Thread

1. throwaway13337 · 1789815470 · focus · HN ↗

   I think we're in the 'early digital camera' phase of AI art gen.

   The real photographers knew they were shit photos. They were grainy, bad lenses, and ugly. A lot of people still liked them because they were much more convenient for a lot of uses than the film ones.

   Well, I guess there's still a lot of film people. But film had a ceiling. Digital cameras kept getting better.

   The adaptive film photographers eventually adopted the tool. A lot of their skills transferred well to the new medium. Most waited until the cameras got good enough, though.

   I'm not sure when that'll be with AI art gen. Seeing scenes broken up into layers in the latest gpt image generation, though, made me think we might be near.

   1. Sharlin · 1789815671 · focus · HN ↗

      Incidentally, the "early digital camera" aesthetic has been back in style for a couple of years now.

      1. rubidium · 1789820167 · focus · HN ↗

         It’s the same cultural response as the analog movement. The collective sense that everything Covid on stole our future, and AI is only making it worse.
      2. breezybottom · 1789821116 · focus · HN ↗

         No, it hasn't. You're confusing digital cameras with Polaroids.

         1. Sharlin · 1789822497 · focus · HN ↗

            No, I’m not. Old digital point-and-shoots, and the harsh direct flash aesthetic, have been very popular. Some specific camera models that some random popular TikToker happened to recommend have been selling at quite a mark-up.

            Two-ish decades is the standard length of a trend cycle. 00s is now retro in a cool way. Gen Z/Alpha, who have grown with phone cameras, want a different look, and having a real flash is particularly attractive because it allows taking reasonable photos in night clubs etc. Just like we did back in the day. (browsing old Facebook photos)

            1. breezybottom · 1789822904 · focus · HN ↗

               How do you quantify that as a trend? Prices change all the time. How many people actually bought it?

               The stuff about "generations" and trend cycles is nonsense.

               1. Sharlin · 1789823584 · focus · HN ↗

                  Ok.

                  1. breezybottom · 1789824009 · focus · HN ↗

                     That's a bold statement on HN. Perhaps you confused this with reddit.

                     1. seekling · 1789850243 · focus · HN ↗

                        Speaking as Gen Z; yes, "early digital camera" aesthetic has been in vogue, along with Y2K as a whole. Polaroid was a trend when the right about when the Instagram logo looked like one. If you will not be open to a new idea without "quantitative evidence", you are free to use Google Trends to substantiate my claims.

                        1. breezybottom · 1789856794 · focus · HN ↗

                           As if we needed any more proof that "generations" are nonsense, now people claim to have omniscience regarding their generational cohorts.
                     2. poolnoodle · 1789850817 · focus · HN ↗

                        You're acting like a fucking asshole

                        1. wizcaps · 1790024506 · focus · HN ↗

                           Read the rest of their posts. They are one.

                           Got proven wrong and can’t handle it.

         2. kowbell · 1789829568 · focus · HN ↗

            Polaroids are much bigger but I've also seen a resurgence in crappy early digital cameras in young adult spaces. There's been a slow rise in all things Y2K in some spaces and getting a crummy digital cam from a thrift store or ebay is a sick find.

            1. breezybottom · 1789832084 · focus · HN ↗

               Quantify this. What constitutes a resurgence, or a slow rise?

               1. Gigachad · 1789863743 · focus · HN ↗

                  No one is compiling sales charts on second hand cameras at thrift stores. But I can tell you from personal experience going to parties that more people are taking photos with old digi cams or modern old style digi cams like the kodak charmera than phones.

                  When gen z does use phones they end up running the images through apps like 1998 cam to make it look like digicam photos or using effects to turn video in to VHS camcorder style video.

                  1. breezybottom · 1789906059 · focus · HN ↗

                     Your personal experience means nothing.
         3. numpad0 · 1789888844 · focus · HN ↗

            [delayed]
      3. lawsthro0532 · 1789867801 · focus · HN ↗

         I saw the coolest bunch of kids in giant pants on the subway taking photos and looking at them on what was essentially my old Olympus and was transport back 25 years.

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