Bjørn Karmann, a Danish artist, has introduced a groundbreaking camera called the Paragraphica, which utilizes sensors and geolocation data, including weather conditions, to produce a stream of text that is then transformed into a “photo,” as outlined on his website.
The camera bears a resemblance to a typical point-and-shoot device but replaces the lens with a peculiar red apparatus, described by the photography website Digital Camera World as resembling a “TV aerial stuffed where the lens should be.” Karmann explained to the Evening Standard that this unconventional component is a sculpture inspired by the star-nosed mole, an animal that is visually impaired but interprets its surroundings using its snout. “The viewfinder displays a real-time description of your current location, and by pressing the trigger, the camera will create a scintigraphic representation of the description,” Karmann explained on his website. Photographers who utilize the device can control the outcome of the image through three physical dials located on top of the camera body, where knobs for adjusting shutter speed and film speed would typically be found.
The first knob, according to Karmann, functions similarly to the focal length on a traditional camera lens but is used to limit the radius within which the camera searches for data. A diagram of the dial suggests that the distance can range from approximately 10 feet to an infinite distance.
The second knob governs the noise seed for the A.I. image diffusion. During the A.I. image generation process, models introduce Gaussian noise through which the image materializes. Karmann likens this noise to the grain present in film photography. The third knob is described as a “guidance scale,” providing input on how closely the A.I. model adheres to the generated text prompt.
The hardware employed by Karmann to create the camera includes a Raspberry Pi 4, a credit card-sized single-board computer, as well as a 3D-printed housing with customized electronics. The software operates on Noodl and Python coding utilizing the Stable Diffusion API.
“Quite frankly, it’s the strangest and most peculiar thing I have ever witnessed, yet I am in awe of its engineering,” remarked Sebastian Oakley in his review for Digital Camera World. “But is this truly photography—or perhaps something more?”
Karmann’s Paragraphica camera pushes the boundaries of traditional photography, blending art, technology, and artificial intelligence to generate images that offer a unique perspective on the world. Its unconventional design and use of geolocation data present a new artistic approach to capturing moments and environments. As the art world grapples with the intersection of technology and creativity, the Paragraphica offers a glimpse into the possibilities that lie ahead.