Skip to main content

Study: Vast majority of consumers consider their photography skills to be excellent

canon photography trends survey woman food photographer taking closeup of mushrooms
citalliance/123RF
Surprise! Turns out taking photos of food is officially a trend, at least according to Canon’s latest photography trends research. The study highlights not only what people are taking photos of, but also the fact that consumers are taking more photos than ever.

In fact, as many as 24 percent of people surveyed take up to 300 photos per month, which is equivalent to as many of 10 photos per day. Not only that, but most people are pretty confident in their photography skills — 80 percent of consumers think their photos are “excellent,” and 62 percent say their skills have improved in the past two to five years.

If you make fun of those who take photos of their food, turns out you’re in the minority. As much as 55 percent of consumers take photos of their food, mostly to show off a new recipe or personal creation, but sometimes also to “give friends and family FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).” It seems as though ice cream is the culprit most of the time, coming in as the most photographed dish. Photographers in the U.S. also show their patriotism through their food photography, with 43 percent primarily taking photos of American food and 22 percent snapping shots of Italian food.

While it certainly seems like selfies are a big part of our photo-taking habits, in reality more people take photos of their pets than themselves. A hefty 59 percent of people say they take photos of their pets, while only 57 percent take photos of themselves.

While these stats are certainly interesting, they’re not really all that surprising. With most people having access to digital cameras on their phones, it makes sense that more people than ever are taking photos, and mostly of everyday things, like their food and their pets.

The study itself was conducted with 1,004 individuals between April 21 and April 26 of this year.

Editors' Recommendations

Christian de Looper
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
How to remove location data from your iPhone photos
How to transfer photos from an iPhone to an iPhone

We all love making memories, and a great way to collect those memories is to take a quick snap of a gorgeous landscape, a party in full swing, or a particularly incredible meal. The Apple iPhone now also adds a location to your pictures, meaning it can collate those images together into a location-themed album, or show you all the shots you've taken in a specific location. It's a fun little addition, and it's one that adds a lot of personality to the Photos app.

Read more
‘Photoshopped’ royal photo causes a stir
The Princess of Wales with her children.

[UPDATE: In a message posted on social media on Monday morning, Princess Kate said that she herself edited the image, and apologized for the fuss that the picture had caused. “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," she wrote, adding, "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused."]

Major press agencies have pulled a photo of the U.K.’s Princess of Wales and her children amid concerns that it has been digitally manipulated.

Read more
Nikon sale: Get up to $700 off select Nikon cameras and lenses
nikon d780 review product  1

Crutchfield has a huge sale on many different Nikon cameras with some of the best camera deals that we’ve seen in a while. With nearly 30 different items in the sale, the best thing that avid photographers can do is take a look for themselves. However, if you want a little insight before you dive in, take a look at what we have to suggest below.

What to shop for in the Nikon sale
Nikon makes some of the best DSLR cameras around with our overall favorite -- the -- available for $2,197 reduced from $2,297. The camera is perfect for both photographers and videographers with a 24.5-megapixel full-frame image sensor. Its rugged magnesium-alloy body is weather-sealed against dust, dirt, and moisture so it’s great for all occasions. The Nikon EXPEED 6 image processor is optimized for low-light performance while maintaining long battery life with an autofocus sensor module with support for 51 focus points. You just need to add a lens to reap the benefits with features like the 273-point phase-detection AF system detecting and tracking subjects throughout the entire frame.

Read more