PKMN Report, 2021-Current.
Materials
Game Capture
Software: Nintendo 64 Emulator (Project64)
Source Material: Screenshots from Pokémon Snap
Image Processing
AI Enhancement: AI Image Resolution Enhancer
Editing Software: Adobe Photoshop for upscaling
ERC-1155
Description
The collection is a series of photos that I've captured in the world of the classic video game, Pokemon Snap. All of the photos have been 100% made in a digital setting (even the Nintendo 64 that I played the game in, was emulated!).
The project analyzes three touchstones that traditionally measure the quality of a photo: composition, resolution, and scarcity. The images were captured, then rated by an in-game algorithm manifested as Professor Oak who has a set of standards in which to grade your photos (first touchstone). Those images were then extracted from the game at a whopping 640 pixels wide and fed through a neural network adding pixels to the photos (second touchstone). Finally, the number of editions that were minted is based on the score Professor Oak has given the photos, lower score = more editions (third touchstone).
The goal of this series is to spark a conversation about the relationship of subjectivity in photography, digital sovereignty, pop culture, and nostalgia.