Photo Booth Etiquette: Tips for the Best Analog Experience

Analog photo booths are simple machines with a simple purpose: sit down, get your photo taken, walk away with a strip. But simple does not mean there is nothing to know. There is an etiquette to using these machines that, once you understand it, makes the experience better for you and everyone else.

This is not about rigid rules. It is about understanding the culture around these machines, respecting the people who maintain them and the people waiting behind you, and setting yourself up for the best possible photos.

Before You Step In

Check the machine first

Walk up to the booth and look at it before committing. Is the "In Service" light on? Is there a strip sticking out of the slot that someone left behind? Is the curtain intact? A quick assessment tells you whether the machine is ready for you.

If there is an abandoned strip in the output slot, leave it. Someone may come back for it. If it has clearly been there for a long time (curled, faded, wet from rain), you can remove it to clear the slot.

Have your money ready

Fumbling for coins while sitting in the booth wastes your time and delays everyone behind you. In Europe, most Fotoautomat machines take a single 2-euro coin. In the United States, bar booths typically take quarters — usually four to eight of them, so prepare a small stack. Some machines take bills; a few take cards. Check before you sit down.

If the booth is in a bar, ask the bartender for change before heading to the machine. Most bartenders who work near a photo booth have dealt with this request thousands of times and will have coins ready.

Decide on your group size

Most analog booths are designed for one or two people. You can fit three in most machines, four in some, and five if everyone is small and flexible. Beyond three, the quality of individual faces in the strip drops significantly because everyone is squeezed to the edges of the frame.

A good rule: if you cannot all fit on the bench without someone being partially outside the frame, your group is too large. Split into pairs or trios and take separate strips.

Check the wait

If there is a line, gauge how long each person takes. A single strip session is usually about five minutes (including development time). Factor this into your plans. If the line is six people deep, you are looking at a half-hour wait.

Cutting the line is never acceptable. Even if you "just need one quick strip," wait your turn.

Inside the Booth

Adjust the seat

Most booths have a rotating seat that adjusts for height. Spin it before you start — your face should be centered in the mirror or preview frame. If the booth has no seat, crouch or stand so that your face occupies the middle of the frame.

Close the curtain

The curtain exists for two reasons: privacy, and consistent lighting. With the curtain open, ambient light from the venue bleeds into the booth and affects the exposure. For the most consistent results, pull the curtain fully closed.

Some people intentionally leave the curtain open for artistic effect — ambient light mixing with the flash creates interesting tonal shifts. This is a valid creative choice, but know that your exposure will be less predictable.

Settle before you start

Once you insert your payment, the machine starts its countdown. You have a few seconds before the first flash. Use this time to get comfortable, check your position in the mirror, and take a breath. Rushing leads to a panicked first frame.

Work with the timing

Most machines fire four shots with three to five seconds between each flash. This is enough time for small adjustments — a head tilt, a smile change, adding or removing glasses — but not enough for major repositioning.

Plan your four frames loosely:

• Frame 1: A natural, relaxed pose. You are still settling in, so keep it simple.
• Frame 2: Your "best" shot. You are warmed up and comfortable.
• Frame 3: Something creative or different. Turn your head, make a face, try a prop.
• Frame 4: The wild card. Go for broke — funny, dramatic, unexpected.

Do not look at your phone

Your phone screen will illuminate your face with blue-white light that interferes with the booth's flash exposure. It also signals to the machine (and to everyone watching) that you are not fully present. Put the phone away. You are here for three minutes. Be here.

After the Flash

Wait for your strip

After the last flash, your photos are developing inside the machine. This takes three to five minutes for analog booths. Do not walk away and come back — the strip might fall to the ground, get stepped on, or be taken by someone else.

Stand near the output slot and wait. If you are in a bar, this is a good time to check in with your group or order a drink. But stay within arm's reach of the machine.

Handle the strip carefully

When your strip drops, pick it up by the edges. The chemicals are still setting for the first minute or two after it emerges. Touching the image surface with wet or oily fingers can leave permanent marks. Hold it by the white borders.

Do not fold, bend, or roll the strip while it is still warm from development. Let it cool and dry for a minute before tucking it away.

Clear the booth promptly

Once your strip is out, gather your belongings and leave the booth. Do not sit inside reviewing your photos while other people wait. Step out, check your strip in the venue's light, and free the booth for the next person.

The Unwritten Rules

The strip wall

Many bars and venues with photo booths maintain a wall or board where patrons can tape up their strips. This is a communal art project and a record of the venue's social life.

Contributing: Taping your strip to the wall is a small act of generosity. You are adding to the venue's history. Use the tape that is usually provided nearby, and find an open spot rather than covering someone else's strip.

Taking: Never remove someone else's strip from the wall. These are other people's memories. Taking them is theft, even if they have been there for years.

Photographing: Taking a phone photo of the strip wall is fine and common. Just be respectful of other patrons in the process.

Shared spaces

In venues where the booth is in a public area (near the bar, in a hallway), be aware of the space you are occupying. Do not block foot traffic while waiting for your strip. Do not spread out props, bags, or drinks on the floor around the machine.

If the booth is in a quiet corner, feel free to take your time and enjoy the space. If it is in a busy thoroughfare, keep your footprint small.

Machine respect

Analog photo booths are mechanical devices with chemical systems. They require regular maintenance and careful handling. Treat them accordingly:

• Do not kick, bump, or lean heavily on the machine
• Do not try to insert incorrect coins or objects into the coin slot
• Do not attempt to open panels or access the interior
• If the machine jams, do not try to force the strip out — tell the venue staff
• If you notice a machine is malfunctioning, report it to the venue so they can arrange maintenance

These machines are increasingly rare, and the ones that survive do so because people treat them with care. Be one of those people.

Bar etiquette

If the booth is in a bar, the booth is part of the bar's ecosystem. This means:

• Buy something. You are using the venue's amenity. Order a drink, tip well, and support the establishment that maintains the machine.
• Keep the volume down. Screaming with laughter inside the booth is part of the fun, but be aware of your volume relative to the venue.
• Clean up. If you bring drinks, food, or props into the booth area, clean up after yourself.

Booth-hopping etiquette

If you are visiting multiple booths in one session (a legitimate and enjoyable activity), remember that each booth is hosted by a venue. Do not walk into a bar, use the booth, and leave without buying anything. It takes two minutes to order a drink and leave a tip. The booth exists because the venue supports it.

What to Bring

Essentials

• Coins. Multiple denominations if you are not sure what the machine takes.
• A friend. Solo booth sessions are fine, but duo strips are usually more dynamic.
• Patience. Development takes time. Lines take time. Enjoy the process.

Optional but useful

• Small mirror. Some booths have mirrors inside; some do not. A compact mirror lets you check your hair and face before starting.
• Lip balm or touch-up supplies. The flash is bright and close. It will show every detail.
• A pen. To write the date and location on the back of your strip.
• A small notebook or envelope. To store your strips flat and protected.

What not to bring

• Large bags. There is no room in the booth. Leave them with a friend or check them.
• Messy food or drinks. Spills inside the booth are a maintenance nightmare.
• Expectations of perfection. Analog booths are imperfect by nature. Embrace it.

How Many Strips Do You Get?

Standard analog booths produce one strip of four photos per session. Some machines offer options for two strips (one for you, one for a friend) at a slightly higher price. A few machines produce six or eight frames instead of four.

Before inserting your money, check the signage on the machine for details on what you are getting. The sign will typically state the number of photos, the format (strip or individual), and the price.

What Does It Cost?

Pricing varies by location and machine type:

• European Fotoautomat machines: Typically 2 euros per strip
• US bar booths: Typically 3 to 5 dollars (in quarters)
• Japanese analog booths: Typically 300 to 500 yen
• UK Photo-Me machines: Typically 2 to 5 pounds depending on the format

Compared to a coffee or a cocktail, a photo booth strip is one of the cheapest souvenirs you can get — and it lasts longer than either.

When Things Go Wrong

The machine ate your money

Tell the venue staff. They usually have a key to the coin box and will either refund you or let you try again. Do not bang on the machine or try to force a refund out of the mechanism.

The strip came out blank or badly exposed

This happens occasionally, especially with older machines. It is part of the analog experience. Tell the venue if it seems like a consistent problem — they may not know the machine needs attention. On Booth Beacon, you can update a listing's status to help other users. Use our booth finder to report issues.

The booth is out of order

Move on to the next one. If you are in a city with multiple booths, check our map for alternatives nearby. If you are in a location with only one booth, ask the venue when they expect it to be fixed.

Someone left a strip behind

Leave it near the machine for a reasonable time. If it is clearly been abandoned (dried, curled, left for hours), you can take it — found booth strips are a small genre of analog photography collecting. But give the original owner a fair chance to retrieve it first.

The Bigger Picture

Photo booth etiquette is not about following rules for the sake of following rules. It is about participating in a community of people who value these machines and the experiences they create.

Every time you use a booth respectfully, buy a drink at the bar that hosts it, and share your experience with others, you contribute to the survival of analog photo booth culture. These machines exist because people care about them — operators who maintain them, venues who host them, and users who seek them out.

Be one of those people. Find a booth on Booth Beacon, follow the tips above, and walk away with a strip that means something. Then come back and do it again.