Physical media is having its moment. I truly think we are entering, or have already entered, a hard media renaissance. I’ve always been a fan of photo booths. I think they’re a great way to capture memories at events or even just on a regular day with a friend. Here is every photo booth I have tried in New York City so far and my honest opinions.
The smith- east village
This is perhaps one of the most social media famous photo booths. But I could not figure this thing out, and neither could the person I was with. There was a couple in front of me that received their strips, but the following group and I weren’t able to operate it. Either it was seriously broken or the touchscreen was super finicky, but we didn’t leave with strips. 0/10 because it was unusable at the time. Hopefully it’s all fixed!
old friend photo booth- lower east side
This is controversial, but I did not like this photo booth. There is one tiny stool inside the booth, so fitting two people in is a challenge. The booth itself is on the street, and I’ve seen the line wrap around the corner. I think I waited about fifteen minutes. I definitely felt rushed, and there is no countdown or time between takes, and the flash was extremely bright. Personally, I also didn’t love the quality of this one. It takes roughly three minutes for the film to develop, so it is genuine retro media, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re passing through on your way somewhere else. I give it a 4/10. I still think it’s worth a shot, though, because some people get really adorable takes!
urban outfitters- nolita
This was the very first photo booth I went to when I moved to New York City. This was in August of 2024, and I went back recently and didn’t see it. Maybe it was a temporary thing because I didn’t see it, or it’s just in a different area of the store or at another location. I give it a 6/10 because it was quite pricey for two strips, and the quality was just alright.
Les Miss- East Village
Les Miss is the cutest boutique for unique and vintage pieces, and they also happen to have a photo booth. I stumbled across this gem sometime last fall and have since returned. The first time, I think it was out of film, and therefore I could only receive the photos digitally via email. The second time, I was able to get the physical photos. There was still an option to get them sent to your email as well, which is great for social media uploads. The quality is pretty good, especially for black and white. I give it a 7/10.
queens crossing- flushing
This is located inside the food court of Queens Crossing Mall in Flushing. It has customizable frames and color choices, and the quality is great as well. You can also pick differently sized strips, including wider horizontal ones. 8/10.
the corner, nordstorm- midtown west
This section of the popular department store gained some online popularity during the holidays due to its small selection of Jellycat plushes. When I went, it was not busy, and there was no wait. The frames are customizable, but I do believe that this is one of, if not the priciest, booths I’ve been to. The picture quality is amazing, and they give you a good amount of time to figure out poses. 7/10.
k-town studio 32- koreatown
Also one of the first photo booths I went to when I moved here! I’ve been back multiple times. It’s a little hidden and you have to take an elevator up to a different floor of the building. There’s loads of props and multiple booths, so wait time is short or even non-existent. You pay before going into the booth for the amount of strips you’d want. They have customizable frames and filters (black and white, color, colored filter, etc). 9/10, and I believe this is the most affordable one I’ve used.
There are so many more booths I’ve passed but had to resist the urge to get in because the strips can be kind of pricey or I was in a rush. Overall, I am here for the photo booth trend and hope it sticks around!