The Top 5 Photography Trends of 2023 You Really Need to Know

‘Scuse me whilst I let out a squeal of excitement! 

There’s nothing better than getting a glimpse of some of the photography predictions for the year ahead. It’s one of my favourite ways to add some fresh thinking to my photography and videography services. 

If you want to create work that grabs attention and stops the scroll, then keeping your finger on the photography pulse is essential. Knowing how to leverage trends (and adding your own flavour of course) is a sure-fire way to create kick-ass photography that counts. 

Tapping into new trends, fashions and crazes can sharpen your style and innovate your imagery in the most unexpected ways. 

 So, if you want to add some phwoar to your photography, then here are some of the most talked-about trends to watch out for in 2023! 

Trend #1 Bright & Bold Colours 

Colour has always mattered in photography but getting a heads up on which hues are ‘of the moment’ is one way to keep your photography force strong. 

2023 is predicted to be colourful. Think big, bold and bright. Hyper-saturated colour schemes that promise to grab consumers attention and let’s face it, the competition for visual attention has never been so fierce. With a frosty financial outlook in 2023, it makes sense that brands are turning to strong confident colour palettes to counteract market uncertainty. Engaging your audience with colour is one way to cut through the visual clutter! 

Trend #2 Maximise the Minimalist Look 

The ‘less is more’ minimalist movement is still going to be with us long into 2023. With an emphasis on beauty and simplicity, a photographer’s skill in crafting well balanced imagery is going to be even more in demand. Don’t be fooled though. Minimalism isn’t about the absence of colour (see trend #1), the minimalist vibe is all about knowing how to showcase the most important details with a streamlined aesthetic. Knowing how to capture the important parts without dialling down the style or sacrificing the story is what will visually set you apart from the rest. 

Trend #3 Video is Here to Stay 

It will come as no surprise that video isn’t going anywhere in 2023. It’s certainly kept me and my team busy this year! With a growing reliance and importance placed on all forms of video content, the key is knowing where your imagery is destined at the very beginning of every brief. Make sure you take into consideration social media dimensions, platform requirements and how these can affect your choice of shoot. 

Secondly, with more and more product pages incorporating still images alongside video content, a photographer’s toolkit can only expect to expand. From 360-degree imagery to short videos, knowing how products are going to be showcased is important whether you’re working alongside a video production team or adding videography to your arsenal. 

Trend #4 Keeping it Real 

Authenticity has never been so important. Consumers are looking for a genuine human connection from the brands that are trying to woo them. Obvious over-editing and uber-filtered imagery are an absolute no-go in the year to come. 

Producing authentic imagery isn’t easy – but that’s why it has so much clout. Now, I’m not talking about leaving your images unedited (god forbid!). Think more of a ‘light-touch.’ But don’t let that ‘light-touch’ fool you; this is a skill that takes editing panache. Nevertheless, consumers are incredibly savvy about spotting fakes, so it’s about trying to capture genuine moments not creating false ones. It means expressions are real, it means using natural light and it means more investment needs to be made upfront into the shoot than in the edit room after – amen! 

Long gone are the audiences that are impressed (or will accept) overly manipulated imagery. In a world of filters or touched-up visual content, ‘real’ images will steal the photography crown in 2023.

See here Image B, which is a perfect example of keeping your portraiture photography ‘real’, with minimal
editing…

Trend #5 Add Movement and Action to Your Imagery 

2023 predicts a growing demand for movement and action in photos. Fluidity, style and aesthetic will all come in to play in this trend. Not only dramatic and visually appealing but maybe even with a genius creative twist to softly blur the boundaries between the online space and print space.

Movement in photography can be brought to life in many wonderful ways. With complex compositions, with shapes that create an illusion of texture, and with noisy gradients and colours. Stunning photography techniques can enable you to tell a story as it unfolds with varying shutter speeds and blur techniques. It promises to be a breeding ground of outstanding imagery. Test shoot here I come! 

Whether you’re looking for creative inspo or want to keep your finger on the pulse, tapping into the trends of 2023 is a great way to add some fresh thinking into your photography play book. Think of it like a bit of mental flossing. A chance to experiment, have fun and flex some different techniques into your imagery. 

As always, I’m here if you want to chat about ways we can incorporate some of these trends into your photography next year!

Georgie x