The photography industry is changing quickly and as 2020 continues to unfold, there are a few trends that are going to dictate exactly how this industry is going to change. The photographers who are best able to embrace these changes are those who are going to compete effectively in a challenging world.
One of the biggest shifts that is taking place represents a move from pictures to videos. Videos are taking over. This is becoming clear. Even though still images have been dominant for decades, this is no longer the case. The reason why videos are becoming more popular is that they are becoming more compact. The file sizes for videos used to be tremendous compared to the capacity of videos, let alone phones. Now, this is no longer the case. Moore’s Law has come true and there is more power in the palm of people’s hands than there was in computers decades ago. As such, everyone is starting to make the move to video. Product photographers are going to have to become skilled at taking videos if they want to compete in today’s era.
As alluded to above, there is also a shift taking place as more people are looking for mobile compatibility. While photographers can still find value in advanced cameras that can do impressive things, files now need to be mobile-compatible and mobile-friendly. Much of this has to do with limited screen space. It is important for photographers to take steps to produce images and videos that are able to display well on these screens. While this shouldn’t be an issue for photographers who are used to using smart devices, it might be an issue with photographers who use DLSR cameras. This might dictate more post-production work.
In addition, 360-degree photography is becoming popular . The panorama feature that has been popular on phones is starting to move to professional photography as well. Many people used to dismiss this as a fad or a flash in the pan. This has proven not to be the case. There is something special that comes with such a comprehensive shot. With the advances in technology today, consumers are asking for more of these images. Photographers are going to have to get used to delivering them.
Finally, unedited images are becoming popular. Today’s generation is looking for authenticity more than ever. Therefore, unedited images are a great way to deliver this. Photographers are starting to shy away from photographs that have been edited because consumers simply do not like it. While lighting and professional edits might be forgiven, photoshop is increasingly falling by the wayside. It will be interesting to see how these trends unfold in the coming months and years.
