Y2K — Hayden Abbott

Throughout my college years, I have been to countless parties and group gatherings. They all follow a routine formula. There’s a theme, lots of people, drinks, music, etc. All aspects of a good time. However, nowadays, the number of people is equal to that of cameras. Everyone has a camera. Technology has advanced to the point where your handheld smartphone is equivalent to that of an expensive digital camera (for the most part). Pictures are always being taken, and that is what sets today apart from years prior. This might be the case for most events now, but there is one common element that has risen in recent years. As phone cameras have gotten better, the yearning to have lower quality, vintage photography has increased.

Numerous times per week, a fun-colored, early 2000s digital camera is brought out. Sony, Nikon, etc., it seems everyone has one. Every night spent at a bar, party, or really any activity is documented through the lens of a flash-lit, low-pixel camera. The next morning, the first text sent to the group chat is something like “send the pics from last night.” Everybody has this weird obsession with these low-quality pictures.

When thinking about the reasoning behind this, I blame it on a few things, the first one being social media platforms. The main ones are TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest. I see countless accounts posting these ethereal videos and pictures with an unmistakable vibe of nostalgia. When people started to catch on, the grainy photos started to document friends and gatherings. With a large portion of youth being on these social media websites, the trend caught on pretty quickly, and sooner or later, I started seeing posts everywhere with this same look. For most people around 20 years old, childhood photos were taken on these cameras, so seeing pictures with the same qualities today evokes a sense of youth and memory. Additionally, the look and flash of early digital cameras are distinctive and hard to recreate with modern devices. From my perspective, it’s seen as a fun way for young people to document what they’re doing in a unique way.

A notable Instagram account posting this sort of content runs under the handle “digicamvids.” For me, this account was the reason I wanted to get one. The luring vibe and feel of the videos and pictures is complimented by incredible music, making it extremely relaxing to watch. Additionally, “blodeug” and “digitalvideosss” are similar accounts. All of these are a few of the many users with thousands of followers. It’s almost like a porthole into the nostalgic trend that captured so many people. Additionally, other accounts have amassed thousands of followers by simply acting as a marketplace for these unique little cameras.

The accessibility of these devices is unmatched. It seems everybody either has one or has had one. For the most part, these cameras are pretty easy to get a hold of. If you can’t find one in the back of your closet, eBay can have one on your doorstep for around $30, or you can resort to the accounts on social media that sell them. Once you’ve sourced one, you can take great pictures by only touching two buttons. Power, and the shutter-release button. You don’t need to know exposure, aperture, shutter speed, or even framing. All you need to do is point and shoot, the camera does the rest. For myself, my sister had bought one decades ago, so when I went out looking for one, my search ended in her room. After charging the battery, I was good to go and excited to take pictures. I bring it to almost every gathering, and it brings everyone together when they see it pulled out.

I have always loved photography, but with modern, mirrorless cameras costing a small fortune, and the accessibility and price of film becoming more difficult, this is the perfect middle ground. I can fit the camera in my pocket and not have to worry about something breaking, allowing me to take it with me everywhere I go. Now, I have so many memories attached to the SD card of my Nikon Coolpix, making it my favorite camera. After the trend to produce these images blew up, I think the simplicity and accessibility is what carried it to where we are today. When I see these devices making a comeback, it makes me happy. Photography brings everyone together, and even the most uncreative people can express themself in a way, even if they don’t realize it.