Photo Booths in Brooklyn

The Photo Booth Scene in Brooklyn

Brooklyn operates as its own distinct photo booth ecosystem — separate enough from Manhattan that it has 30 machines and a scene with its own character and regulars. Williamsburg anchors the borough's booth culture, with multiple machines along Bedford Avenue and the surrounding streets in bars that have been fixtures since before the neighborhood became globally famous. Bushwick, which absorbed a lot of the creative energy that Williamsburg priced out, now has several booths in the bars and music spaces along Wyckoff and Troutman. Park Slope and Carroll Gardens each have a handful of machines in the kind of neighborhood bars that still feel like neighborhood bars. What distinguishes Brooklyn's booth scene from Manhattan's is the sense that the machines belong to the community using them — strips from Williamsburg and Bushwick booths end up on the walls and fridges of the apartments within walking distance. The Roberta's pizza complex in Bushwick even has a booth integrated into its compound, which feels very Brooklyn: serious food, serious music, photo booth in the corner.