Trends in Mobile Photography. Huawei XMAGE Report

Research shows over 1.4 trillion photos are taken each year globally, with more than 89% using smartphones. These images shape how we perceive the world around us and how we see ourselves. What themes are most often chosen to capture?

Nature and Outdoor Photography

Nature dominates submitted images—AI categorized 80% of photos this way. Sometimes, the connection to nature is minor, like a potted plant on a balcony, but most entries capture the natural world. The entries also reflect a growing social awareness of climate change, showing users’ documentation of being present in certain places and moments.

• 78% of photos were taken outdoors and often include elements like the sky (58%) and plants (42%).
• Sunsets are also popular, comprising 17% of submissions. While they may seem simple, they captivate us for a reason. Visually dramatic, with skies glowing in shades of red, orange, and magenta, sunsets can carry symbolic meanings, such as hope and the passage of time.

Most landscapes are framed horizontally, though vertical shots also appear:


- Western traditions use horizontal framing and the rule of thirds, but these vertical landscapes are inspired by traditional Chinese painting and are beautiful, says photographer Jessica Hromas, one of the report`s experts.

People, or Rather Their Absence

On the majority of photos (73%), people are absent, with only 6% depicting groups. Families, especially with children, dominate this subset.

- The absence of people suggests that nature is associated with solitude, providing an escape from cities. When a human element, like a camper under the Milky Way, is present, it enhances the experience, notes Jessica Hromas.

People appear infrequently in the contest photos, with an emphasis not on aspirational self-images, often seen on social media, but on the world around us. When people do appear, they are usually young women in their twenties, often posed to showcase their youth and beauty.

Middle-aged men appear infrequently, while 40-60-year-old men feature in 30% of male photos, whereas only 11% of women’s photos show them in middle age.

- For men, aesthetics are less important than their activities, earnings, intelligence, and sports interests, explains sociologist Dr. Nichole Fernandez, one of the report’s co-authors.

Fascination with Architecture?

Architecture is the subject of nearly half (47%) of contest photos and is almost always paired with another element: if not nature, then people, or sometimes both.


- When people appear in built surroundings, they are often distant from each other - observes Dr. Nichole Fernandez. - An example is an image of a lone figure walking down a city street, appearing anonymous. This lack of emotion can make urban landscapes feel vast and cold. This changes entirely when people are portrayed as non-anonymous, in the foreground. When there are two people in a photo, we create a story based on their interactions and emotions.

For old buildings, photographers evoke viewers’ emotions through symbolic conventions.

- These photographers are very conscious of their audience, says sociologist Hang San Kim. - They think about how viewers will accept the photo and include nostalgic elements connecting viewers to their past. Meanwhile, nighttime cityscapes show basic shapes, structures, and lights without the daytime clutter, creating more aesthetic, geometric, and symmetrical compositions.

Smartphone Prevalence and Privacy Rights

When someone raises a phone to take a photo, they increasingly consider not only what and how to capture but also where the image may appear on social media and whether it respects others’ privacy.


- I noticed some contest photos with blurred faces and expect people to become more sensitive about photographing others. A face is a type of biological data. In South Korea, photographing someone in public can lead to legal disputes - says Hang San Kim.

- Photographers are becoming more cautious and aware of how they capture others - states Dr. Nichole Fernandez. - Just because we can take a photo doesn’t mean we should. People may consider whether to post their child’s photo online. Owning and publishing someone’s photo isn’t always ethical.

The full report is available for download at:
https://www.huawei.com/en/news/studies/huawei-xmage-trend-report-2023.