Original, Gloomy, & Neutral Stock Photos

A few years back, bright, bold and colorful stock images become extremely popular. /Graphics Designers were cranking up the saturation or boosting colors, and the photos didn’t even look real.

Graphic Design Trends- Genuine Stock Photos1

But once color trends start to shift, stock photo trends are pretty quick to follow.

That means in 2020, expect to see a lot more muted, genuine, and neutral stock photos being used.

For example, these photos really look like something that your trendy friend might have posted on Instagram:

Graphic Design Trends- Genuine Stock Photos3

The photographers that took the example photos might have even toned down the colors to make them work well with a muted color palette.

Like I have stated a few times in this article, muted color palettes make graphics seem more natural and authentic.

Because the past is always seen with rose-colored glasses, I’m pretty confident that you can tap into the positive nostalgic feelings of your audience with photos like this.

Graphic Design Trends- Genuine Stock Photos2

Speaking of the past, last year I recognized that stock photos that feature people need to be a lot more authentic, almost candid, to succeed. That trend continues this year, with a bigger focus on neutral color palettes across the board.

Graphic Design Trends- Genuine Stock Photos5

This combination of straightforward compositions and muted colors will make the photos feel even more genuine.

I mean, the bottom-left photo looks like you snapped your very fashionable friends just hanging out.

This shift continues to push back against the overly edited, posed, and produced stock photos that some companies still use.

Why do they still use these? I have no idea. Especially when you can find some of these winners in just a few clicks:

Graphic Design Trends- Genuine Stock Photos4

I know “genuine stock photos” might seem like an oxymoron. Especially because the point of most stock photos is to be ambiguous enough to be used in a bunch of different situations.

But if you know what to look for and follow some of the tips above, you can find a super authentic stock photo in no time.

Plus, you can find these great examples and millions of more stock photos for FREE on Venngage.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *