You have probably seen them everywhere on Instagram, those emotional photos of people hugging their childhood selves. The Hug My Younger Self trend is taking over the internet. These AI-generated images are hitting people right in the feels, and honestly, they’re pretty amazing.
What Is The ‘Hug My Younger Self’ Trend About?
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If you are not living under a rock, you must have come across thousands of photos and reels of people reimagining their old photos using the Gemini AI generation tool, Nano Banana. Women are obsessed with creating retro saree-clad avatars, and men are after 3D figurines. The new trend in AI generation is ‘Hug my younger self’. Using pictures, users can generate images of their present selves hugging their childhood versions.
It’s basically like hugging your inner child. Sounds cheesy? Maybe. But it’s also surprisingly touching when you see yourself comforting that little kid you used to be.
Look, we all have stuff from childhood that still bugs us sometimes. This trend lets you create a visual representation of acceptance. It makes for social media content that actually means something instead of just another post.
Steps To Create Hug My Younger Self AI Portraits
Forget complicated tutorials. Here’s what you really need to do:
Get The Gemini App
- Log in to Google Gemini or install the app.
- Upload the picture with your face visible. Yes, selfies work too. The clearer your face, the better the quality you will get.
- This is where most people mess up. You need the right words to get good results.
Prompts For Hug My Younger Self
Prompt 1:
“Take a photo taken with a Polaroid camera. The photo should look like an ordinary photograph, without an explicit subject or property. The photo should have a slight blur and a consistent light source, like a flash from a dark room, scattered throughout the photo. Don’t change the face. Change the background behind those two people with white curtains. Make it look like both people in the reference picture are hugging each other.”
Prompt 2:
“A photorealistic, high-definition, and sharp-focus image of a person’s older self hugging their younger self. The final image should be a realistic photograph combining the two reference photos provided. The setting is a bright, sun-filled room with large windows, and a soft, ethereal light streams in, highlighting the tender embrace. The emotion conveyed is one of profound connection, comfort, and nostalgia. The entire image has the nostalgic feel of a Polaroid photograph, with its soft focus, classic white border, and slightly faded colors, evoking a feeling of peace and continuity.”
Prompt 3:
“A hyper-realistic, high-definition photograph captured in the ethereal setting of a misty forest at sunrise. This poignant image shows a person’s older self holding or hugging their younger self. The forest floor is covered in a soft layer of moss and ferns, and the sun’s rays filter through the dense canopy, creating a magical, otherworldly glow. The final image is a seamless and believable composite of the two provided reference photos. The entire composition has the nostalgic feel of a Polaroid picture, with a subtle, aged tone and the classic white border that frames the emotional connection between the two selves.”
Prompt 4:
“Using my present photo and my childhood photo, create a realistic and heartwarming image where my current self is hugging my younger self. Make sure both faces and features are preserved accurately so the resemblance is clear. The mood should express self-love, nostalgia, and warmth, with natural lighting and a soft, emotional atmosphere—capturing the bond between who I was and who I am now.”
Conclusion
This trend taps into something: the relationship we have with our past selves. Whether you’re doing it for social media or personal reasons, it’s a pretty unique way to create something meaningful with AI.
This technology is free and easy to use. The hardest part is probably finding a good childhood photo. But once you do, you’re just minutes away from having your own “hug my younger self” image.
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