The Early Days

Did you know Anatol Josepho invented the first self-automated photo booth in 1925? He was a Siberian immigrant to the United States of America, born in 1894. He invented and patented the photo booth in 1925, and two years later was paid one million dollars for the invention. The photograph machine took eight minutes to produce a strip of black and white photos of the user—all for just 25 cents.

In 2005, the New York Times published a story centralizing around photo booths and their gaining popularity for partygoers and the night crowd. Supposedly Quentin Tarantino owns a photo booth that lives in his home, and Rob Zombie was said to have been interested in purchasing one as well.

Why all the fuss? There’s no shortage of reasons, namely that people love seeing themselves in print! Photo booths are a great way to escape from the daily grind and let loose, whether it’s by yourself, with a loved one, or surrounded by a group of crazy friends. You make your faces, you laugh until your cheeks hurt and you pose in front of the camera in a million different positions until the film pops out and you admire your takes.

There’s something about saying cheese that lights up your day. We’re just glad Josepho had the right idea.