Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Good to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

Hyperrealism: HD Paintings Leave You Questioning What's Real

Hyperreal paintings mimic the depth, focus, and the occasional malfunctions of high definition photography. The effects are jarring and deeply human.

Patrick James
By Patrick JamesOct 31, 2010
Patrick James
See Full Bio

It's been nearly 80 years since the critic and philosopher Walter Benjamin wrote "The Work of Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction," in which he explored the void left by our ability to create photographic representations of images, which he felt lacked the aura or originality of the artist's hand. In the years since then, high-definition photography has made it ever easier to produce realistic images (and, somewhat regrettably, photo-editing filters have allowed us to mimic "vintage" effects to with the click of a button).

Meanwhile, painting persists. In what's sometimes called hyperrealism, a group of emerging and established artists create paintings and sculptures that approximate the appearance of high definition photography. The results are sometimes jarringly lifelike; other times, the artist focuses on the inherent flaws of digital photography—like compression errors or over-exposures—revealing something deeply human in the process.

cultureartphotographywalter benjaminhyperrealismdiego gravinesealexa meadegregory thielkerandy denzlerdan witzgerhard richter

The Latest

old people, happiness, unexpected things, good, joy, mental health, experience, wisdom

20 unexpected and simple things older people say bring them happiness

Genesis, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, WOMAD, 1982 reunion, Six of the Best, progressive rock, Steve Hackett, music history, Tony Banks
Past Events

The unbelievable 1982 Genesis reunion with Peter Gabriel was to save him from crushing debt

psychological tricks, social hacks, Reddit, communication, social anxiety, persuasion, de-escalation, body language, conversation tips, bystander effect
Past Events

15 'psychological tricks' that can help you 'win' in almost every social situation

animal welfare, dog reunion, animal shelter, dog parents, fundraisers
Good People

She surrendered her dog but wrote the shelter every day. Community rallied to help them reunite.

More For You

skydiving, volunteer, time, money, happiness, purpose, Reddit, Redditors

Sky diving and volunteering at a food bank.

Photo credit Canva

People share the 5 things they say are actually more valuable than time or money

Many people consider money to be the most important ingredient for finding happiness. As we age, the power of time is discussed as possibly being even more important. However, what happens when people are asked to uncover the things that matter most if you take money and time off the table?

In a recent r/AskReddit thread, a valuable question was offered, "Except for time and money, what is the #1 thing you wish you had more?" The responses were rather insightful and reveal a great deal about what brings people happiness—and what they feel is lacking in their lives.

Keep ReadingShow less
social norms, conversation, social skills, meeting people, awkward encounters

People say these small social rules are "impossible" to follow.

Photo credit: Canva, Africa images (main image) / anlomaja (black box)

The super small social rules that people say are 'absolutely impossible' to follow

I suffer from situational awkwardness—a self-diagnosis, mind you, but one I feel pretty confident about, given the evidence. My ability to follow social norms fluctuates depending on the setting: the ages of the people I’m around, the general vibe of the people I’m around, how well we know each other, even the physical environment. (Is this a home game or an away game?) Basically, if I’m visiting a stranger’s house and meeting their rowdy kids for the first time, I will probably be a different person than if I’m hanging around my parents at a restaurant. I envy people who always seem comfortable in their own skin.

It’s probably no shock, then, that I find it difficult to follow certain social rules. (This also extends to the concept of unwritten rules—let’s all get on the same page so I can know exactly whom and how much I should be tipping, okay?) At least I’m not the only one who gets tripped up every once in a while. In a recent thread, strangers shared the seemingly minor situations that they find challenging.

Keep ReadingShow less
aaron paul, smartphones, cell phone usage, technology, cell phones and kids

Aaron Paul recalls how his daughter made him rethink his smartphone use.

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0

Aaron Paul recalls heartbreaking exchange with his daughter that made him rethink smartphone use

If you own a smartphone and aren’t addicted to it, I sincerely salute you from afar. It’s so easy to grow obsessed with the passive dopamine rush of browsing internet headlines and scrolling our social feeds.

In any brief moment of everyday silence—sitting in the dentist’s waiting room, riding in the passenger seat during an argument with my wife, even waiting for commercials to end during a TV show—I find my hand unconsciously reaching for my pocket. That feels…not normal, and I often think about the effect it must have on my relationships with friends and family. It’s not like magically rewinding the clock to the dial-up era would fix everything, but maybe certain situations call for leaving our phones undisturbed.

Keep ReadingShow less
thrift store find, hidden money, goodwill treasure, coach purse, viral tiktok, heartwarming story, pay it forward, kindness, emotional note, secondhand shopping

Woman looks in mirror at thrift store

Canva

She found a bunch of cash in a thrift-store purse along with a stunning handwritten note

Whether it was luck or pure chance, sometimes the most unexpected things happen. Lynora (@marthainfused) shared a surprising experience from a recent shopping trip, as reported by The Independent. While thrifting at Goodwill, she stumbled upon a Coach bag in decent condition—and for a steal of a price.

“Got this coach bag at Goodwill. I paid $6.99 for it,” the woman mentioned, adding, “Wait till you find out what’s inside.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Barack Obama, Sophia Bailey-Klugh, LGBTQ, marriage equality, bullying, two dads, presidential letter, good news, compassion, parenting

(L) A child's handwritten letter to President Obama; (R) Barack Obama in 2025

(L-R) Reddit and Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Vanessa White via Wikimedia Commons

Barack Obama wrote a beautiful letter to a 10-year-old girl being bullied for having gay parents

In 2012, three years before the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, the "marriage debate" was a deeply personal and often painful issue for families across the country. It was during this time that 10-year-old Sophia Bailey-Klugh was facing cruel taunts from classmates for having two fathers. Instead of suffering in silence, she decided to write a letter asking for advice from her hero: President Barack Obama.

'It Really Hurts My Heart and Feelings'

Her letter was a mix of childhood honesty and a direct plea for advice from her hero.

Keep ReadingShow less
parenting, bullying, Samm Jane, TikTok, viral video, respect for women, tough love, single mom, apology, accountability

A mom scolds her child

Canva

Mom found out son called a girl ‘ugly.' So she decided to teach him a lesson in decency.

A single mom’s "old-school" parenting lesson is earning her massive praise online after she shared how she handled a situation with her 11-year-old son. In a video, Samm Jane (@sammjane2) explained that she discovered her son had been sending horrible, bullying text messages to a girl.

Samm immediately took his phone and read the exchange. “This poor girl... He’s only sent her the most harsh message that you could send to any female,” the mom said, explaining that her son had called the girl “fat” and “ugly.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Heidi Johnson, tough love, mom, parenting, viral letter, Facebook, 13-year-old, YouTuber son, accidental viral post, parenting debate, roommate letter

Portion of a handwritten letter with text quote overlayed on top

Heidi Johnson/Facebook

A mom's 'tough love' letter to her 'YouTuber' son went viral. Then the online shaming began.

When Heidi Johnson’s 13-year-old son began lashing out, claiming he was independent and didn't need to follow her rules, she decided to give him a dose of the reality he was asking for. She wrote him a "tough love" letter, reframing their relationship from mother-and-son to "roommates" and outlining his new financial responsibilities.

The lesson began immediately. “He came home, saw the note, crumpled it on the floor, and stormed out of the apartment," Johnson wrote in a detailed follow-up on Facebook. He returned for a "sit in" in her room, "where he did laugh at me and repeat, 'Really? What are you going to do? You can't take my stuff, etc'."

Keep ReadingShow less
Anna Trupiano, deaf, hard of hearing, sign language, ASL, teaching, viral story, linguistic access, fart story, first grade

A teacher teaches a young student with a hearing aid on sign language

Canva

Teacher hilariously had to explain to deaf students that people can hear their farts

Anna Trupiano, a first-grade teacher at a school for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students, often navigates subjects that fall outside the standard curriculum. But one lesson was particularly unexpected: the acoustics of passing gas. This hilarious incident, which Trupiano shared in a now-famous (and now deleted) post from 2018, created a profound teaching moment about all the "incidental" things deaf children miss out on.

The moment came when a six-year-old student farted so loudly that several of their hearing classmates began to laugh. The child who farted, along with the other deaf students, was completely baffled by the reaction, having no idea that farts make a sound.

Keep ReadingShow less
© Copyright 2025