Skip to main content

Survey says more brands are looking for diverse images with non-pro models

Shutterstock
Shutterstock
Gone are the days of men in business suits on white backgrounds — a recent survey suggests brands are looking to add more diversity into their images, a trend likely influenced by social media. The survey, conducted by Shutterstock, supports an ongoing trend swaying from the traditional stock photography into images that are both more diverse and modern.

In the survey, conducted among marketing professionals, 41 percent from the U.S. say that using images that represent modern society is important. As a result, more businesses are looking for marketing photos that fall into different categories.

Recommended Videos

For example, 57 percent of U.S. marketing professionals are now looking for photos that use non-professional models. Nearly 34 percent are using more images with racial diversity and 24 percent with more females.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

About ten percent of respondents from the U.S. said they are using more images with same-sex couples, compared to about 12 percent using more photos with what’s considered to be a more “traditional” family. From those results, however, more than half (65 percent) of marketers using non-traditional families say the decision is in order to better represent modern society.

“We are pleased to learn from the research that marketers in the U.S. are making a conscious effort to be more inclusive with their choice of imagery showing non-traditional families and non-professional models,” Robyn Lange, Shutterstock Curator, said. “It’s clear that societal changes combined with shifting attitudes are influencing the demand for more modern imagery that represents a diverse range of communities.”

The survey also included marketing professionals in the U.K. and Australia, with around 500 survey participants from each country. In those three areas combined, marketers agreed that the industry could benefit from using more diverse images, with over 90 percent of respondents from each country agreeing with the statement.

For photographers, the Shutterstock survey supports data from additional stock photography companies suggesting a rise in authentic images that more closely resemble real life. That trend, however, is being mixed with creativity in a number of other trends. For example, images that include texture, a sense of solitude and techniques that mix creativity with reality, like double exposures and infrared. By learning what brands are looking for, photographers working in a commercial space can better position their work for acceptance with a brand.

“Our research shows that globally, marketers are shifting their attitudes and selecting images, primarily to represent modern day society,” Lange said. “Marketers are also recognizing that choosing images that are relatable to diverse groups benefits their brand’s reputation. Striking a chord with consumers is no longer about serving them images of perfection, as social media has helped to change how people view images. Consumers prefer images that accurately portray the world around them, as opposed to a perfected version of the world offered by marketers.”

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
Cyber Monday Sony camera deals: Save on camera body and lenses
sony-a9-best-mirrorless-camera

There are a lot of Cyber Monday deals that are turning out some impressive discounts right now. This is great news if you’re looking to save on a camera, as Cyber Monday camera deals have some of the best prices we’ve seen all year. This is especially true among Sony cameras, as some of its most popular cameras are seeing discounts. We’ve tracked down all of the best Cyber Monday Sony camera deals, and you can find them all below.
Our top pick: Sony ZV-1F vlogging camera — $398 $500 20% off

Vloggers and content creators regularly turn to the Sony ZV-1F for their camera needs. It can shoot in 4K resolution, which is pretty impressive for such a small-bodied camera. And while it’s designed with some features that make it nice for filming with, this is also a quality photography camera if you’re looking for something small and pocketable. You can grab the ZV-1F for under $400 with this Cyber Monday deal, which is a 20% discount and a savings of more than $100.

Read more
Best Cyber Monday camera deals: DSLR, action cameras, and more
Canon EOS R10 camera mirrorless with STM lens attached and flash up

Cyber Monday has come and gone, but many retailers still have excellent Cyber Monday deals. This makes right now your last chance to get some early holiday shopping done or to pick up some tech for yourself. Photographers should be glad to hear this, as there are a lot of Cyber Monday camera deals already available. We currently see models discounted from top brands like Canon, Nikon, Sony, and others. You can also check out these Cyber Monday laptop deals and Cyber Monday tablet deals so you can access content on the go.
Canon EOS R100 with 18-45mm lens — $350 $600 42% off

Canon is a favorite among photographers, and if you’re looking for an entry-level camera from the long-time camera maker, the EOS R100 offers up $250 in Cyber Monday savings here. The camera itself has a 24-megapixel sensor that can capture beautiful photos and 4K video. You’ll also get three free months of iCloud+ with this camera, and the Canon RF-S 18-45mm IS lens.

Read more
Don’t miss the chance to get this 128GB SD card for less than $100
The Lexar 128GB Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card on a white background.

Your new purchase from camera deals will need storage for photos and videos, but you can't buy just any SD card that you see online. It's highly recommended that you invest in a high-quality storage device like the Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card, which you can currently get from B&H Photo Video with a $75 discount on its 128GB version that brings its price down from $170 originally to a more affordable $95. You may want to buy multiples of this SD card while it's available for less than $100, but you'll have to hurry because we're not sure how much time is remaining on this bargain.

Why you should buy the Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card
More devices are using microSD cards for expanded storage, but according to our guide on finding the right memory card for your digital camera, most DSLR cameras and mirrorless cameras are still using SD cards like the Lexar Professional 2000x UHS-II SDXC Memory Card. Lexar is one of the brands that we wouldn't hesitate to recommend to photographers, and this SD card's read speed of 300 MB/s and write speed of 260 MB/s will enable quick transfers and smooth shooting. Additionally, as an UHS-II card, you won't have a problem with advanced functions such as continuous shutter bursts, rapid shooting, and raw and JPEG captures.

Read more