Instant nostalgia: Youngsters flock to photo booths

A new crop of self-operated photo booths in Bengaluru is drawing young crowds. About the size of a changing room, each booth includes a bench and a screen with a built-in webcam and a timer.

Customers tap the screen, pose, and later collect small photos from an operator managing the printer. A curtain serves as both entrance and exit, while also offering privacy for candid poses. Typically, two strips with four photos each come for a price of Rs 200. 

These booths can be seen at metro stations and malls, and occasionally pop up at concerts and college festivals and during cafe openings. Most customers are couples and groups of friends in their teens or twenties.

“On weekdays, we see 25 to 40 people, but on weekends, we often have two to three queues,” says an operator at one of the two booths at M G Road metro station. Another booth, tucked away inside a mall off Brigade Road, sees fewer visitors, about 10 to 15 a day.

When asked about the appeal, youngsters cited the novelty of physical photos in a digital age, their aesthetic value as room decor, and a growing interest in retro experiences. However, frequent visitors such as Nisha Shetty don’t see these booths as a reimagining of old-school photo studios.

The economics graduate explains, “The photoshoots back then were formal affairs. Everyone would dress up and pose stiffly, rarely smiling. But in these photo booths, you can be goofy and candid, which makes them different.” Moreover, some booths offer photo filters and props like funky shades and cat-ear headbands. 

Most interviewees said their visits are usually spontaneous rather than planned. Metrolife met Jinal Mutha waiting in line at a booth on M G Road metro station on Sunday. It was her first time, and she was with a friend. “I like to keep a memory box filled with items of sentimental value like these,” she shared. 

These keepsakes are often used to decorate bedroom walls. “Growing up, I saw influencers and celebrities share photo booth-style pictures, which seemed like a cute aesthetic to me,” says economics graduate Amitha Mathew. She further notes that these photos closely resemble Polaroid-style snaps, and are also affordable in comparison.

Though largely driven by social media trends, some find genuine joy in keeping physical photographs. “It’s the sort of thing I would keep in a diary,” shared Anshika Goel, a CA aspirant.