By Ariann Khoo (26S06B), Christian Adriel Tan (26S07B) and Tara Teo (26A01D)
Special thanks to Teng Yifan (26S06H) and Nicole Lee (26S05A)
There’s something charmingly spontaneous about the photobooth experience.
Whether it’s a flagship outlet at a shopping mall or tucked away in a discreet part of an alleyway, the sight of a photobooth always sparks a flicker of excitement. One moment you may just be walking by, and moments later you’re crammed into a tiny booth, fumbling with props as the flash goes off. In seconds, your strip prints out, displaying that moment of chaos or authenticity.
Few public places offer as much privacy—or perhaps, as much playful indiscretion—as the photobooth. As soon as the curtain is drawn, the outside world is likewise drawn away from you. For a brief moment, you are alone, perhaps with the comfort of your own company, free to be as ridiculous and unfiltered as you want. Within this small, enclosed space, the façade of public decorum fades, giving way to a part of us that is more authentic and sincere.
When the three writers embarked on our first article, our so-called ‘matcha runs’ also turned into impromptu photobooth tours, like palate cleansers between our cafe stops. We hopped from the ubiquitous photobooths at Haji Lane to the obscure ones tucked in heartland malls, and with every strip that was printed, we began to notice, gradually, our growing closeness in our poses and our laughter. And somewhere along the way, we realised that maybe, just like our affordable matcha discoveries, not all photobooths are created equal—so why not rank them too?
Here’s our shot at capturing Singapore’s best photobooths.
1. Photobytes – Aquarium Photobooth
To start off, the aquarium photobooth by Photobytes Studio located at Haji Lane was quite the fin-tastic experience. Stepping into the 4 rooms which hosted different coloured fishes (like the zebrafish and angelfish) felt like diving straight into a photoshoot under the sea. Additionally, the self-directed nature of the photobooths, with a clicker to time your shots when fishes photobombed us, was reel-y smart too, resulting in some natural and cinematic moments with these magical creatures.
That said, despite the cool translucent polaroids and the whimsical underwater- themed props, the variety of props and frame designs were rather shallow, especially when compared to the other photobooths available in Singapore. To add on, the studio was squeezy and only barely managed to hold all four of us larger creatures, making it feel less like an artsy photoshoot and more like being packed in a can of sardines, except this time with the company of coloured fishes.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
2. WEARE – Analog Photobooth
Novelty is as powerful a drug as nostalgia. Mix both, and you have a recipe for success. Such is the formula behind the success of Singapore’s first black and white photobooth, a crossover between thrifting brands Weare and Woofie. Reminiscent of vintage analog photobooths, the shooting is characterised by high contrast lighting and quickfire photos (5 seconds between each) with no retakes.
With only 3 photos per strip, the stakes were high. In 15 seconds, the whole experience was over, like it or not. The booth was pretty small, best accommodating 1 or 2 pax at a time, and when we squeezed into frame, the photo ended up blurry. Despite being hit or miss, this black and white style is striking, serving as the perfect profile picture or switch-up in photobooth routine.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
3. Photomanner – Manner Hotel
Room service, anyone? Manner Hotel offers the full suite experience: from a fully furnished concierge out front, to a hotel themed laundromat, and even a bathroom set. Stepping into the store, we were blown away by how realistic the decor was. The vintage checkerboard floor, paired with a fully furnished concierge kiosk, served as the perfect backdrop for photos.
Spanning 2 floors and 14 rooms (9 hotel themed and 5 subway themed), Manner Hotel is the largest photobooth store in Singapore. While the subway and lift rooms have been seen in various Solace Studios outlets, the bathroom, corridor, and hotel room door sets are one of a kind. Each room is decked out with rich tones and plush textures, reminiscent of the Grand Budapest hotel. It is precisely this level of attention to detail that provides such an immersive experience.
The Manner Hotel is all glamour, and the Red Vintage Lift room is no exception. Its base is a warm, reddish-brown wood, paired with old school elements like gold lift buttons and a metal grate. Unlike its beautiful exterior however, our pictures were less than ideal. Anyone whose taken pictures using a distorted lens photobooth knows that it’s impossible for the results to be exactly as intended. Mastering the fisheye lens is already tricky, let alone one mounted high on the wall. Because there was such a difference between our perspective and the camera’s, it was difficult to judge if our poses would translate well. In fact, this is evidenced by our flurry of panicked movement—the video speaks for itself.
Still, one does not need to fear the high-angle fisheye lens. Since the lens is high-angle, it minimises focus on the lower half of the body. As long as your poses are tailored with these constraints in mind, the warm lighting and unique props can serve you well! Manner Hotel’s warm and unique charm guarantees that we will book another stay.
Rating: ★★★★☆
4. Standard Photo Studio
Tucked in a dodgy industrial block just a few blocks down from Tai Seng MRT, Standard Photo Studio was definitely not what we expected—dare we say anything but standard. Looking at Google Maps, it sat above a bathroom utilities shop, which frankly did not scream the aesthetic vibes or decor that we were immediately struck with at our previous photobooths. But even before we reached the studio, hints of its eccentric charm began to reveal themselves. The stairwell was plastered with posters and previews of photobooth shots taken upstairs (and even an XL photo strip that caught us by surprise!), a colourful breadcrumb trail leading us to what felt like a secret clubhouse.
As we stepped inside, we promptly felt like we’d been transported headfirst into a time warp, somewhere between a 1960s retro-themed diner and a 2000s Tumblr collage. Vinyl records dangled from the ceiling, tube TVs and chunky boxy sets were lined in various settings, and camcorders blinked from shelves like relics of another era. They even sell film rolls and digital cameras for the true nostalgia chasers, just in case you want to take the vibe home with you.
Every inch of the studio was unapologetically maximalist, but the concept rooms truly stole the spotlight. One moment we were seated in a hawker-themed concept room that looked straight out of a 1980s kopitiam. Mint-green walls were plastered with vintage Marigold drink ads and uncannily realistic food props sat on the antique tables: from the irresistibly glossy kueh salat to the bamboo steamers of siew mai and bolo buns—this level of attention-to-detail just made it so extra and unique compared to the others. Then, as if teleporting into another dimension, we dove headfirst into the pastel ball pit room. It was the polar opposite—bubblegum pink walls, hundreds of rainbow plastic balls, and a vibe that screamed Barbie.
The props are delightfully random too: think a Hong Thai herbal nasal inhaler beside a retro camera. Perhaps the best thing about this photobooth? The price. For $10, you get two photostrips and a custom bead keychain — a bargain compared to many of the photobooths we compared with.
Between its creative sets and absurd props, Standard Photo Studio stands out as a chaotic, charming gem that proves its name couldn’t be more misleading.
Rating: ★★★★★
During our mission to explore Singapore’s growing photobooth scene, we discovered more than just quirky props, backdrops and prints. Behind the drawn curtains, laughter was shared and friendships were forged. Each photobooth we visited offered its own distinct blend of creativity, aesthetic vision, and storytelling. Yet, despite their vastly distinctive features, from an underwater “aquarium” to the interior of an airplane, they all capture fleeting moments tangibly, transforming simple snapshots into meaningful memories for keepsakes, with the photo strips acting as intimate reminders of our youth.
