Since its first inception portrait photography has always been evolving, and recent trends showcase the unique importance of creativity and storytelling. One trend that is particularly admirable is the minimalist approach, which emphasizes simplicity in composition and focuses solely on the subject while omitting all distracting and unnecessary elements. It’s beautiful and timeless. Another trend that is immensely valuable is environmental portraits, which capture people in their natural surroundings, highlighting their unique jobs, personalities and interests. Lifestyle portrait photography emphasizes capturing authentic, candid moments that showcase the subject’s true self. In contrast, fine art portraits are another trend that is truly fascinating as it encourages experimentation with lighting, colour, and composition, and pushes photographers to create portraits that are unique, thought-provoking and eye-catching. Retro black and white photography is a classic style that will always be popular, as it creates a timeless and dramatic look that highlights the subject’s features and emotions. The hybrid photo/video portrait trend is also worth mentioning as it creates a more dynamic and engaging portrait by incorporating short video clips along with photos. Lastly, the trend of self-portraits or “selfies” may seem trivial to some, but it is nevertheless culturally significant as it encourages self-expression and allows individuals to showcase their personalities and style.
Corporate Portraits
Corporate portraits are a particular subset of portrait photography. Many portrait photographers concentrate their work on corporate portrait photography only. Corporate portrait photography focuses on creating professional, polished images of individuals in a business setting. These portraits are most often used for corporate brandings, such as on a company’s website, in printed marketing materials, or on social media profiles. Business portraits are also extremely useful for social media platforms such as LinkedIn.
Recent trends in corporate portraits have evolved away from traditional, stiff and formal styles to more contemporary, relaxed, and natural-looking images that convey a sense of approachability and authenticity. This trend is driven by the rise of digital media and the desire for companies to humanize their brand and connect with their audience on a more personal level.
One particular trend in corporate portraits is the use of environmental portraits that capture the individual in their work environment. This allows showcasing their role and expertise. Lifestyle photography depicts individuals in a natural setting, often in motion, portraying a sense of drive, dynamism and activity. Another popular trend is the use of black-and-white photography that creates a more classic, timeless, contrasty yet elegant look.
Overall, the recent trends in corporate portraits are geared towards creating images that focus on capturing the individual’s personality and brand in a professional, yet approachable and relatable manner.
Portraits at Weddings
Wedding photography has been evolving over the years to keep up with the changing trends and preferences of modern-day couples. It’s an area of photography that is – similar to fashion photography – evolving year after year. It is the wedding photographer’s job to create beautiful portrait photos of the happy couple on their wedding day. This often involves one or more mini photoshoots, often making use of the venue’s most gorgeous locations.
Recent trends in wedding portraits include a shift towards more natural, candid, and authentic moments that capture the emotion and essence of their wedding day. Couples are looking for photographs that tell a story and capture the memories of their special day in a unique and personal way.
Another trend is the use of creative and artistic techniques to create unique and visually striking images. This includes the use of interesting lighting, unique angles, and experimental compositions that add depth and drama to the images.
The use of classic analogue film photography has also seen a resurgence in recent years. Many couples appreciate the warm, romantic, unprocessed and nostalgic look of film photography, which creates a timeless and classic look.
Additionally, destination wedding photography is on the rise, which involves capturing the wedding ceremony and reception in exotic locations, such as a beach or a mountain top, to create visually stunning and memorable images.
Going forward, trends in wedding portraits will, even more, emphasize capturing the natural, candid, unstaged and authentic moments that tell the story of the couple’s special day. They also incorporate creative and artistic techniques to create visually striking images that evoke emotion and capture the essence of the day.
Family Portraits
Family portraits are a type of portrait photography that focuses on capturing the essence, relationship and dynamic of a family unit. These portraits are often taken during special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, or family reunions, and aim to capture the connection and love between family members.
While family portraits are often taken during happy occasions, they can also be taken during sad occasions such as funerals. In these situations, the family portrait serves as a way to honor and remember the deceased loved one and to capture the memories of the family coming together to support each other during a difficult time.
Funeral portraits are often taken in a more subdued and respectful manner, using soft lighting and muted colors to convey the solemnity of the occasion. The focus of the portrait may also be more on the family members’ expressions and emotions, rather than on poses or groupings.
Regardless of the occasion, family portraits serve as a valuable way to capture and preserve the memories and connections between family members. They are a tangible reminder of the love and bond shared between family members and can be cherished for generations to come.
