Inspire Your Photography Creativity and Take it to the Next Level

Who could have thought that 2020 would look like this? The global pandemic has certainly changed our lives completely. The way we work, eat, shop, and socialize have all changed so much they have become completely unrecognizable from the way they were just a year ago. But the new lifestyle that came along with Covid-19 has also changed the way we interact with photography in some unexpected ways. Here’s a look at the photography creativity trends we see being big in 2020, along with how you can adapt them to suit your own photographic style.

1. Bright and Bold

The days of neutral, subdued tones are gone. This year, photography creativity is going to be all about the bold and bright. Whether you’re trying to share a message of hope or highlight the ways our world has been changed, the mood for 2020 is decidedly intense, and you can expect to see this reflected through colour in the photography world. Think flaming reds, vibrant greens, and the definite 2020 Pantone colour of the year is classic blue. 

This trend is especially easy to incorporate into the photos you might already be taking. Think about what message you want to communicate with your photography. What colours can you use to symbolize it? Take advantage of your surroundings and find creative ways to photograph the brightly coloured objects you encounter in your day-to-day life, whether it is street signs, clothing, food, and anything else.

2. Keep it Candid

With so many of us isolated in our homes, the one thing everyone seems to be craving is genuine human connection. If you’re fortunate enough to be isolating with family or friends, take advantage! 

Aim to take raw, natural, creative photos capturing authentic interactions. On top of being on-trend, this approach can be helpful for subjects who are camera-shy, or photographers who have not yet gotten the hang of posing their subjects. By photographing friends and family while they’re immersed in their favourite activities, or just going about their day-to-day lives, you will capture images that are natural, genuine, and authentic. 

Next time you decide to take a family portrait, ditch the static poses, matching outfits, and studio setup (those things probably aren’t the most accessible right now anyway) and take some photos showing what your life is really like. 

3. Stay Real

If there’s one thing people want in 2020, it’s natural. We’ve already covered what this means for posing and subject matter, but it’s true for photo editing as well. Luckily for those of us who never did master the art of HDR, less is more this year when it comes to photography creativity and editing. 

Expect to see lots of raw, natural, barely-there edits. If you haven’t already, 2020 is the perfect year to really get to know your camera settings and work on getting the perfect shot in-camera instead of relying on post-production. Not only will this make you a better photographer overall, but it means you’ll have to spend less time bent over your computer, while still remaining on-trend. Now, that’s what we call a win-win!

4. Scroll Up

It’s safe to say that nowadays most of us look at (and take) photos on our phones. Not only that, but 2020 has seen our social lives migrate to social media. Due to photo sharing apps like Instagram and even Facebook, vertical photos have grown in popularity as they take up more space on phone screens, allowing for a more immersive experience. 

While at first this can seem like a restriction, try to see it as a challenge to think creatively, and approach photography creativity with a more outside-the-box mentality. Vertical photos aren’t limited to formal portraits – how can you frame a landscape or still life to be vertical rather than horizontal? If your goal is to form a deeper connection with your audience on social media, consider a vertical photo next time you go to make a post.

5. A Blast from the Past

Nostalgia is back in a big way. The last few years have seen an increase in the old becoming new again, from the rise of film photography to vintage fashion and vinyl collections. Now, more than ever, with our lives being so shaken up while we adapt to our “new normal”, it’s only natural to look back on the past with rose-coloured glasses. 

While this trend can be seen in many aspects of our lives, it applies to photography creativity, too. Expect to see lots of retro prints inspiration, vintage vibes, black and white creative photos, and of course our favourite, creative film photography! The best thing about this trend is that you can really pick and choose bits of the past that work best for you now, without sacrificing the comforts of modern life. 

Take the Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay camera; this is a camera and a printer in one and a great way to get that vintage instant photo look from your smartphoto photos with amazing creative prints. The Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay also has the flexibility of a digital camera, so you don’t have to print all the photos you take, and can make duplicates of your favourites to share with friends. 

If you’re not looking to invest in a new camera, why not dip your toes in the (almost) lost art of printing photos? Photographs can be precious reminders of the things in our lives that we love, but it’s hard to appreciate them when you only see them on a screen. There’s something special about being able to physically hold the images you’ve made in your hands, and that’s where digital photo printing comes in. If that’s something you’d like to try, just order photos online at annexphoto.ca and pick them up a few hours later or have them delivered right to your door. No darkroom necessary.

6. Film Photography

Speaking of nostalgia, let’s talk about film photography! It’s no secret that we here at Annex Photo love film. There’s just something about the look and feel of film that can’t be replicated any other way. And based on how popular film photography has been in recent years, we’re not the only ones who think so! 

If you’re interested in film photography but don’t know where to start, why not drop by the store and pick up a disposable film camera? They’re cheap, easy to use, and we can develop them in as little as 24 hours! Some of our customers’ favourites are Fujifilm disposable cameras and the Kodak FunSaver disposable camera.

Or maybe, like many of our customers, you found your parents’ old film camera while rummaging through your attic during the lockdown and now you need film. There is a wide variety of film choices to satisfy your photography creativity craving – black & white film vs. colour film, instant film, hard-to-find film or the brands you love like Kodak and Fujifilm, you are likely to find what the film you need if you explore. You can find and order film online and have it delivered to your door so you can start your film creativity journey.

If you need help picking out your film to load into your new (old) camera, come by the Annex Photo Concept by Fujifilm store and one of our associates would be more than happy to “talk film” give you a recommendation. Or, you can just contact us online and we can help.

Let Your Inspired Photography Creativity Shine with these 2020 Trends

There you have it, our predictions for this unpredictable year. Now, we want to hear from you! 

• What do you think of these 2020 photography creativity trends? 
• Do you think we hit the nail on the head, or got it all totally wrong? 
• What kind of photos have you been taking lately, and do you think you’ll be incorporating some of these photography creativity trends into your practice? 

Let us know in the comments!

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