Perhaps you’ve noticed the stealthy influx of retro photo booths in
Stumptown’s finer boîtes. First it seemed the only booths were at
the Matador and Ace Hotel, but soon they appeared at Holocene and
Ground Kontrol. Now East End’s got one and (for those who prefer the
company of tots to toddies) so does Finnegan’s Toys and Gifts. It’s not
the rain that’s making ’em sprout up everywhere—it’s the efforts
of photo booth fanatic Evelyn Weston. Evelyn spent 10 years in Chicago,
studying printmaking and bookbinding at the Art Institute while working
and playing in bars, where photo booths were as common as relish on hot
dogs. When Weston moved back to Portland, she missed them sorely. She
was dreaming up a business plan to install and manage photo booths
locally when she serendipitously met Bill Wick, the manager of
Seattle’s Photobooth Services, in the elevator of the Ace Hotel. Moved
by Weston’s obvious passion for photo booths, Wick all but hired her on
the spot. Now Evelyn’s an amateur electrician with a company truck and
several vintage photo booths in her garage, and is probably the only
person on the bar scene who regularly rocks a headlamp. It’s a labor of
love for her to ensure the machines run smoothly, while scouting out
new homes for her babies (here’s lookin’ at you MFP, Embers, and
Alibi!). Check out myspace.com/photoboothpdx to
keep abreast of photo booth locations and events, including a photo
booth photo contest.
What sorts of things go wrong with the machines?
The machines are old so they tend to break a lot or function
marginally. Everything has to be perfectly aligned or the pictures end
up somewhere inside the machine, or not getting developed, or all
crumpled up. I’ve probably spent 50 to 60 hours on the machine at
Ground Kontrol, just bending small metal parts. Also, the flash units
can go out, which are probably the most sophisticated electronic parts
in the machine.
Have you found all sorts of scandalous photos trapped inside?
No. Most of the time when they’re trapped inside, they’re
undeveloped, so when I open the door they get exposed. But once when I
was working a very fancy wedding someone left a photo of his butt in
the booth.
Are there unique poses you recommend people try?
I recommend people wear costumes. And wigs. I would really like to
see people doing art photos in the photo booth: weird still lifes,
stuff with puppets.
Does the job allow you time to pursue your art?
No. I’m crocheting a cozy for the ATM at the Ace Hotel and I’m
months behind schedule. But I do have a band called “Mr. Frederick.” I
play bass and electric saw.