FAQ’s
Can I hire the photobooth for my event/party/wedding?
Our photobooth doesn’t like to travel too much as it is an old machine. There are also considerations that need to be taken into account such as location and access. The photobooth is extremely heavy and requires a flat level indoor space 2.3m wide x 1.25m deep x 2.1m high, suitable ground floor access without steps and access to a standard 13 amp socket within 5m. All of this makes transporting/installing the booth troublesome, time consuming and therefore expensive. If you would still like to hire our photobooth please send us an email and we will tailor a quote for you depending on your event location and the amount of time you require hire of the photobooth.
Where is the photobooth?
The photobooth is currently located at The Orange Tree, 38 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ.
Where did you get the photobooth?
In 2008 Carole went to Berlin and used a vintage chemical photobooth there. She subsequently became very interested in photobooths and the possibility of owning one. Without much hope of success she posted on the Photobooth.net forum and was amazed to hear from Martin Krohs in Moscow who had one for sale. So, almost on impulse the plunge was taken and our photobooth began its long journey westward.
How does the photobooth work?
There’s a little elf inside that does all the work. Only joking. Inside the photobooth there are 14 tanks with darkroom chemistry in them. After you’ve put your money in the booth starts and takes your 4 photos. They are then fed into a carrier which dips and dunks, in and out of the 14 tanks inside, in sequence, until it comes out of the chute on the outside. This is why it takes 3-4 minutes to process the photos. There’s a lot going on inside.
Does the photobooth take colour photos?
No. Our photobooth does not take colour photos. There is only one colour vintage chemical photobooth left in the UK. Its home is at the lovely Fred Aldous a fantastic shop in Manchester with two vintage chemical photobooths (one colour and one B&W) and an old Model 11 waiting to be restored to its former glory. Is the photobooth suitable for taking passport photos? Nope, it was made well before the current passport photo requirements.
Ok then, what is the photooth for?
Our photobooth is for fun! And for making art. There are a load of fantastic photobooth artists out there using these wonderful old machines to produce some amazing artworks. A very brief list of some to check out is Steve “Mister Mixup” Howard, Kate Tyler, Meags Fitzgerald, Jan Wenzel and Photobooth.net. For a more complete list check out the Artists page on Photobooth.net.
Where can I buy a vintage chemical photobooth?
This is a tough question! If you’ve read our old (very out of date – oops!) blog or our about page you will know that we found ours by chance. These are rare and beautiful machines, sadly not just available to buy. If you really want to buy one our suggestion would be to post a message on the forum on Photobooth.net or contact our friends at A&A Studios Inc in Chicago. Maybe the universe will hear your call?! We hope so, as owning one of these lovely old machines is a truly magical experience. If you can’t own your own we highly suggest using some of the ones in UK that are around. See the locations page on Photobooth.net or this post by Rukaya Cesar with a rundown of the London booths for some tips or head to Manchester to Fred Aldous. Or when our booth has finally found a home in Nottingham come and visit us there. We need people to keep the love going for these wonderful machines!
Can I buy your photobooth?
Definitely not! She is our baby, we have nurtured her over the last 8 years to bring her to life and share her with the world. If you still really want to buy a photobooth see our FAQ above ‘Where can I buy a vintage chemical photobooth’?. Good luck!