They say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and after 100 years, the photo booth is proof that some inventions age like fine wine. TapSnap has always believed in capturing joy, surprise, laughs, silliness, whatever your moment, we’re there. So when I read the NBC News story about the analog photo booth turning a century old, I couldn’t help but smile. Because what they’re doing is beautiful: preserving something analog, tactile, and real in a digital world.
The automated photo booth was invented in 1925.
Today, there are only about 200 working analog photo booths left in the U.S. a small number, but they’re not gone.
People are still in love with them. The smell of the photo paper. The little mechanical click. Waiting for the strip. Tangibility. Surprise. Memories you can hold.
These booths are such simple machines, really, yet they deliver something magical: immediate, raw, fun. You don’t wait for filters, perfect lighting, or retakes. Sometimes the charm is in the imperfection.
Here’s where things get interesting. While analog booths do an amazing job of preserving the nostalgic side of photo-memories, TapSnap can take that feeling and turn it up in new ways:
|
Feature |
Analog Booths |
TapSnap’s Twist |
|---|---|---|
|
Instant physical copies |
Photo strip, right away |
You can get prints + digital downloads/emails/texts/social shares |
|
Vintage look & charm |
The mechanical feel, analog film tone |
We can offer filters, vintage overlays, or even setups with retro backdrops to mimic the feel |
|
More interaction |
You squeeze into the booth, shutter clicks, you get your strip |
We bring people out of the booth, group shots, fun props, roaming booths, video GIFs, etc. |
|
Keepsakes |
Strips, photo booth laughter |
All that + fun digital keepsakes, social media, sharing, custom branding |
It shows that nothing replaces the joy of people being together, making goofy faces, being spontaneous.
It reminds us that “instant” doesn’t always have to mean digital. The analog booths still give tangible artifacts.
It inspires us: for every analog booth still ticking, there’s a story behind it. People who repair them, collect them, use them, teach others. It’s a community.
Analog photo booths turning 100 is more than just a milestone, it’s a reminder that joy, memory, and connection are timeless. Technology evolves, but humans still love to smile, pose, laugh, and get evidence of those moments. TapSnap’s role isn’t just about taking photos; it’s about preserving feelings, lighting up people’s faces, creating physical and digital artifacts that bring people back to a moment.
So here’s to 100 years of the photo booth, and to the next 100 years of TapSnap capturing memories in all their unexpected, candid, joyful glory.