Almost three quarters (73%) of 16 -24-year-olds in the UK believe that their photography skills have improved over the course of the pandemic.

A survey of 1,000 UK residents, commissioned by online mobile phone retailer and part of the AO Group, Mobile Phones Direct, revealed how during the pandemic, social media encouraged young people to get into photography.

The pandemic has led to a massive increase in social media users, with half a billion signing up to sites in the last year*. Gen Z in particular have embraced photography apps with 44% of them setting up a new Instagram account for a dedicated subject.

The creation of these dedicated accounts, due in part because of the spare time made by the pandemic, has led to 42% of Gen Z believing that Instagram has helped them improve their photography and editing skills.

In fact, almost half (46%) of those in Gen Z said that they had been inspired by their smartphone to invest more time and money into photography as a hobby.

In terms of what the nation has been taking photos of during the pandemic, 28% of Gen Z say they replaced their usual holiday snaps with pictures of their pets, with a further 18% filling their Instagram grid with updated of their cooking and baking projects.

The survey also revealed other insights into the UK’s smartphone photography habits…

Snapshot stats

Gen Z are prioritising camera quality on phones to get that perfect snap, with 42% changing phones for one with a better camera.
69% of Instagram users believing that smartphones make it easy to take professional style photos.
1 in 5 people in the UK believe the quality of the camera is the most important aspect of a smartphone.
Just under a third (32%) of people aged 16-24 set up a dedicated Instagram account to fashion over the course of the pandemic.

Anne-Marie Beardmore, Trading Director at Mobile Phones Direct commented on the study:

“The rise of social media has made us all, especially Gen Z, look to perfect our photo and video skills. Combine this with the time we had spent isolated over the last year due to the pandemic, and it appears you have a potent cocktail for photography inspiration!

Smartphones serve as the perfect entry point for budding photographers, and it’s no surprise we’re all focused on making sure we have the best camera possible to help satisfy the urge for capturing great photos.

New releases such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, with its quad rear camera (Ultra-wide, Dual Tele-lens) and 108MP Large Pro Sensor are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible to new heights.”

Mobile Phones Direct has done a full report on the state of smartphone photography, which features tips from photography pros who have tested the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, taking advantage of its 8k video and single take feature.