2023 was marked by the introduction of AI in Adobe, Canva, and even Instagram. Apple released the Vision Pro which incorporates a 3D camera paving the way for spatial photography in their iPhones.

Adobe, Canva, Instagram and Apple can introduce the technology but it’s up to creatives to take their tech to new heights. Many of the 2024 photography trends we will see this next year will be creatives fine tuning, and discovering all that these new features entail, while drawing inspiration from the past.

We’ve scoped the internet, and rounded up the 2024 photography trends. Here are the top three to keep an eye on.

Artificial intelligence, known as AI uses technology to generate images by simply typing what you want to be shown. There is no physical component necessary by the user, only to type and creatively come up with a prompt for the AI software. This year we were introduced to Adobe Firelfy which is Adobe’s version of incorporating AI into their photo and video editing software.

As technology advances AI will begin to become harder to spot. It is sparking conversations about the authenticity of AI photos. Can it truly be considered photography? Are people who use AI in photography cheating the system? It will get to a point where we will have to rely on the honor system of the photographer.

A photographer on Instagram came clean as his Instagram grew in popularity for his eye-catching portraits. He felt it necessary to clarify that his photos were AI generated, and as a result gained backlash while other people praised him for his use of AI. With editing software like Adobe introducing AI, we will begin to see more use of it in this coming year.

Photography is always expanding, and AI can be considered a new form of photography. Like any style of photography, some creatives will choose to use it or they will choose not to. SANDMARC has chosen to not use AI in our photos or videos at this time.

Virtual Reality (VR) has been forging its own path in the world of tech, and it’s no surprise that people’s curiosity will lead to a more personalized experience through their own photos or videos, like immersive and 360 photography.

Immersive photography and 360 photography allows for viewers to interact with photos in a new way. 3D Cameras are used to accomplish immersive photography by creating depth in photos, similar to the human eye. 360 photography is accomplished by using a 360 camera which allows a photographer to capture a 360 image of their view in one shot.

This year we saw Apple introduce their first 3D camera, the Vision Pro. At this time the iPhone only allows for spatial videos, while the Vision Pro allows for spatial photos to be captured. With the progression of technology we can assume that spatial photos will soon be available on the iPhone. However, immersive photography is nothing new to the Apple world, with the introduction of panoramic photography in 2012 on the iPhone 5.

With AI, and immersive photography growing in popularity there will be a yearning for what was. Analog cameras, and early 2000's digital cameras will continue to make an impact in 2024. Adobe provided a statistic that states, "2.11 billion views on TikTok of "Digital Camera", showing young people are choosing cost-friendly relics of the past that provide a familiar grainy, lower-quality image."

Analog and digital cameras give a vintage feel, which can be categorized as grainy, low-quality, diffused lighting images. The use of these cameras to capture this effect will be highly sought out, but we'll see photographers edit photos to simulate a vintage aesthetic, while incorporating vintage props.