Paintings vs Photographs

Users debate the accuracy and representational value of paintings compared to photographs, discussing how paintings emphasize details interpretively rather than literally capturing reality, with references to historical art, photorealism, and recreations.

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4,492
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#1297
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
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Keywords

AD500 wikipedia.org DALLE3 S15E6 themanual.com instapainting.com AD1300 S25E5 paintings painting artwork brush bob art drawing lisa photograph museum

Sample Comments

informal007 Apr 10, 2025 View on HN

It's like painting made by human, not photo captured by camera.

dang Feb 8, 2016 View on HN

The painter is also interesting.

Dylan16807 Sep 13, 2014 View on HN

Paintings don't exactly match reality. They can emphasize the details you're deliberately copying. It's very easy for a painting of a subtle effect to be less subtle. The colleagues could even use the painting to help them understand the original.

ballenf Oct 16, 2024 View on HN

Artwork can be more true to reality than a photograph.

IAmBroom Aug 29, 2025 View on HN

You have trouble believing the contemporary painting is accurate? Look at the linked art.

SubjectToChange Feb 17, 2021 View on HN

Your reply is in text. Would you care to link a set of paintings to express your argument instead?

BitwiseFool Aug 25, 2021 View on HN

There is a difference between a fresco and a photograph.

Maybe artist was the wrong word, painter would be more appropriate.

baudaux Dec 22, 2024 View on HN

It is like repainting La Joconde

peoplefromibiza Feb 15, 2023 View on HN

They were making paintings not renderings.