Mike D. @ ITP

Note: this was posted last week, but I’ve added to it and re-tweaked it with some images and additional thoughts — thought it was only fair to change the timestamp.

This week’s assignment for pComp had us working in groups, observing… stuff. The requirements for the assignment were to watch something, anything, very very closely and pay careful attention to the actual act of whatever it is you were watching. The example in class was a study of pouring water back and forth between two glasses — how it was done, what was required, what the rules were, etc. As a group, Corrine, Raphael and I met briefly throughout the week to pick out, refine and recap our observation, and for our group we chose a photo booth (or photobooth, depending on your preferred spelling). How much have they changed since the first one appeared in 1925 on Broadway here in NYC? Answers below.

(old-skool examples here)

After discussing our expectations of what the experience would be like (you go in, sit down, take picture, leave), each of us headed out to find and observe two photo booths. There’s a bunch of photobooth fans who stalk and report on various photobooths (like Photobooth.net), so finding good spots to see them in action wasn’t hard — in theory. The problem, it seems, is that you can’t always plan for (A) bars being closed or (B) the photo booth in question being removed. Of the ones we tried to see, we only managed to really nail down two: Atlantic Mall and Newport Mall (in scenic Jersey City, NJ), both of which were of the modern digital variety.

Traditional (but no longer available this location):

(Fat Black Pussycat)

New and functional:

(Atlantic Center)

New and ugly (and expensive!):

(Newport Mall)

They had some key differences (price, quality of print, options once the picture has been taken), but they were for the most part pretty much the same and again like their ancestors in photo booth history. Isolated booth, camera, controls for camera, place to insert money, place to pick up pictures — same key points.

In as much as we hold ourseves to be people who rely on our powers of observation and critical thinking, we definitely don’t really break things down as much as we could (or at least I don’t personally). Watching people take pictures in a photo booth (which is certainly not a first for me) under a new lens of detail was actually great for stirring the creative juices — thinking of what they actually did, and how to improve it.

(Atlantic - slideshow)

(Newport - slideshow)

We all noticed that the motions were pretty much the same across the board - put in money, pull curtain (if there was one), step in, close curtain, sit on uncomfortable bench, try to navigate absurdly strange controls (with admittedly helpful vocal how-to playing), take pictures, check to see if they looked alright (and in some cases have the option to retake them), step out, wait, take pictures, bolt. I think what we thought was the most interesting was the social aspect — that the uncomfortable process, awkward seating, time spent waiting, etc., was all part of the process and part of the draw. You cram your friends (or signficant others, or whatever) into this space, you laugh at the awkwardness, you giggle as you take pictures, you wait and talk afterwards, and then you walk away with mementos of the experience.

When it comes right down to it, photobooths don’t exist for the same reasons they used to — when photobooths first came about, people for the most part didn’t have access to either easy-to-use cameras or the facilities to print on-site. Now, of course, both are pretty commonplace, so it’s got to be the social aspect that keeps them alive. In terms of how the industry has changed, it seems to both be embracing the kitsch factor (MTV has a photobooth, new Macs ship with a program called Photobooth, etc), and trying to market itself as on-site printing kiosks. That’s not really the same as a photobooth, of course, but if it’s the way to move forward, it’s something to think about.

Our humble suggestions for the time-tested booth itself:

Accessibility
- better visual instruction - interface relies on audio for clarity, not intuitive
- keyboard to type messages or enter data
- adjustable seating, camera - joystick

Features
- better privacy (doors)
- photo booths localized (images of NY for NYC)
- connects w/webcam to capture scenes in area (pic of self in time sq at exact moment)
- better located - airport; offer postcards
- photos displayed publicly - times sq.

Delivery/product
- filters, lenses
- cc payment options; change from currency
- video option –> video messages w/audio
- email digital files or upload to site for later access; or email to a few people

(Bazillion other examples of four-strip-style photos)