Jocelyn Dean, the founder of The Photo Booth Chick, is a name synonymous with Portland’s vibrant event scene, particularly known for her beautiful and nostalgic photo booths.
With the phrase “No pictures” emblazoned across her shirt in bold white letters, it seems ironic that Dean has dedicated over a decade to capturing memories through photographs.
Her business, now featuring more than five booths across various popular Portland venues, has recently expanded to two locations in Astoria: the Merrytime Bar and Rivermouth Vintage.
The journey began 11 years ago, when Dean first launched her creative venture.
The booths, affectionately named after iconic women in rock, such as Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks, are actually built or refurbished by a friend based in Chicago.
By year-end, Dean has aspirations to introduce analog machines to Portland, bringing a touch of vintage charm to her operation.
Initially, she envisioned “world domination” for her business, but Dean soon realized she preferred maintaining personal connections with her locations.
“I love my babies. I love the locations, the managers, and the bartenders. It’s how I stay alive,” she remarked, emphasizing the importance of these relationships.
Dean’s background as a photographer began in Southern California, and her passion for the craft brought her to Portland in 1998, where she enrolled in the Pacific Northwest College of Art.
Despite graduating with a degree in photography, she found herself navigating the digital landscape independently after earning her diploma, as the curriculum had primarily focused on film.
She jokingly noted, “I do feel like I used my degree because ‘photo’ is in the name of what I do. Right?”
Over the years, Dean has adapted and grown beyond just photography skills, showcasing a variety of talents.
From being a chemist and engineer to creating currency in the form of tokens valid for a photo session, she has done it all thanks to her innovative photo booths.
Her early work involved photographing bands, and her contributions can be found in record shops, particularly in the punk section, featuring bands like Defiance and The Casualties.
Dean’s love affair with photo booths began during frequent visits to Chicago, where she became enchanted by the vintage machines that filled the city’s venues.
This passion prompted her to consider a career change, moving away from the music industry to pursue her newfound love for photo booths.
Returning to Portland, Dean tracked down and landed a job with the company that operated the photo booth she had encountered at the former Ace Hotel, now The Clyde.
That booth, marking her entry into the local scene, became a pivotal point in her career, nearly two decades ago.
Initially, she worked alongside one other woman to maintain what started as just a few booths, which eventually grew to over twenty.
Following her trainer’s departure, she took it upon herself to manage all 23 machines, diving into the electrical aspects of their operation without any formal training.
Though challenging, Dean’s perseverance led her to learn on the job, even experiencing a few mishaps along the way.
After spending nine years with that company, Dean found herself without a job, feeling disillusioned in the aftermath.
However, knowing there was room for improvement in the neglected booths across local venues sparked a fire within her.
Determined to turn the situation around, she boldly maxed out her credit cards, took out loans, and fully committed to her vision of establishing her own photo booth company.
“I crossed my fingers that it would work,” she recalled. “And it did.”
Now, her passion for acquiring more booths continues unabated.
Each time she recoups some profit, she invests it back into her business by purchasing additional photo booths,
and although she faces the financial burden of writing substantial checks to her business partners quarterly, Dean takes pride in knowing she supports the local economy.
“That wad of money that I’m saying goodbye to is going to local businesses and you can see it in action,” Dean expressed with satisfaction.
For those looking to find her photo booths, there’s quite an impressive list of locations around Portland, although they do occasionally change.
Some notable venues include Holocene, McMenamins Edgefield, Kelly’s Olympian, and Raven’s Manor, among others.
Dean also adds an element of fun to the experience: at times, lucky visitors might stumble upon hidden tokens redeemable for free photo sessions, akin to finding an Easter egg.
“It means I was just there and left you a present,” Dean said, highlighting her playful spirit.
As 2023 marks the 100th anniversary of the modern photo booth, Dean’s journey exemplifies how nostalgia and innovation can merge, creating lasting memories and delightful experiences for patrons in Portland’s vibrant scene.
image source from：dailyastorian
