Since the 1990s the way we look at beauty has constantly changed. Gone are those white, polished skins and slender figures as a unique concept of beauty.

With the passage of time, a wide diversity of races with different skin colors, different hair types, as well as facial and body features specific to certain regions of the world have been shown on the screen.

Moreover, age is no longer a limit for starring in an advertising campaign.

Advertising campaigns are the main germ of the human imagination and, at the same time, the mirror in which the society of each era is reflected. That is why it is so important what is shown in each campaign and what is not shown as well.

As you know, the main audience of Stock Media are advertising agencies and advertising departments of large and small companies, being image banks one of the main content providers of advertising worldwide.

Below, we look at some of the most striking changes that have occurred in microstock photography related to diversity and social inclusion.

Neither male nor female

Dividing the world into feminine and masculine was left behind many years ago.

There are those who do not identify with either of these labels, so stock sites are looking for a vision of gender that breaks the binary.

The androgynous concept has been paraded for years on the main fashion runways around the world and, increasingly, it is more frequent to see in the media. Androgyny as a flexible and undefined vision between the conventionally masculine and feminine.

One of the most current concepts is that of trans people, those whose gender does not align with their birth sex.

As this new way of looking at gender and the world, image banks are increasingly calling for androgynous content, diversity in couples and new ways of representing human relationships.

Capturing all of this through the camera can be complex.

Elements such as body hair, different ways of dressing, body postures and unlimited human relationships can be some of the requirements to take into account in order to represent gender diversity.

The same can be seen in the way of representing different types of family models: single-parent, two fathers or two mothers or members of different ages and races.

Avoiding labels and representing a new reality that seeks to escape stereotypes is a challenge for microstockers.

Diversity of races

The world is not black and white, there is a whole chromatic range and the same goes for the skin color of people around the world.

Beyond the skin color of the models, image banks are becoming more and more explicit in their requirements on models of specific ethnicities by analyzing their facial and body features, as well as the way they dress or represent their customs.

Different body builds, varied manes. From ringlet curls to straight locks, tattoos and piercings unique to each ethnicity.

In addition to models with different features and skin colors, image banks also demand photographs that capture the essence of different regions and cultures. A walk through local traditions from different corners of the world.

Places, ways of dressing, gastronomy and even capturing the light of each place are some of the most demanded requirements from sites around the world.

As with gender diversity in Stock Media, the real challenge for content creators lies in capturing a whole culture without resorting to stereotypes.

Imperfect beauty

As we have seen so far, photography is a tool for storytelling and, at the same time, giving voice to history.

There is a lot of talk in the media about “real beauty” as an accurate, inclusive and relevant way to capture different facial features and body diversity.

Escaping the imposition of roles and labels while breaking any stigma linked to age, gender or ethnicity.

If you want to review your portfolio and keep up with all the trends in Stock Media you can get in touch here with the Vecpho team. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.