There is no doubt the photography landscape has evolved over 2020 and 2021 to reflect the new normal we are living in. Dan Doyle Pleasantville photographer believes the latest trends are more than a passing fad, in some cases. Adobe explains the latest trends can be difficult to post because they weave their way into the fabric of our lives. Marketing materials and social media platforms reflect the changing times and trends of photographers without making them obvious to us.
1. Unedited Reality
The drive away from heavily photoshopped images has picked up pace in the pandemic and post-pandemic world. The realities of life have become much more understood and yearned for as self-isolation and lockdown regulations have left us isolated from friends, family, and workmates. A misunderstanding of the use of unedited beauty is that the photographer will focus on the flaws of their subject.
Dan Doyle explains the trend places the subject at the heart of the image and tries to capture their natural beauty. Portrait photographers are returning to the history of the medium by returning to in-camera editing to show the confidence and beauty of their subjects.
2. Drones Offer New Angles
The use of drones in photography has almost reached the level of overkill. Our social media feeds have been overrun with drone photography and videography over the last few years. The new angles we can obtain from drone photography will continue to be a trend as artists embrace this new technology. The days of lifting a camera a few feet off the ground to raise the angle higher are being replaced with new angles of events and locations that change our understanding of them. You can buy tethered drone systems online.
3. An Inclusive Approach
Before the pandemic struck and changed our outlook on community, society had begun to change. The rise of the #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter movements challenged the way we thought about life and community. Photography is accepting the changes in society and reflecting them with a shift towards more diverse models and subjects. Female photographers are coming to the fore to change the way the genders are viewed in our society. The same is true for male models as well.
Dan Doyle Pleasantville photographer believes classing a more diverse photography sector as a trend is difficult, but the belief this will become the new normal is welcomed by people in most sections of society.
4. Masks are a Fashion Accessory
Before 2020, surgical masks were rarely seen in western societies outside of a medical setting. In 2021, surgical masks remain a vital part of our lives and have become a fashion accessory. As our mask-wearing has continued for over a year, the masks we choose are becoming a fashion statement. The use of masks as a political commentary is being explored by photographers around the world who are looking for new ways of reflecting the views of different groups in society.
5. Embracing Self-Expression
The days of portrait photography showing nothing more than the faces of models are over. The changes in society following the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic have changed the relationship we have with our emotions. Embracing emotions will be a trend for photographers throughout 2021. Expert Photography reports the lockdown period forced most of us to face our emotions in a real way. By embracing this trend, models will be seen crying, laughing, screaming, and expressing their emotions in realistic ways.
6. Nostalgia Returns
Do you long for a simpler past when we lived simpler lives. Photographers are embracing nostalgia in different ways, with the use of props becoming important to photographers. The use of nostalgia as a form of escapism will help us as we try to navigate the unknown of the post-COVID world. The most popular decades to be invoked will be the 1980s and 1960s, with the 1990s expected to make another comeback in marketing imagery.
7. Smoke Bombs add Depth
The smoke bomb has signified different things throughout history, including driving political unrest around the world. Dan Doyle Pleasantville photographer believes the use of smoke will continue to be a trend into 2022 because of the depth it provides. Doyle explains the smoke bomb signifies different things depending on where the image is viewed, with North American audiences seeing smoke as artistic and linked to fun events. In Asia and South America, smoke bombs have become a sign of political unrest and change the reading of an image.
8. Political Commentary
As photographers, we need to play a role in how the world is changing. The current climate has been defined by political unrest from all sides of the political spectrum. If you are hoping to capture the reality of life in different communities, you need to take part in events. Politics are focusing on human rights and the battle to retain freedom of speech. By finding political groups, a photographer will be able to take part in the trend for documentary photography. Whether you are choosing a side in the political debate or moving to the neutral ground of the center, political commentary is a trend to follow in 2021.
Frame This
No matter what type of photography you are exploring, 2021 will continue to change the way photography is used at all levels. Being aware of the latest changes and trends in photography will allow a greater level of self-expression to be found within the confines of photography.