01 December 2006

photobooth friday



sad but true, the old skool booth at niagara had been replaced by a digital one. what is the world COMING TO? ah, but The Great Photobooth Adventure could not, would not be stopped. there was a brief mourning period over the loss of the old booth and then there was a general feeling of outrage when the new booth refused to accept our bills (dollar bills we'd all been madly collecting over the past couple of days, breaking tens and twenties at every corner newstand with purchases of packs of gum and such). so we set off to find another booth (albeit a digital one) at a bar down the street. and then there was all the squeezing and so much sweating (check the strips, I'm the sweater), the repeated feeding of dollar bills into the skinny slot. there was a lot of moving around and trading of laps and positions and also: a creepy female digi-voice commanding us to smile every ten seconds or so but mostly, there was a lot of laughing.


(check out jesC's version here)

say what you will about blogging and flickr and being a dork about it all, I really don't care. the most magnificent aspect of this whole gig has been the meeting of new people. these women I've met along the way (and I've met so many, all of them fantastic in a hundred different ways)-- these women are my new community. when my dance company dissolved and I found myself at home with young babies, I felt like I had lost the invaluable circle of women I'd known and been unconditionally supported by for so long. I felt absolutely lost. it's a little crazy to meet people like this, I know, but it's how I've rebuilt my community-- a spectacularly supportive one made up of women who are artists, mamas, writers, crafters, fellow booth-lovers, fellow life-lovers. so, to meet up like this-- in a bar on the lower east side of new york city, just to hop into a photobooth together because we share a mutual love for it and having never met in person before but feeling inexplicably linked by the reading of each other's words on a regular basis and the viewing and admiring of each other's photographs... it's a tad surreal. and quite possibly beyond words. is what it is.

the women I danced with for so many years, they are still around. they never really abandoned me but lives shift and change. we connect from time to time and I am most grateful for that. but now I've found new ways to expand the circle and my little community of women. you all reside in so many different parts of the country and in some cases, other corners of the world.



and despite the fact that I was sweating like a pig and that there was something nutty going on with my hair-- despite my expression in the third frame (hello, I've never made that face before in my life, not ever), despite the digitalness of it all-- it's booth perfection. jessika and kristen, you are beautiful, beautiful women-- so friendly, so super smart, so fantastic. and I would gladly squeeze into a booth with you again. and again and again. in fact, I'm counting on it.

for these reasons, I am dreaming of a big photobooth friday party. don't be surprised if you get the call, boothers.

and more from my fellow booth-lovahs:

jesC
acumamakiki
leSophie
the whole self
woof nanny
a.stray
jördis
matt
scrumdillydilly

17 comments:

  1. SO fun!!!!!! I know it was all smiles and laughs when we had the opportunity to meet - and I'm jealous you got to meet Kristen - she's fab. Love these photos.....

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  2. Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is the difference between old skool and digital? Are they immediately, visibly different? How does one tell? Why are places inclined to 'modernize'?

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  3. Looks and sounds like you really had fun....you deserve it.........thanks for sharing!

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  4. WOW, these are wonderful photos....

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  5. so perfect.
    new bonds, common bonds.
    I was there in spirit (even looked at my watch at 6:30pm on the west coast and KNEW you were all having fun!!!).
    I wanna be there in person next time :)

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  6. thanks, everyone!

    les, I love that you were thinking of us around that time... I think we're just sitting down to dinner at lombardi's... you'll have to get in on the next one, sister!

    barb, to answer your question-- I always loosely use the term 'old skool' in reference to the old booths (it's a term of endearment, actually). what I am referring to exactly are the booths that we grew up with, the black and white ones (and color too) that actually use film. they have a distinctly different look to them and have a much better quality. they are all being replaced by digital because the old ones are harder to maintain (I guess), they break down more and require processing chemicals on the regular. digital booths are just easier. but they don't have the same look, the same feeling. and from what I've heard, they don't stand up to the test of time. if you put two strips side by side, one old skool, one digital-- you'd be able to tell the difference. believe me.

    what I don't understand is why someone won't manufacture an updated booth that has the quality and look and feel of the old ones... that's what everyone loves, what everyone seems to seek out these days... they'd make a bundle. I'd pay more for those... in a heart beat. so, anybody out there want to take that on?

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  7. excellent story andrea!
    you gals are fabulous. i'll be waiting for your call. though i might have to book a flight over first ;)

    all hail photobooth friday ;)

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  8. oh my, that looks like so much fun!! I can't wait to meet with my blog buddies. I also love checkin' in on your photobooth shots. they are always the best!

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  9. love to you my dear! this strip is my favorite ~ you have that special wind thing with your hair, i've just got a big head. (=

    i keep dreaming of how i can have an old school booth (maybe in my garage?) and how i'll start charging for photos, whether that's legal and would a service guy come to my garage? i'm not kidding.

    and please come back really soon because now there's that bar photobooth crawl thing i'm dying to do and well, lets have the boothy party in NYC and we can all strip together!! (=

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  10. As always, you sum up everything so perfectly! IOt was the funnest of nights and one we MUST do again! Perhaps a petition should be started... Worldwide Photobooth Day?

    xoxo

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  11. blog meet ups are the best!! :)

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  12. can i come to the meet up?
    NYC is calling....

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  13. you name the day and the place and we'll be there... jan and i were just talking about a blogger convention complete w/ pancakes...

    and did you see she posted a link on how to make your own photobooth.... so there you have it....

    xoxo

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  14. as i sit here eating leftover swedish meatballs for lunch and read this whilst my child is munching on scary sweet snacks i sneak a read, and this one is making me feel soooooooooo jealous - oh to have been there, and on top of it all you have expressed exactly the same sentiments i feel about this new community - and only the ones in it would understand. thanks hula!

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  15. yes photobooth blogger convention w/pancake breakfast! when?

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