TRENDS FOR 2018 (2ND IN A SERIES)

In the 2nd post of our series on trends that will influence and impact the creative, advertising and marketing space in 2018, we're looking at trends in "photography".

As with most things “marketing”, the category of “photography” sees change each year… in both technology & equipment as well as how creative pros execute their ideas. Below are some of the trends our research shows will be dominant in the field of photography in 2018.

Real Images (i.e. “unfiltered")

Again, in a world where you can easily fix flaws using filters, people have wanted to trigger their capabilities by doing clean photos that are not filtered, and this is a trend that will show up in 2018 as more photographers look for ways to produce real images that are not passed through editing apps to make adjustments. Doing photos inspired by filters makes many feel as if their capabilities are below par or not within the required standards to guarantee the production of high quality photos, and that’s why photographers are shifting to investing in quality equipment that will help them come up with good raw photos so they will not need to pass them through apps to add filters.

Natural Design

The contrast between digital and real has continued to pick pace, and natural looks are offsetting tech-inspired styles. Many are clamoring for authentic natural design, which comes raw and made with no sharp tech-driven edges. Expect to see more rich patterns that are timeless, including things like tree rings and marble swirls. There is a lot of focus on nature and expressing it as it is through photography.

White Texture

The clamor for this kind of photography has seen an increase of searches by 482 percent since early last year. When a 3D-effect is added to the trend, it can be sharp and intricate, reflecting the patterns seen most in nature. It comes as the embodiment of minimalism and offers us a bold backdrop to other designs. It comes as a useful way to add calm backgrounds while creating interfaces that require less noise both in the background and on other task areas.

Vivid Color

Vivid color is as well expected to make a significant comeback. Early signs have shown a shift in photography to focus on smartphone photography that comes with photo editing software. It is now easier to use different filters while personalizing snapshots. Expect bold and colorful tones laced with high contrast in 2018.

Global View

With the world getting more connected, it has become smaller and now people can share and borrow ideas from each other regardless of where they are situated across the world. Content creators can now capture scenes and share with a wider audience, and this has seen the networking among photographers across the world broaden. It is expected this trend will proceed to offer a wider allowance for up-and-coming photographers to have expert mentoring more than ever before, which could lead to a huge improvement in quality as more people will readily access the support they need to polish their skills at the art of photography.