A trend is a direction in which something is developing or changing. When we use the word “trendy” or “trending”, it means that there is a new and buzzing entity (whether physical or not) that is making a strong wave of popularity.
A trend could be a fashion style, a political development or even a news item. But there is one key component that all trends have in common – they don’t last forever.
Trends are bound by timelines, after which they are considered obsolete or irrelevant. More importantly, older trends need to expire, so newer ones can evolve.
Photographing trends is one sure-fire way of remaining relevant, joining a movement or communicating what is happening around us. However, the short lifecycle of trends means that trendy photos will only be used for specific periods that the trend is still considered valid.
So how do we photograph trends that stand the test of time and remain evergreen?
Here are a few tips to getting started evergreen trends.
1. Do not capture anything that shows the current date or timestamp, names of individuals or news headlines: When photographing trends, you should stick to the key message being communicated and try to eliminate anything that actively shows the current time-period.
The goal here is to focus on subjects that ensure the photo is as relatable as possible even when the trend has passed, rather than focusing on objects that relate to the times. Consider trends like:
– social activism
– social distancing
– working from home, etc.
2. Target trends that are longer or most likely to reoccur: The truth is that certain trends occur more frequently than others. This may be due to negative influences or vices of society or just events that occur at fixed periods (yearly, biannually, etc.)
Photographing trends that have a longer life-span means our photos remain relevant and can be used more often. The goal is to study trend patterns in the way they occur and try to capture something unique from every reoccurrence.
Consider trends such as:
– Mental health awareness
– Rape
– Age diversity
– Retro photography
3. If you must date it, tell a story: To photograph trends tied to a timestamp which must be dated, try to tell an engaging story with your photograph. That way, your viewers feel like they are taking a walk with history. Consider creating a timeline of events that can be periodically updated. The goal with this is to capture a story over time.
Capture trends such as:
– football seasons
– Elections and political turmoil, etc.
4. Tie your photograph to a topic/ content: When trying to create evergreen photographs, it is helpful to think about the instances your photograph would be used in such as blog articles, press releases or websites. What kind of written topic/ content should your photo be used in? These considerations help to define what aspects of trends are captured.
Consider trends like;
– minimalism
– climate change
– Eco-friendliness, etc.
How do you photograph trends and how much do they resonate with you? Trends are a lead magnet when it comes to photographs. People love to hop on trends to get informed about happenings in their society and the world at large.
When we learn to capture trends in an evergreen way, we automatically boost the lifespan of our photos ensuring they remain relevant next month, next year and even ten years from now.
Thank you for reading.
