TongRo-How-to : 2025 Stock Photo Trend Moods

The value of stock images is determined by the emotions they convey and the atmosphere they create. In the 2025 stock photo trends, the importance of expressing emotions and moods has become even more prominent.

In this Tongro Academy session, we focus on four noteworthy mood styles: Moody, Light & Airy, Retro Mood, and Cybercore. We will detail effective lighting techniques and post-processing methods for each.

01. Moody – Capturing the Depth of Emotion

yaytg437766

cm080904458

cm080815188

cm08609770

pc0031164027

Recently, the ‘Moody’ style has emerged as a key trend in stock content, visually conveying emotional depth and lingering feelings. Amidst the fast-paced consumption of stimulating images, the slow and introspective Moody mood is gaining more attention.

Lighting Setup

• Suppress ambient light and focus lighting on the key parts of the subject to guide the viewer’s eye

• Create clear boundaries between shadow and light, forming emotional space and breathing room

Color & Post-processing

• Use a calm, natural color palette such as beige, brown, olive

• Lower saturation while maintaining tonal depth

• Replace pure black with deep gray (#121212), and highlights with gray-mixed tones (#E8E8E8)

• Adjust neutral tones selectively and apply Dodge & Burn on emotional expression areas for subtle contrast enhancements

02. Light & Airy – Bright and Fresh Premium Lifestyle

tc04360001901

cm08453796

tica1010019057

tica1010034673

This style emphasizes bright, soft natural light, clean colors, and a minimalistic atmosphere. It is one of the most preferred moods in the stock image market and is widely used for lifestyle, wellness, interior, wedding, and other diverse content.

A key feature is that the image itself conveys emotion and atmosphere without a strong message.

Lighting Setup

• Use diffused lighting to mimic natural sunlight

• Large softboxes and diffusers to minimize shadows

• Use reflectors or fill lights to balance overall brightness

Color & Post-processing

• Focus on neutral colors like white, cream, ivory, pale blue

• Use pastel or light green and light yellow as nature-inspired accent colors

• Lower contrast and apply an S-curve for natural and subtle tonal adjustment

• Retouch skin tones to look clean, natural, and lively

03. Retro Mood – Conveying the Texture of Time

tai00030001786

tai00020000632

‘Retro Mood’ carries warm analog emotions that show the marks of time. It expresses special beauty through an aged, worn look. Generation Z, unfamiliar with this past, enjoys ‘Newtro’ content that embraces rough textures and imperfect expressions as realistic and authentic charms. This mood blends analog sensibility with modern styling to enhance content immersion.

.

Lighting Setup

• Create an atmosphere resembling afternoon natural light

• Maintain deep shadows but use golden reflectors to simulate sunlight

• Minimize fill lights to preserve the analog feeling

Color & Post-processing

• Use warm tones like brown, mustard, and indie pink

• Lower saturation and brightness to achieve a faded look

• Add film grain and lens blur to express the texture of time

04. Cybercore – At the Edge of Future and Reality

tai00030002389

tai00030002327

tai00030002378

tai00030002342

tai00030002365

Cybercore is a sensuous and experimental mood that crosses the boundary between reality and virtuality. It gains attention alongside futuristic content trends. Images incorporate AI, wearables, metallic materials blended into everyday life, with high-color neon lighting, digital filters, and surreal hues emphasizing a modern sensibility. It is used for tech-based lifestyle images such as beauty, healthcare, and AI products.

Lighting Setup

• Use pink and purple spotlights as the main lights for a futuristic look

• Place blue LED lights as reflective secondary lighting to add mysterious glows

• Use hologram films, metal sheets, and chrome objects to emphasize light distortion and reflection in the background

• Lighting itself acts as an object, a key element of the Cybercore mood

Color & Post-processing

• Use complementary contrasts between cold metallic materials and warm skin tones to emphasize the subject

• Increase saturation of neon colors, while lowering saturation of surrounding hues for tonal harmony

• Apply Color Dodge layers for neon reflections on skin

• Replace white with violet hues for an unreal effect

Light and color are the most crucial elements in defining stock photo moods. Setting a clear visual direction and naturally embedding emotion and atmosphere with depth into photos are essential to enhance competitiveness in the evolving content market. We encourage you to use the lighting and post-processing techniques introduced in this academy to create even more polished images.