Popular photography trends

Photographs serve as a way for humans to capture incredible and intriguing moments in time. But as these moments occur, new means to capture them emerge in each decade. Whether it comes from a professional camera or editing apps, trends always change

The power of photography stems from the power of the camera to hold the truth. Cameras hold the power to speak the truth effortlessly, as well as show the world in its lightest moments, along with its darkest. 

“Photos allow us to look back on our children when they were newborns, then in their school years, at graduation, and their weddings. They evoke emotions of beautiful times in our lives and sometimes of difficult times, too. Photographs are a lifeline to the past,” photographer Laura Barnett said.

While cameras constantly change and evolve over time, editing also constantly changes and evolves, which causes several new trends within editing. Editing can change how a person appears entirely or change the presentation of an environment. The secret to a clean picture comes from clean editing. Editing exists as a powerful tool that can change the saved reality seen in technology. 

A photography trend comes from the person messing with the settings, lighting and filters. However, not all trends stem from editing. Several simply gain popularity from the environment of a photo. All photos please the eye because people enjoy a satisfying background. The most important and probably the hardest part of finding a background would stand as finding one that quickly catches the eye. For example, a background that explores depth of field adds a cinematic feel to the photo and captures people in the background with the blur. Also making the scenic route, the background can exist as the story. 

Standard smartphone technology remains the simplest and most commonly used trend. It stands as an easy photo-taking device produced with a quality that continues to improve over time. With the quality, the photographs represent additional details. Anyone can use the same device they use daily to create these photos. 

One of the trends taken on a phone or professional camera includes self-portraits. These represent straightforward art that captures humanity in its most beautiful moments. The portraits receive the most love when natural, with minimal edits to the skin and less makeup. People love authenticity when it comes to the magic of photography. Magazines and social media receive the most attention from this for self-expression, self-love and body positivity. 

Environmental photography gained popularity around the early 1800s. These landscape shots show the truth of the earth and the beauty of both the natural and man-made parts. It reaches beyond the digital world. Environmental photos can vary from mountain photos to city life. As long as a feeling of realness surrounds the photo, nothing else matters. People take these pictures in multiple different styles to make them different. In a city photo, a scale appears in each: a gray and still life, and vibrant, the liveliness of it all. A vibrant city photo does not tell the same story as a gray one but offers a different feel. For example, say someone adds a bit of color and neon, cyberpunk now exists in the photo. A futuristic fantasy comes to life. It lets the viewer live in a reality that nobody will likely ever see.

“My favorite trend is photography because I like capturing flowers, trees, and other plants like that. I think it is easier to take pictures of nature because the pictures are not blurry and they are typically very colorful. I like to take photos outside because I think natural lighting is better and I also prefer the no-flash setting. When taking the picture, I always make sure to center my subject and highlight one person. I love taking action shots especially if they are candid and not posed,” NC yearbook photographer Megan Tate said.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Noe Alonzo

Cyberpunk utilizes the neo-noir look along with technology to make a futuristic setting. A visual aesthetic that carries the urban setting sci-fi sub-genre.

Editing systems like Adobe After Effects allow the user to twist a project into anything. A popular way to set the settings can make a trend. The silhouette trend uses this. The silhouette gained attention in the 17th century; it brought a new view to things. People could see objects from a different perspective. A silhouetted photograph creates the advantage of ambient light to highlight a certain subject. The aesthetics trend also brings use to specific settings. This trend brings us to the mistakes of the camera. Light streaks that would normally ruin a photo, are somehow used to set a tone. Blown-out colors, white borders, grain and all things that once represented a problem with a camera now can become something people like seeing. 

“Photography can serve many purposes and have many facets. Photography can tell a story, it can capture a moment in time, it can document, and it can be art. There are many technical uses for photography as well as social and creative ones. How we use and interact with photography is highly personal and will differ from one person to the next,” the Eden Gallery said.

Photography represents an art to several people; it grants camera owners, along with the viewers, freedom of expression as well as the ability to reflect on thoughts that cannot be expressed through speech. Trends in photography influence the character and the styles of the photos.

“Photography is really special. It can hold a lot of memories and when it comes to editing, photographers have the power to set mood and tell a story. But at the end of the day, a photo is real; a camera doesn’t lie,” sophomore Joi Jenkins said.

The world of photography appears complex and constantly changing. The influence of technology and the forever-changing perspectives of articles show up in emerging trends within photography. Mobile photography and social media changed the way consumers take pictures and highlighted the value of the photo. The new opportunities and difficulties brought by technology continuously push the limits of creativity in the best way. Simplicity and minimalism make a comeback, which enables photographers to rediscover the artistic heart of their work. 

Whatever happens, can make photos noteworthy; they will always hold a special place in many people’s hearts. In a way that people want to see, they all seem different yet the same. Something captivating and intriguing, yet also reassuring in order to not frighten them. An artist can achieve remarkable things with the appropriate audience, and every artist has one. It matters not only to use these trends but also to use them as inspiration to create even more for the next person.