About us
We keep the magic of analogue photobooth’s alive for generations to come.
ABOUT US
Metro Auto Photo is run by Chris and Jessie, who helped save the iconic Flinders Street photobooth from closure in 2018. What started as a chance moment - a first date, a strip of photos, and a handwritten note left inside the machine - became the beginning of a long relationship with the man who ran Melbourne’s booths for over 50 years: Alan Adler.
Alan was known as “the most photographed man in Australia,” having taken thousands of test strips while maintaining his machines. Stoic, solitary and incredibly dedicated, he kept these booths alive long before Flinders St Photobooth became the tourist destination it is now.
Before he passed in 2024, Alan entrusted his photobooths to Chris and Jessie. Metro Auto Photo is the continuation of that legacy: a promise to keep these machines running, to honour their history, and to make sure analogue photobooths remain part of Melbourne’s experience.
Metro Auto Photo is Chris & Jessie’s love letter to Melbourne.
THE TEAM BEHIND THE CURTAIN
RILEY
Tech & mechanic
CHRISTOPHER
Head tech & chemistry
JESSIE
Admin & baby tech
A Special Edition
Co-published by Perimeter Editions and the Centre for Contemporary Photography, Auto-Photo: A Life in Portraits tells the story of Alan Adler, a man who is likely the most photographed person in Australia, and is also perhaps the oldest and longest-serving photobooth technician in the world.
Why It Matters
For more than fifty years, Alan Adler quietly tended to Melbourne’s photobooths - maintaining them with a precision and dedication that turned a simple trade into a lifelong craft. Every week, at each of his 16 booths, he would finish his maintenance run by sitting inside and taking a test strip to check the light, focus and chemistry. Over decades, those test strips became an extraordinary archive: thousands upon thousands of portraits, each marking the passing of time.
Unintentionally, Alan became “the most photographed man in Australia” — a humble technician whose unseen work shaped Melbourne’s cultural identity and preserved the ritual of stepping into a booth for generations.
An iconic Melbourne Story
Alan’s work lives far beyond the machines he maintained. It lives on fridges, in scrapbooks, inside wallets, on bedroom walls, and in the pockets of travellers who made his booth their must do stop in Melbourne. Through Metro Auto Photo, his tradition continues - shared by locals, visitors, couples, friends, families and anyone who wants a tangible memory in a digital world.
The Shop
From everyday totes to the Auto-Photo book documenting Alan Adler’s remarkable archive, our merch collection celebrates the people and history behind Melbourne’s real photobooths.
PLEASE NOTE IF ORDERING BETWEEN 5/4-10/4 IT WILL BE FULFILLED THE WEEK FOLLOWING đź’Ś
Co-published by Perimeter Editions and the Centre for Contemporary Photography, Auto-Photo: A Life in Portraits tells the story of Alan Adler, a man who is likely the most photographed person in Australia, and is also perhaps the oldest and longest-serving photobooth technician in the world.
New variation on our tote bag with illustration of the famous Flinders St Photobooth, high quality screen printed on AS Colour Shoulder Tote.
Fabric: Heavy weight, 320 GSM, 100% cotton canvas
Construction: Reinforced shoulder straps, one large main compartment
One size 46cm x 37cm, Gusset width 12.5cm
Grab our new book, a collection of Alan's test strips over 50 years. Curated by Metro-Auto-Photo (that's us, hi!👋🏻) and Centre of Contemporary Photography. Co-Published by Perimeter Books & Centre for Contemporary Photography.
First edition of 1000, worldwide.
Pop it in your new tote bag (Choose: Original White or Black), featuring the famous Flinders St Photobooth. Save some coin buying the bundle and we'll chuck in a sticker!
Every sale helps us continue to save analog photobooths from extinction.
Thank you so much, your support means the world to us.