Digital Automagic Photo Booth
A bespoke, mobile photo booth crafted from thrift store finds, a digital camera, an old computer, Arduinos, and custom software
2007-2018
Before smartphones. Before the ubiquity of cameras. There was the Digital Automagic Audience Participatory Photo Booth.
The booth was first built for a Halloween party in 2007. It was last used in 2018. In between, it ran more than 20 times at public and private events.
The Technology
The technology included:
- old laptop with at least two USB ports; screen removed
- 17” LCD monitor with the stand removed
- Olympus C-5060 camera
- Arduino microcontroller (switches are wired to this, then the Arduino sends commands to the computer)
- various switches and pedals (for triggering the software/camera)
- Custom photo booth software written in VB.NET
A History in Photos
Original signage from one of the first installations in 2007
The enclosure
Inside the enclosure
Sewing the curtain
View from the inside
The booth installed at the Boston Derby Dames' Dirty Derby Prom, April 2008
The booth installed at Somerville Open Studios, May 2008
The Arduino that triggers the photo booth software