Image Trends Report, 2016
Everyone knows that a
picture is worth a thousand
words, but are the images
you use saying the right
things about you, your
client or your message?
Image Trends
Report 2016
The smartest slogan, the pithiest prose, and the cleverest
content can all be undone by the wrong image. But the
right image with the right message can be a compelling
combination.
This is where Image Trends comes in. We want to help you
find the images that are likely to make the biggest impact
over the coming months. We’ve done this by analysing the
stock photography our clients and customers in our two
largest markets have purchased over the past 12 months,
and used a team of researchers to look through thousands
of images and identify the key trends.
The UK and US have different image styles and trends,
so we’ve put them into separate categories.
We hope that by using Image Trends, you’ll be able
choose the best images for getting your message across
– and stay ahead of the curve. We have curated image
collections for each of the trends outlined in this review.
Head to Alamy.com to start exploring now!
To add insights to our image trends, we sought the opinions
of designer Ned Selby. Ned is a visual communicator and
consultant with 14 years experience in design and advertising.
He was a founding member of New Future Graphic, a London
agency with global clients including, the BBC, Amnesty
International, Mother London, and Clarks Shoes. Ned is
overseeing art director for MadeGood Films, and head of digital
design at MadeGood’s bike-focussed social enterprise. He is
founding Chief Marketing Officer of Fighting Foods, a food tech
startup devoted to nutritional support for those living with
cancer, and also works as a visual consultant between Asia and
the UK. In his spare time, he is a keen amateur photographer and
filler of sketchbooks.
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selbyandson.co
Image Trends
Report 2016
UK Trends
Theme 1 – UK Business
Key trend 1: Modern technology
Technology is fast-moving and fast-changing, but is your
content keeping up with the pace? Visual communicator
and consultant Ned Selby explains why technology
images need constant re-refreshing: “Businesses are often
keen to focus on human interactions, as well as high-tech
credentials, and yesterday’s technology can steal the
focus, detracting from key messages with negative effect.
The dominating theme in current Apple campaigns is
emotional engagement with family and friends, where the
device is the facilitator rather than the star. No business
wants last year’s laptop getting in the way of that.”
Trevor Adeline
Hero Images
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Image Trends
Report 2016
UK Trends
Theme 1 – UK Business
Key trend 2 : Official photo calls
A photo call is when people at a formal event have their
photograph taken and our research found that 70% of
images in the business category show photo calls from
political meetings. Many publications prefer to use
officially approved photo call images. Ned says, “We’re
seeing a return to safer, staged photographs, after a
disastrous foray into more relaxed approaches. Not
everyone can shoot hoops like Obama, and we’ve all seen
how a badly judged ‘natural’ situation can quickly become
the talk of Twitter, flayed mercilessly for its misguided
attempt at resonating with the people - anyone for a
bacon sandwich, Mr Milliband? For people of power,
it’s wiser to play it safe; the risks of social media suicide
are far lower.”
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Stephen Bisgrove
Image Trends
Report 2016
UK Trends
Theme 1 – UK Business
Key trend 3: Natural composition
The on-going trend in recent years has been for naturallooking photos of realistic situations. In business images
this includes natural office environments, models looking
away from the camera, relaxed office clothing, and
avoiding clichéd poses such as handshakes. “Staged shots
can be awkward and fake looking, and they’re being
upstaged by more relatable images,” says Ned. “Services
like Instagram mean we’re bombarded by natural-looking
snaps, and people have become more sophisticated and
savvy in their judgement of photography.” Brownstock > Dwayne Brown
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Image Trends
Report 2016
UK Trends
Theme 2 – UK Everyday
Key trend 1: Interaction with others
Our study showed that 60% of images in the everyday/
lifestyle trend show friends, family and people
interacting with each other, and the majority of images
have a ‘UK look’ - they’re shot in the UK and reflect
the UK’s culture and lifestyle. Interaction is a strong
trend in commercial and editorial photography and
brands often want to showcase human interaction,
as it helps engage the viewer.
Simon Potter
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Apelöga
Ned says, “As the world becomes more globalised, we’re
seeing a return to home-grown craft and culture. Fashion
brands champion their British heritage, while UK products
and enterprise take centre-stage in a bid to champion
greatness again. As we spend more time glued to screens,
relatable images of human connection have become
something to aspire to. Maybe global is not the new local
after all.”
Image Trends
Report 2016
UK Trends
Theme 2 – UK Everyday
Key trend 2: Pets
A large number of images featured pets, both with and
without humans, partly because it’s often easier to get
permission for pet images. Pets also evoke emotion in
the viewer - no wonder many lifestyle brands use pets
for the ‘awww’ factor. “Pet-related content continues to
reign supreme on the web,” notes Ned, “proof that overexposure to our furry friends does nothing to dent their
appeal. A personable dog can get top billing – brands
know the power of the pet.”
Pumkinpie
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Neil Cooper
Image Trends
Report 2016
UK Trends
Theme 3 – UK Travel
Key trend 1: Staycation
The research we carried out revealed that almost half
(48%) of travel imagery purchased shows a UK destination.
This reflects the surge in staycations, with many UK
tourists preferring to explore closer to home. Although
image style varies, there is one constant theme – the
destination always looks at its best, with litter-free streets
for example, creating an idealised image of the place.
“Attractive shots of the UK remind us of the beauty on
Britain’s doorstep. Destinations need to sell themselves,
and these images reassure: a staycation doesn’t have to be
a compromise,” says Ned. John Kellerman
Paul Robbins
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Image Trends
Report 2016
UK Trends
Theme 3 – UK Travel
Key trend 2: Countryside
Another trend our study revealed was that 40% of the
UK travel imagery that was bought shows countryside
and rural locations, which is greater than the number of
coastal shots or city images we are used to seeing in UK
travel. “As life speeds up, the appeal of slowing down
becomes ever greater,” says Ned. “Pinterest creaks under
the weight of quiet retreats and well-tended gardens - the
trappings of a sedate life outside the city. A coastal shot
might evoke squawking gulls and playing children, but
countryside images imbue bucolic calm; a Zen-like escape
to consider as we commute around our cities.”
Peter Lane
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Image Trends
Report 2016
US Trends
Theme 1 – US Everyday Life
Key trend 1: Interaction with others
Our researchers found that within the US everyday life
trend, two thirds of the content (66%) bought by our US
customers shows friends, family and people interacting
with each other. Lifestyle content (such as location,
fashion, styling and activity types) feels more US-centric
- you can tell these are US shots. Interaction is a strong
trend in commercial and editorial photography – brands
will often want to showcase human interaction, as it
helps engage the viewer. “America still has its dream,
and it is reflected in the styling of these shots,” says Ned.
“The interactions aren’t false, but polished treatment of
characters and settings adds more gloss than we might
see in everyday life.”
Tony Tallec
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Hero Images
Image Trends
Report 2016
US Trends
Theme 1 – US Everyday Life
Key trend 2: Hobbies
The remaining everyday content shows people engaged in
various activities such as reading, fishing, walking, cycling
and skiing, and these also have a US feel. US imagery
tends to look a little more posed, glossier and a little
less natural – a trend that is reflected in their advertising
style. “The subject matter - if not the style - supports
our observations from some of the UK themes; relaxed,
informal, local, wholesome,” says Ned. “For most people,
leisure time is a rare and valued asset; a just reward for
our efforts. Here we see how those leisurely aspirations
are viewed through an American lens.” Hero Images
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John Lund/Marc Romanelli
Image Trends
Report 2016
US Trends
Theme 2 – US Healthcare
Key trend: Realism
Our research revealed that most US healthcare content
(65%) features images of real people in real situations
(the other 35% are vector graphics or illustrations, mainly
of body parts). The image content shows both doctor and
patient interaction, and lone patients. The photography
style is more realistic than seen in the past – images
feel less staged, and are more atmospheric. There are
sensitivity issues when shooting real-life patients, so
the majority of images are staged, but designed to look
realistic.
ERproductions Ltd
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B. Boissonnet / BSIP
“Healthcare is a hot topic in the US, provoking lively
debate and ongoing commentary,” notes Ned. “As
Americans face an uncertain medical future, traditionally
optimistic and reassuring imagery has been replaced by
a more realistic style, that’s perhaps designed to strike a
chord with the times. For an insurance company looking
to sell policies, or a journalist reporting a gloomy future,
the friendly apple-a-day doctor appears out of favour –
for now, at least.” Image Trends
Report 2016
US Trends
Theme 3 – World Travel
Key trend: World travel
The image of the stay-at-home American is being broken:
our researchers found that 65% of the imagery in this
category was from outside of the USA, showing a growing
trend for wider travel. “Traditionally, we’ve seen the US
as the home of the staycation, but these trends show a
break in these norms,” says Ned. “With many aspirational
lives now being lived online and in full view of a camera
lens, maybe an interstate holiday just isn’t glamorous
enough these days. Demonstrating a wider, international
view inspires audiences and portrays businesses in a
worldly light.”
Anna Berkut
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Katya Palladina / Stockimo
By keeping up with the latest image
trends, you can select the images that
will help keep your message fresh,
relevant and up-to-date. Choosing images
that have a resonance with your target
audience will reinforce what you have
to say. Reflecting image trends in your
content is not about being fashionable;
it’s about making the biggest possible
impact in both words and pictures.