2023 in Review - 12 photography trends that defined the year

As 2023 draws to a close, it’s time to reflect on the incredible visual journey we’ve taken together this year on Pexels. This year, 176,086 of you contributed your photos and videos to the platform, growing the Pexels library by over a whopping half a million pieces of content. Thank you - it’s photographers like you that help creators all over the world make their work more special.

But what were you all taking photos of? What were the trends that inspired you the most in 2023?

We asked the Pexels Curation Team to put together a list of the top trends we’ve seen this past year. Ready to take a look? Let’s dive in.

1. Bold Neon - Oversaturated scenes and primary hues

Bright, bold colours dominated in 2023, with photographers on Pexels experimenting with colour saturation and contrast to create vibrant scenes like these by Edwin Rivero and Tony Pham.

2. Through the Looking Glass - Fun with mirrors

This year saw many people lean into the distorted world of mirrors and reflections, finding new ways to warp images of themselves and the objects around them.

3. Honest Portraits - Photoshop is over

In 2023 photographers on Pexels embraced the power of authenticity - capturing real, unfiltered and unedited moments of genuine connection. The days of overly-edited photography are over - just don’t tell Adobe we said so.

4. Back to Black - Embracing the shadows

Black space was the new white space in 2023, with photographers experimenting with shadows to create bold frames that draw attention to a photo’s focal point. The result adds drama and intrigue into even an everyday scene, as Marcel Gierschick expertly demonstrates below.

5. Motion Blur - Too fast to focus

Pushing the boundaries of still imagery with motion blur was one of our favourite trends this year. This trend adds drama, energy, and - let’s face it - a little bit of mystery to otherwise static shots. This scooter on the streets of Rome by Lorenzo Castellino was a particular stand out.

6. Surrealism - Celebrating the wonderfully weird

Hi 2023, Salvador Dalí called - he wants his watch back. Reality met fantasy this year as we saw photographers dive into the dreamlike world of surrealism. Fantastical elements and imaginative compositions became the norm, like this picture below from Rizky Sabriansyah.

7. Minimalist view - Sometimes simplicity is best

They say a picture says a thousand words, but sometimes, it might only say seven or eight. And that’s ok too. Clean lines, uncluttered compositions, and a focus on essential elements became guiding principles for the minimalist trend in 2023.

8. Analog Magic - 35mm forever and ever

This year, many amateur photographers rediscovered film as part of the trend toward analog technology. Photographers were drawn to the element of surprise, unknowing and creativity that shooting on film brings. There’s also something wonderful in knowing you only have one chance to take the perfect shot.

9. Black and White - Never goes out of style

Black and white photography underwent a modern revival in 2023. Sure, we all like colours, colours are nice - but strip them from a photograph, and the image and composition somehow become more powerful. Like in these examples from Yuliia Tretynychenko and Eden Kefale.

10. Nature as art - A new view of the great outdoors

Nature took centre stage as photographers transformed landscapes into works of art. We were particularly impressed by the work of the below.

11. Earth tones - Going back to basics

As a counterpoint to the neon trend, earth tones were also a standout colour scheme in 2023. Maybe it’s no coincidence that Pantone’s 2024 Colour of the Year is the beige-adjacent pastel Peach Fuzz... These photos show that beige, grey, and brown are anything but boring.

12. Everyday memories - Making the small moments count

In the chaos of life, photographers celebrated the beauty of smaller everyday moments - reminding us to find joy in the simplicity.

We're grateful for the incredible creativity and passion our community has shared on Pexels. Here's to another year of pushing boundaries, telling stories, and capturing the world's beauty in ways that surprise and inspire us all in 2024.

View the full collection of our 2023 Trends of the Year here