Anatol Josepho was born in Russia in 1896 and immigrated to the United States in 1913. He was a successful businessman and inventor, and he created a number of patented devices before inventing the photobooth.
Born to a wealthy jeweler, Josepho’s early years were marked by the loss of his mother at the age of three after which time he developed a close bond with his father. Fueled by a fascination with the Wild West, he picked up photography at a young age with a Brownie camera from Eastman Kodak and honed his skills by studying at a technical institute in 1909.
Sent to Germany on the brink of World War I, Josepho perfected his photo art and dreamed up a revolutionary idea – a photo machine that could produce pictures automatically without an operator. It took over 12 years for this idea to come to fruition. In his early twenties, he opened his own studio in Budapest, Hungary before moving to Shanghai to escape the war. There he worked as a photographer and survived the 1917 revolution.
In the early 1920s, Josepho left Tomsk and headed to the United States to bring his photo machine to life – the Photomaton. In July 1926, he married Ganna Belle Kehlmann and the couple became friends with their neighbors, performer Will Rogers and his wife Betty Blake. They had two sons and Josepho passed away in 1980 at the age of 86 in a rest home in La Jolla after a series of strokes.
September 1926 in the heart of New York City, a revolutionary invention made its debut – the Photomaton, the world’s first photo booth. For just 25 cents, excited customers could capture eight memories in eight minutes with the help of the Photomaton’s synchronized coin-operated camera and its single source of diffused light.
White-gloved attendants were on hand to control the crowds and keep the machine running smoothly, and the Photomaton Company was established to bring the machine to people all over the country. Even future President Franklin D. Roosevelt sat on the board of directors. In 1928, the inventor, Josepho sold the rights to the Photomaton, for a whopping $1,000,000, to Henry Morgenthau Sr. with the hope that it would “do in the photographic field what Woolworths has done in novelties and merchandise, Ford in automobiles”. The next year, the Photomaton made its way to Europe, where notable figures like André Breton and Salvador Dalí had their portraits taken.
Josepho’s invention had a lasting impact on the photography industry. Photobooths became popular in the 20th century, and they remain a nostalgic attraction in many places. They also played a role in the development of instant photography and have been used in various forms of art and culture, including film, music, and advertising.
Josepho passed away in 1980, but his legacy lives on through the continued popularity of photobooths. Today, photobooths continue to be used for fun and for capturing memories, and they are a testament to Josepho’s creativity and innovation as an inventor.
In the early 20th century, photobooths began to become more widespread and started appearing in various public spaces such as train stations, shopping centers, and amusement parks. The photobooth’s popularity as a quick and affordable way to get a photo led to a boom in photobooth production and usage.
As technology improved, photobooths began to evolve. In the 1930s, automated photobooths were introduced, which allowed customers to have their photos taken without the assistance of an operator. These photobooths became a fixture in many public spaces, and their popularity continued to grow over the following decades.
In the mid to late 20th century, photobooths became a popular addition to events such as weddings, parties, and corporate events. The speedy printing capability and instant gratification that it brings to guests makes photobooths at events a popular choice. Giving guests a fun and memorable keepsake from the event.
Today, photobooths continue to be a popular choice for event planners looking to add something more special at their clients’ events. With the advancements in technology, photobooths have become more sophisticated, offering features such as instant printing capabilities, digital backdrops, and the ability to share photos online. The combination of nostalgia and technology has made photobooths a popular choice for event hosts looking to create a memorable and fun experience for their guests.
Now, with the advancements in technology, photobooths have become more sophisticated and offer a wider range of features. The introduction of green screens allows guests to have their photos taken against a variety of backgrounds, which adds an extra level of fun and creativity to the photobooth experience. Digital props, such as hats, glasses, and moustaches, have also become a popular addition to the photobooth offering.
Personalizing the photos works well for corporate events and conferences and provides good visual branding for the company sponsoring the event.