Photobooth: The Art of the Automatic Portrait

First introduced to the public in September 1926 on a New York City street corner, the automatic photobooth quickly became both a popular amusement and a unique tool for self-representation.

In this publication, author Raynal Pellicer—known for his work Mug Shots—offers a critical exploration of the photobooth as a cultural and artistic phenomenon. The book traces its dual function: serving practical identification purposes while simultaneously inspiring whimsical, intimate, and often experimental self-portraits. By examining the photobooth’s widespread appeal and its appropriation by artists across the 20th century, Pellicer positions it as an important medium in the evolving history of photographic self-expression.