6 Fresh Photography Projects We Want to See in 2021
We want to see fresh photography projects in 2021.
Being a leading publisher in the photographic space, you won’t be surprised to read that people send us many photography projects. We’re very fortunate to see spectacular work from most people, and we provide photographers a platform to share it with a global audience. The only downside is that we see a lot of the same stuff: some photographers put their own spin on old topics, but many do not innovate. So, as we’re at the start of a new year, there are some photography projects we would love to see more of in 2021. Let’s take a look.
Why Do a Photography Project?
Before we get into the ideas, allow us to cover why photography projects are a wonderful thing. We should start by saying a project doesn’t always have to be about professional success. If only you consume it, working on a personal series has several befits. It can improve your technical skills, help with mental health, and give you a passion for life. If you’re serious about the work, a project can bring you a lot of success in the industry (if you have a good focus point, of course). And, if you focus on pressing causes, you can play your part in driving much-needed changes in society. Whatever your motive, there’s seldom a bad reason to start long term personal work.
1. Dating Culture / Photography Projects
The era of apps completely changed the way we date. Almost gone are the days where we approach someone in our local area and ask them out on a date. Instead, people are connecting worldwide, seldom spending enough time with a person to build anything of value. Adam Moco covered the topic, focusing specifically on the gay community and its hookup culture. An image like the one we see above is completely different from the rest of the industry. We’re a world that focuses so much on the feminine, and we should find a way to balance things out. We would like to see more work like this, with photographers focusing on how attitudes towards dating change over time.
2. Photography Projects on Coliving Communities
As society becomes more and more withdrawn, with its members losing themselves to their digital screen, there are groups of people focusing on community. Coliving offers the best of both worlds. A private space with communal areas. Many of these communities focus on reducing digital time (only use your device for work) and increasing real-world interactions. For a photographer to spend a few months in such a community, documenting its impact on the human mind would surely make for an interesting photography project.
3. Photography Projects on Isolated Living
If you’ve spent any time on YouTube, you may have seen a trend in people living in isolation. They move to remote areas of the earth and spend time alone, documenting how it impacts them. While we’ve seen many videos, we’ve yet to come across such a photography project. A photographer would need to do it as a long term self-portrait series, of course, but the findings would make for a fascinating read.
4. Positive Aspects of Developing Nations
We understand the importance of highlighting issues in the developing world. But often, such projects can hide the true identity of a nation. Instead of a photographer visiting a developing country to show the struggles faced by its people, we would instead like to them highlight the positive elements. Many developing nations have strong traditions that western civilizations can learn about and apply to their society. Not everything is doom and gloom in less developed countries, and we would like more photographers to show that.
5. AR (augmented reality) Gaming
AR gaming has revolutionized modern society. Interactive games like Pokemon GO and Ingress have had gamers roaming the streets with their smartphones as they either play alone or with each other. A photographer following around groups of gamers, documenting their interactions, and playing the game would be a good piece of documentary work relevant to the modern, digital era.
6. The Mental Impact of the Global Pandemic
When COVID-19 hit, those that could flocked to the street to document the “new normal.” Photographs of empty streets and people wearing masks came in abundance. But there’s another narrative happening within this global story. People at home are quarantined and adapting to how they live their lives. We already know that isolation is harming mental health. For however long this lasts, a photographer documenting their own journey, or that of someone else, will certainly be an impactful piece of work for many years to come.
A great example is what photographer Mariangela Serrano did. People are always self-conscious of something about them. Mariangela talked to us about it being beautiful to see herself aging. And in the photo above, we see a very raw side of a person we don’t typically see in images.
What’s Your Focus in 2021?
We would love to know what you’re currently working on. Above are six ideas, but if you feel you have a unique project that’s worth seeing, let us know in the comments below. Alternatively, you can pitch us your stories by emailing editors [at] thephoblographer.com