The photo booth is turning 100 — meet the people keeping it alive

In 1925, Anatol Josepho invented the automated photo booth in New York City, originally calling it a photomaton.

In 1925, Anatol Josepho invented the automated photo booth in New York City, originally calling it a photomaton. Nearly a century later, historians say only 200 working analog photo booths are left. One of them has made its way to downtown Manhattan.

After having traveled to Paris and seen street-accessible analog photo booths, Zoë Lazerson, 27, and Brandon Minton, 25, questioned why there are so few booths available in their home city, New York.

“It is the earliest selfie,” Lazerson said.

Zoë Lazerson and Brandon Minton oustide old friend photobooth.Jillian Eugenios / NBC NewsDetermined to share their love of analog, the couple bought a photo booth from an owner in St. Louis. After some research, they committed to a 30-hour round-trip drive to transport it back to the Lower East Side.

The investment proved to be worth it. Their photo booth, dubbed “Old Friend,” has been a success, getting support from a younger generation eager to be captured in the moment by the century-old technology.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/photo-booth-turning-100-meet-people-keeping-alive-rcna184424

---