When it comes to commercial photography, a good rule of thumb is to always plan ahead. This means that early fall is a great time to start visualizing and creating content for late fall and winter. This way, your images are uploaded and available by the time marketers start looking for content to use in their seasonal campaigns. In our WirePicks for October, we'll cover all the trends you need to explore for the remainder of 2022.
Nostalgia
Early Y2K is officially back, fueled and renewed by the interest from GenZers. In recent months, it is very common to see influencers wearing low-rise jeans, blingy sweatsuits, and butterfly clips, leading to what some have dubbed the "throwback economy".
This trend hasn't escaped stock content either, with visuals fueling all the nostalgic feels from this seemingly bygone era. That's why, for October, we encourage you to research all the staples of the Y2K style, and incorporate them into your visuals as much as possible. Depict friends casually hanging out and sporting bucket hats and sketchers, second-hand shopping, and people excited about finding vintage pieces in thrift stores and malls.
All the cozy vibes
If you've ever heard of the Danish concept of "hygge" (the mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality), then you know that fall presents the most perfect opportunity to cultivate that atmosphere. In lifestyle shoots, you can capture that feeling through wardrobe and styling choices; think soft and comfy clothing, candles, and warm drinks shared around the fireside. Food and beverage concepts also have plenty of room for creativity—from cinnamon rolls to steaming mugs of pumpkin spice, you have plenty of opportunities to experiment.
And speaking of food and beverage, the growing rise of plant-based foods and sustainable ingredients can offer a timely twist on the evergreen genre. You can even draw your inspiration from how colorful matchas, beetroot lattes, and macadamia look. Adding them to your food and beverage portfolio will definitely give it a timeless feel.
Color Pop
Even though we've transitioned into fall, color, bold prints, and maximalism are continuing to trend. Fashion runways bring us electric greens, bold reds, highlighter yellows, rhinestones, glitzy sequins, and much more. And when it comes to photography, this translates as neon lighting, gels, and bold coloring in your shoots.
In the later months of summer, the color orange was all the rage. There were multiple campaigns spreading the word about Jameson Orange whiskey, with the drink appearing in searches relating to that color. What this means is a lot of your work needs to be just as color-drenched, authentic outdoor shoots containing all the bold and maximalist coloring as possible.
Sustainability
Sustainable visuals have reshaped commercial photography for a few years now, and many of the trends (both temporary and evergreen) relate to the fact that the world as a whole is striving to be more eco-friendly. So how does this translate to late fall and early winter photography?
Much research has shown that people (and marketers) forgo traditional wrapping paper for the holiday season, opting for biodegradable, homemade, and sustainable wrapping. You can include this in your work by showing families wrapping up presents in eco-friendly materials, and friends enjoying vegan versions of traditional meals (pizza, pasta, chili, etc.).
As we head into the fall and holiday season, these are all ideas to incorporate, as are fresh takes on fresh ingredients. As we become more aware of our carbon footprints, many are choosing to shop locally. Some support their neighbors through community gardens, while others opt to grow their own food. Make sure to include all these depictions in your upcoming work.
Celebrations and get-togethers
Fall weddings, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and early Christmas prep—time to plan for all these upcoming events and other family get-togethers. Illustrate connecting and reuniting with family and friends, picking out Halloween costumes, carving out pumpkins, wrapping presents, setting the table, etc. When setting the scene for all these events, do not forget to approach with authenticity; it is better to catch genuinely candid moments than to stage them. Bring your camera along for these events, and capture all the joy and laughter as it happens.
