The Photo Booths Are Back, and So Are Records

The Photo Booths

The other day I was walking in Melbourne CBD and noticed photobooths, one then another, then third. Do you want to guess who were using them ? Teenage girls and boys. They were all dressed up, queuing up in front, getting those photos done, then getting out. (instagram photo afterwards - naturally!).

That brought in my other observations: Records and to certain extent - CDs. Around 2018, when records started becoming popular again, I thought it was just a novelty for teenagers who wanted something different to what their parents were doing, which is why they were buying them. Fast forward through COVID and the emergence of AI, the records shops around Melbourne aren't closing - quite contrary. This morning for instance I saw a brand new one open in my area. I personally don't believe the whole thing is a novelty. Quite contrary: it is a sign of times, where people start putting more value into physical media, be that records or pieces of hand made art.

Fatigue

I think the driving force behind that is digitalisation of our life which had been gradually building up and resulted in a fatigue. This started with digital downloads of music and films, continued with social networks that many of us turned into the way of life (no ending to that one, not yet anyway). By that time, there was an established consensus among us as consumers that anything that is made using digital tools is easy.

Then AI came along which made digital creations even more accessible. However, it took us less than a year to stop getting excited about those shiny images and videos. AI in my opinion has turned out to be the last bit in just how much of digitalism we can have without needing something else.

Tactile value

Suddenly the items that were made by hand, become precious again. Yes, those are more expensive to make and take time but we can take it in our hand, pass it on to friends as a gift and put it on our shelves. In other words, we straight away see the value and appreciate it more.

In the end - streaming music and social network is what we're doing now but those 3 silly photos that you just took with your friend, go in a wallet, a pocket or stuck to a mirror. One is proof that you were there for somebody else, while the other, proof for yourself.