A digital camera flashes as it captures a unique and authentic image. Rising in popularity, various models of digital cameras have become highly sought after by high-school-age students. Many students are captivated by the blurred and nostalgic images these cameras produce. Offering a look that differs from those taken on cell phones, digital cameras candidly capture memories and have had an increased presence on social media. Chasing after the “retro” look provided by these cameras, students have become re-attached to a device that was initially popular in the 1990s.
Senior Grace Ortizcazarin, who owns more than five different types of digital cameras, elaborates on the unique coloring and lighting these cameras provide to her images. “I prefer the look of photos taken on some type of digital camera because it isn’t perfection, and I like the way that light can change the photos…it kind of creates an old grainy look, rather than the perfect clear looks an iPhone makes,” Ortizcazarin said.
I prefer the look of photos taken on some type of digital camera because it isn’t perfection, and I like the way that light can change the photos…it kind of creates an old grainy look, rather than the perfect clear looks an iPhone makes
— Grace Ortizcazarin
Revealing her passion for digital cameras, Ortizcazarin expresses the enjoyment she has for the anticipation associated with taking photos on digital cameras that must be developed. “I also prefer the look of digital cameras because it’s a surprise. You don’t know what it’s always gonna look like until a month or two after, so I like being surprised rather than when an iPhone tells you immediately after what it looks like,” Ortizcazarin said.
Although initially finding it to be a burden to keep track of her camera when going out, Ortizcazarin describes that it has now become a routine, and it also encourages others to capture more memories. “I’ve kind of become known as the friend who always has a camera…and usually I carry around a purse or a fanny pack…so it’s very small and quaint to be able to fit in those places very easily. And people grab them and use them if I bring them out,” Ortizcazarin said.
Ortizcazarin further describes that the rise in popularity of digital cameras feels like more than just a trend; it has influenced individuals, herself included, to expand their collection of digital cameras and become more interested in the cameras themselves. “I think it’s gotten people like me more interested in it because now, instead of the disposables, I bought my own digital cameras or different types of film cameras, and it’s made me more interested in it rather than it just being a trend,” Ortizcazarin said.
Though the simplicity of taking high-quality images on cell phones appears to be unmatched, digital cameras have made their re-entrance into the photography scene – especially among younger generations. Continuing to bring vibrance to social media pages and allowing individuals to capture memories in an unparalleled manner, these cameras have yet to reveal any signs of losing popularity in the near future.