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Photographer creates mini Kodak Kiosk

Photo: Zigmar Stein - stock.adobe.com

February 6, 2026

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James Warner, the photographer behind the popular YouTube channel snappiness, has built a miniature, desk-sized version of a retro Kodak photo printing kiosk that takes inspiration from the look and feel of 1990s photo technology.

According to the photography website PetaPixel, the idea began nearly a year earlier when Warner bought an original Kodak Picture Maker Kiosk from 1999. The full-size machine could print photos and scan multiple film formats, but its massive footprint made it impractical to keep, inspiring Warner to preserve its charm in a much smaller form.

To recreate the experience, Warner outlined a few non-negotiables for the mini version: it had to print photos, accept external media, use a screen for navigation and visually match the classic Kodak aesthetic. He designed and 3D-printed a scaled-down yellow-and-blue kiosk shell, carefully modeling the details to evoke the original machine's look while fitting on a desk.

For the internal hardware, Warner repurposed a Canon SELPHY printer, dismantling it and reassembling its components inside the custom kiosk enclosure. Despite technical setbacks along the way, the project ultimately succeeded, resulting in a fully functional mini Picture Maker that prints photos and captures much of the spirit of the original.

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