Finally the time has come when cheesy grins, staged handshakes and cringey thumbs up have come to an end within stock photography. *Throws hands up in the air in rejoice*
Although the use of these types of images has begun to fade out over the past few years, 2019 will see designers looking for more natural and candid stock photography. We live in an era where we are targeted by fake news, CGI Instagram accounts and modified images, so much so that people have had enough and are now desperate for a slice of authenticity. The days of the distant and cold stock model directing an icy stare straight down the barrel of the camera lens are (hopefully) gone. Instead, we expect to see authentic photography that makes a human connection and depicts genuine emotions and engagement.
Why the shift away from frantic grins that don’t quite reach the eyes? This trend is a result of people wanting to relate to the composition of an image and therefore to the brand itself. In order to buy-in to what the image is selling, it must reflect real life and feel obtainable. Viewers want to see emotion and gestures that are natural and feel genuine, candid photography that is actually candid (not your usual Instagram kind of ‘candid’).
Here at Underscore we strongly believe in the natural look, as it emphasises a company’s values, such as being human and approachable, as well as adding a softer tone to even the most corporate of brands. To learn more about how you can create the right window into your brand’s world, or even just bag some killer head shots, contact us at hello@underscore.co.uk. We’d love to hear from you!