A photo booth is a vending machine or modern kiosk that contains an automated, usually coin-operated, camera and film processor. The photo booth has transformed significantly over the decades, evolving from mechanical film-based machines to high-tech digital experiences.
In 1888, the first patent for an automated photography machine was filed by William Pope & Edward Poole, but it wasn’t commercially successful. In 1888, Conrad Bernitt in Germany developed an early coin-operated photo machine. In 1925, Anatol Josepho, a Russian immigrant in New York, created the first modern photo booth, called the Photomaton. It produced 8 photos in 10 minutes for 25 cents and was an instant success.
From between the 1930s and 1950s, photo booths became popular worldwide, especially in train stations, department stores, and amusement parks. Black and white film strips became the norm. During World War II, soldiers and their loved ones frequently used photo booths to create keepsakes.
