Sue Griffiths (Top) and Fran

Please meet my sister Sue, who currently lives in Dublin, Ireland.  This is the earliest photobooth photo that I have of my darling sister.  I have many, many in my collection, including one which is probably my all-time favourite photobooth pic.  More photos of Sue will be posted over time, if I can get away with it!

Sue, (alone in the top photo), is seen here with school friend Fran Doherty.  According to Sue, they were both around 18 years old at the time this was taken, making the date of this picture 1986. I love the graffiti on the back screen of the booth.

My Brother, Andrew.

September 27, 2011
My Family in Photobooths
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Andrew Griffiths 1977

Please meet my brother Andrew, who currently lives in Christchurch, New Zealand. The above photo was taken in Melbourne when he was in fourth form in 1977.  It is probably the only photobooth photo I have of him, but as there are still places to look for lurking remnants of my collection, there may be one or two more to discover.

This photo was on his bedroom pinboard for many a long year, so long in fact, that the felt-tip pen he had used to transform his visage, has mostly faded away.  It is a testament to the quality of these old booth photos that after 34 years the only thing that faded was the additional “artwork”. From memory he was experimenting with future images and hair styles he might (and would) eventually adopt.

Back in London

September 26, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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London, September 1989

London, September 1989 No.2

September 1989, London

On my return to London, I was again living with the Holbrook family in West Norwood but this time my co-inhabitants were two friends made on my travels, New Zealanders, Moana and Neil. Helen and I had met them in Peru and walked the Inca trail with Moana.  We kept meeting up here and there with our last hoorah as a foursome, in Rio de Janeiro.  Not a couple, Moana and Neil were two of the funniest and most adorable people we met in South America.  As with Helen, Moana is still a good friend.  Her photos will feature in future posts.

Two photos from the same strip, taken late in 1989, in a tube station somewhere in London. With slightly more colour in my face than my usual palour, I was looking healthy and feeling very happy.

South America Preparations

September 23, 2011
Photobooth 45 Year Project (Archive)
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Visa Photo 1989

March 1989, London

This photo was taken in a photobooth in a camping goods store near Covent Garden Market in 1989, just prior to my departure from London for a 6 month trip to South America.  As the guide book had recommended having several strips of passport sized photographs ready for each border crossing and visa extensions (if needed), I sat in the booth for 5 successive strips, all very much alike but with this po-faced expression getting sourer each time.  The booth was an incredibly busy one.  I had to wait for two other sitters to get their pics taken before it was my turn.  I remember feeling quite annoyed by a pair of Australian girls who were next in the queue.  They were loudly taking the mickey out of me for taking so many photos of myself at one go.  My expressions reflected my growing irritation.

This is only one of two that I have left from the trip.  As predicted, I needed many of the photos for my travels and I traded many with other travellers.  I hope the recipients do not remember me in quite the way the I am depicted in the photos.