100 Years of the Photo Booth | From the 1925 Booth to the 360 Photo Booth

The photo booth turns 100 years old. Around 1925, inventor Anatol Josepho —a Russian emigrant settled in New York— patented and opened the first automatic photo booth in history, the Photomaton, right on Broadway. A century later, that booth with a curtain and seat has evolved into the 360 photo booth, capable of recording moving videos that go viral in a matter of minutes. This is the story of how an invention from a hundred years ago has become the center of attention at weddings, events, and brand campaigns.

1925: The First Automatic Booth in History

Josepho's original design was simple yet revolutionary: a booth with a seat, a curtain to isolate the user, and a mechanism that took several photographs and developed them in a few minutes, without human intervention. That concept —to photograph a person completely automatically— laid the groundwork for everything that followed.

Interestingly, that classic model has not disappeared. Vintage-style booths with curtains are still being manufactured and have an audience, especially for their nostalgic and aesthetic value. At Photobooth360Store, both worlds coexist: from the vintage vending photo booth that evokes that booth from 1925 to the more advanced 360 models.

The Revolution of the 360 Photo Booth

If anything has transformed the industry in the last decade, it is the 360 photo booth. Instead of a static photo, it captures video in 360 degrees: guests step onto a circular platform, and a motorized arm with a camera support rotates around them, recording every gesture, jump, and smile in slow or fast motion.

The evolution doesn't stop there. The 360 aerial photo booth suspends the arm in the air, rotating above the guests: it captures a spectacular overhead angle and up to fourteen people at once, ideal for luxury weddings, concerts, and brand activations. The 360 mirror photo booth, on the other hand, combines immersive video with an elegant format for more sophisticated events.

Why Now? We Live in a Video World

Every minute, dozens of hours of video are uploaded to platforms, and hundreds of thousands of images are shared via messaging and social networks. In a hyper-connected and audiovisual world, static photos fall short: what gets shared, remembered, and goes viral is video. This is where the 360 photo booth fits perfectly, as it turns each guest into the star of a clip ready to be shared via QR, WhatsApp, or social media.

From Handcrafted Prototype to European Technology

Today's photo booths have little in common, internally, with Josepho's booth. The models we manufacture at Photobooth360Store share a foundation of European technology:

• 100% Spanish manufacturing, using lightweight and durable materials: aluminum in the aerial model, steel in the 360 mirror (which supports up to 480 kg).
• Motorized platform, arm for the mobile, LED lighting or RGB ring, and remote controls to manage the rotation.
• Unique proprietary software in Europe: music in videos, custom frames, slow/fast motion, effects, cloud storage, and sharing via QR, email, or social media. With a proprietary app for Android and iOS that even allows you to add your logo.
• Diameters of 80 and 100 cm: accommodating 4 to 6 people per platform, and up to 14 in the aerial models.
• Patents registered in the European Union, a 3-year warranty, and 24/7 technical support in Spanish.

Moreover, they can be assembled in just 15-20 minutes, operate without an internet connection (only needed for sharing), and consume the same amount of power as a laptop with LED lighting. They can be purchased with installment financing or rented for a specific event.

Buy or Rent: A Profitable Business

For a unique event, renting is usually sufficient. But if you work in the industry —photography, DJing, event organization— buying a 360 photo booth pays off in just a few events, and from there on, each booking is profit. It’s no coincidence that companies also use them to record promotional videos with their team or to associate 360 content with catalogs and brochures via a QR code.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who invented the photo booth and in what year?

The photo booth was invented by Anatol Josepho, who opened the first automatic photo booth (the Photomaton) on Broadway, New York, around 1925. Hence, in 2026, we will approximately celebrate a century of history.

What is the difference between a classic photo booth and a 360 one?

The classic photo booth takes static photos inside a booth. The 360 photo booth records moving video from all angles thanks to a motorized arm that rotates around a platform, generating viral clips ready to share.

How many people can fit in a 360 photo booth?

It depends on the model: the 80 cm ones accommodate up to 4 people, and the 100 cm ones up to 6. The aerial models, with the suspended arm, can capture up to 14 people at once.

Does the 360 photo booth need the internet?

No, it does not need it to record. It captures photos and videos with or without Wi-Fi; only a connection is needed to share the results via QR, email, or social media.

A hundred years later, the photo booth remains the king of any event. If you want to bring this revolution to your events —or start your own business— discover our 360 photo booth models or request free advice. Spanish manufacturing, 3-year warranty, and 24-48h shipping across Europe.