Dark skies, weather, film, and the rise of anti-trend
Picfair is the world’s biggest photography website and store builder, with members in every corner of the globe. At the end of 2024, we conducted our biggest ever photography survey: exploring how photographers were feeling about Social Media and AI trends, what their hopes and aspirations were, and what they wanted the future of photography to look like.
Now, we turn our lens to 2025. Using the results of the survey and our own research - field visits, reviewing photography publications, analysing social media data, and examining trends from previous years - it’s time to anticipate what we might see in the world of photography this year.
The Trends
Dark sky photography goes mainstream
The excitement surrounding night sky photography and night sky tourism has reached stellar new heights following the spectacular displays of the aurora borealis in 2024, which were, at times, visible to the majority of people living across the northern hemisphere. Once a niche pursuit, night sky photography is now going mainstream.
“Once a niche pursuit, night sky photography is now going mainstream.”
This shift isn’t solely due to media coverage or the increased chances of witnessing displays in the night sky, but also due to the widespread availability of devices now capable of producing impressive night sky images. Developments in smartphone night mode features and camera models that perform well at high ISO settings have made dark sky photography more accessible to the general public and new photographers.
2025 will bring another surge in activity for both the Northern and Southern Lights, alongside other celestial events, and we anticipate the enthusiasm for night sky photography to accelerate.
Looking to spend more time this year gazing into the night sky? Here’s our tutorial on how best to capture it.
Photographing the weather
The topic of extreme weather is gaining significant attention within the photography community as weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable, unusual, and extreme.
For photographers, extreme weather presents unique opportunities to capture once-in-a-lifetime shots—whether storms, snow in unexpected places, or other remarkable weather phenomena. The results can be breathtaking, combining all the ingredients of powerful photographic reportage - awe, intrigue, concern, and a timely visual portent of an underlying global story.
A renewed love for outdoor photography was a recurring theme within our survey results, as photographers increasingly look to escape the online world. 2024 will see them capturing nature at its most spectacular moments.
A boom in experimental film photography
Walk into a photography shop today, and you’ll see a wide variety of camera film available for sale, including expired film, ultra-grainy film, cross-process film, or development services offering image processing in unusual or innovative developing techniques. Look on popular social media apps, too, and search for photography pages, and you’ll find accounts emerging with millions of followers showcasing experimental film photography.
“...today, there’s a growing market—and a diverse base of photographers—for experimental film.”
While photographers have embraced the rivival of film photography for some time, this niche is evolving in exciting new ways. It’s no longer just about standard 35mm colour or black-and-white film; today, there’s a growing market—and a diverse base of photographers—for experimental film. When we conducted external research for our 2025 trend predictions, we were amazed by the variety of products catering to experimental film photography, including - the intriguing Harman Phoenix 200, Lomography’s Trio Mixed Film Pack, and the ILFORD Pop Up Darkroom.
We’re also seeing a growing availability of self-processing or at-home darkroom kits in shops, allowing photographers to experiment with their images; whether that's new images, or older photos from their archive, in new ways, carving their own distinct style.
Growing instant camera use - less is more
Like experimental film rolls, instant cameras are a rapidly growing film and physical photography segment. Visit any shop specialising in photography gear and you'll now notice a significant selection of instant camera options and models, with Fuji Instax and Polaroid leading the market.
Instead of drowning in thousands of images stored on a hard drive (and, perhaps, as people have less time and shorter attention spans), a growing community of photographers are embracing the mantra of “less is more”, seeking authentic, tangible photos that they can have in their hand instantly. Photography brands have recognised their popularity too, with an ever-expanding array of products entering the market, including the Fujifilm instax Mini 99, the instax mini Evo, Polaroid Now+ Generation 2, and Kodak’s Mini Shot 3.
If you’re not ready to completely leave the digital space, there are instant camera models, like those available from Fujifilm, Kodak and Leica, that now feature hybrid functionality. These allow photographers to save a digital version of your photo alongside the physical print, making it easy to share your instant photos digitally too.
“…a growing community of photographers are embracing the mantra of “less is more…”
If you’re not ready to completely leave the digital space, there are instant camera models, like those available from Fujifilm, Kodak and Leica, that now feature hybrid functionality. These allow photographers to save a digital version of your photo alongside the physical print, making it easy to share your instant photos digitally too.
Camera customisation as an expression of individuality
Cameras are no longer simply homogeneous devices for capturing photographs; they also now serve as symbols of personal style. Our survey findings revealed that photographers are constantly looking to make their kit unique - accessorising and investing in gadgets to hone the distinctiveness of their setup.
More than ever, there’s a vast array of camera accessories and niche gadgets on the market allowing photographers to not only enhance their photo-taking experience, but also customise their cameras to reflect their taste and aesthetic. It’s also easier than ever to personalise a camera kit, with platforms like eBay, Etsy, and various specialist shops offering a wide range of items.
“Cameras are no longer simply homogeneous devices for capturing photographs… Photographers are constantly looking to make their kit unique.”
From bespoke camera straps to personalised cases and unique shutter buttons, camera customisation will be a prominent trend this year.
Fighting back against AI, with authenticity
Our 2024 report explored photographers' perspectives on AI. These were generally negative - key concerns included the increasing inability to distinguish between what is real versus artificially generated, and a fear that photographers will become overly reliant on AI enhancements rather than capturing genuine images in-camera.
“We believe this difficult relationship between photographers and AI is unlikely to change in the near future...”
We believe this difficult relationship between photographers and AI is unlikely to change in the near future, and will be counterbalanced by a renewed emphasis to prioritise authenticity and originality in their own work and the work of others.
Photographers will prefer to create images without any involvement from AI, favouring minimal editing and focusing on achieving the right shot from the outset—so that what you see reflects the reality of what the photographer captured through their lens.
Inspiration from nature, not Social Media
2024 was a significant, if damaging, year for social media platforms. Many platforms experienced a considerable decline in user engagement, and legislation is starting to be introduced to restrict social media access for specific age groups. Additionally, there is a growing concern regarding the impact of social media on mental and physical health.
“...we believe that photographers will begin to use social media less in the coming year, and potentially for a prolonged period.”
When we surveyed photographers about their sources of inspiration, we were surprised to find that the majority mentioned nature and the outdoors as their primary source of inspiration, rather than social media (which has featured prominently in previous years). “Golden hour” (sunrise and sunset) photography was a recurrent theme, with photographers seeking to absorb and capture the meditative effects of nature at its most peaceful, slow, and transitional moments.
Based on these trends and our survey findings, we believe that photographers will begin to use social media less in the coming year, and potentially for a prolonged period. With increasing awareness of the benefits of being outdoors and reducing screen time, we expect photographers to increasingly seek inspiration from nature, and enjoying the benefits of being offline.
In conclusion
In some ways, this trend report contradicts itself. We’re quite pleased about that.
While we see certain photographic subjects and practices surging in popularity, we’re also hearing loud and clear that, for many, now is a time to ignore the trends and focus on authenticity. This duality suggests that whatever is happening in the world of photography, taking photos remains a deeply personal pursuit.
Whether focussing on originality as a reaction to the proliferation of AI, customising your kit to reflect your individual style, or forgoing social media in favour of the inspiration of nature, 2025 may well be a year in which photographers shout out the noise, and do their own thing.
Whichever direction you choose, we can’t wait to see what you come up with. With millions of images continuing to be uploaded to Picfair stores across the globe, you never fail to inspire and surprise us.
Wishing you a happy, creative, and inspirational year ahead.
