Education

Market Trends: 3 Popular Image Categories to Try Today

By EyeEm Team - 3 min read

Here are some image categories that our image buyers have been searching for recently. Take a look and be inspired to think beyond stock for your next upload to EyeEm Market.

Boosting your EyeEm profile means keeping it fresh with new content. But knowing how to upload premium quality images that will catch the attention of our image buyers can be tricky at times.

Today we want to give you some inspiration for shaking up the norm and thinking outside of the box of ‘stock photography.’

Try a New Direction With Our Popular Image Categories

During the review process your images will often be categorized to better help our image buyers source and find your photos. Here’s a closer look into some of the image categories that have been popular over the past few years. Why not take these topics as starting points today and try out something new with your next upload!

Abstract

Images that fall into our abstract category tend to be popular as they provide more creative flexiblity and the space for brands to add their message where and how they need to for getting the best impact! Many of our image buyers are looking for visuals that they can use across multiple campaigns and for diverse audiences.

When it comes making sure you’re shooting premium quality content we know that scalability is essential. This applies even to abstract shots as well. Ensuring you shooting in well-lit environments and decreasing the ISO that you shoot at will allow for less grain becoming visible when your photo gets up-scaled in size for assets like large billboards, window displays, or large screen dislays.

Pro-tips: make sure you leave lots of blank space for brand logos, graphics, and typography

Human Feature

Simply including human subject in your images won’t make them a no-brainer for our image buyers. Instead, it’s important to consider the authenticity factor of your photos to avoid that over ‘stocky’ look. Consider the small details and the genuine moments of everyday life that brands are looking for. Take your own home for example. Today more than ever the ‘home’ has become a multi-purpose, creative space. Our recent photographer’s guide shows you how your images can not onlyl fit the ‘human feature’ image category but become more successful. Start in your own home, shooting real people interacting with the space - no staged circumstances, no cleaned up and perfect set-up, just images of real life.

It’s also important to consider new market trends that are emerging following the COVID-19 break out. For example avoiding images of big groups interacting and opt for groups using physical distancing rules or individuals instead.

Pro-tips: Avoid sister shots! If you’re looking to shoot a series of images be sure to find alternative angles, varied situations, or even unrecognisable parts of your subject such as a close up of their hands

Man-made Objects

Brands and image buyers are always on search for one thing - images that will connect with their audience. Featuring man-made objects that we are all used to seeing in our own livess is one way of achieving relatable visuals that connect with their consumers.

We always recommend that you think about how a man-made object can represent something bigger. For example, a photo of a tea-pot could mean more than just a cup of tea. It could allow a bank to show their customers that they care about stability and comfort within their home or community.

Relying on our market trends is a great way of ensuring your shooting objects and products that are most relevant for the current topical trends or upcoming seasonal marketing campaigns.

Here are just some of the common objects our image buyers are searching for:

  • Technology: From close ups of hardware and software to the use of gadgets in the home, our image buyers are always searching for images of people interacting with technology in their everyday lives
  • Seasonal Objects: Be sure to think ahead when it comes to shooting objects that are traditionally associated with the holiday celebrations, seasons, or cultural events coming up in the global calendar
  • Health Care & Medical: Image buyers are fed up with images of unrealistic, stocky depictions of health care. Think about the subtle moments in your own lifestyle where you focus on health and wellbeing and start taking photos that better represent healthy living and care giving.
  • Smart Appliances: The call for content of smart living continues. Think smart watches, robotic vacuum cleaners, digital fridges, e-scooters or e-cars. Avoiding recognisable brands and designs will automatically put you ahead of the game for this topic

    • Pro-tips: Think diverse! Ensure the objects you’re shooting don’t hold strong connotations to geo-locations or certain lifestyles. By broadening your persective and shooting more generic objects you’re able to meet more image buyer needs as well as avoid recognizable labels and brands!

    Think Outside The Box

    There’s no perfect formula for increasing your sales on EyeEm Market. The creative space, and the photography industry, is alway changing - that’s what we love about it! So, we encourage you to shoot content that you think brands will need not just today but for the future.

    How can you re-work these categories while also bringing creative style to the table? We see new images uploaded to EyeEm Market everyday, and so if you really want increase your chances of selling, it’s time to think outside the box and shoot images that represent the ‘real’ world we live in!

    Remember, you don’t have to have the newest camera to create premium images for EyeEm Market. Since the beginning we’ve been championing outstanding mobile photographers from all around the world! So don’t let your gear hold you back - get shooting and upload to EyeEm Market!

    Head to our app or your EyeEm profile online and upload new content to your EyeEm profile today

    Not sure where to start? Find out the golden rules for uploading to EyeEm Market and increase your chance of making money by shooting what you love!