Photocatalysis has attracted a lot of attention owing to its great potential to solving energy and environmental problems. Although great efforts have been made in the last few decades, the poor efficiency still fails to meet the requirement of practical applications. With the aim to improve further the photocatalytic efficiency and promote their practical applications, in this work we reviewed briefly the progress of the strategies on extending the light absorption spectra of photocatalysts from the aspect of solar energy harvesting. Based on the analyses and discussions of photocatalytic performances, and the mechanisms, advantages and disadvantages of these strategies, some perspectives and interpretations of the future development of photocatalysis were proposed based on our own understanding and experience. We hope it will be helpful for our colleagues that work in the field of photocatalysis.