Finding authentic stock imagery for your charity or research project

An evolving selection of photo repository links

Powerful images fuel action in charities and research, but limited budgets can restrict finding truly representative photos. Fear not, changemakers! Here are some alternatives to mainstream stock sites, curated to break free from stereotypical portrayals.

This is just a starting point, so explore and find the perfect images to bring your mission to life!

‘Positive representation’ of real people: image repositories

These repositories often focus on offering high-quality, respectful, and diverse images representing the communities and causes they serve. The aim is to challenge stereotypes, provide authentic representation, and support the work of other non-profits, media, and educators by offering access to images that might otherwise be difficult or expensive to source. Here are a few examples:

Centre for Ageing Better:

From the Centre for Ageing Better, photos in the image library, which depict older people in non-stereotypical ways, are available to download for free

The Gender Spectrum Collection:

Hosted by Broadly (VICE), this stock photo library features images of trans and non-binary models that go beyond the clichés, aiming to provide more nuanced representations of these communities.

The collection is a step toward a more nuanced portrayal of one of the world’s most diverse and historically most misrepresented communities, but one photo collection for one outlet is not enough.

- VICE

These images have been made available to other media organizations through a Creative Commons license.

Disability:IN

Offers a range of images designed to represent people with disabilities in a respectful and inclusive way, challenging stereotypes and highlighting the diversity within this community. It’s s licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

These photos were taken by Jordan Nicholson, and can be contacted at jordan.n.photo@gmail.com. Please take note of the photo usage guidelines below.

Disabled And Here

Empowering BIPOC voices: Disabled And Here showcases disability through images and narratives.

UKBlackTech

The UKBlackTech Stock Photos initiative aims to enhance ethnic diversity in the tech ecosystem by providing free, high-quality stock images that better represent Black individuals and communities within the technology sector. This collection is designed to challenge the often homogeneous imagery of the tech industry, promoting a more inclusive visual representation across digital and print media.

The Mental Health Foundation

A mental health image library designed to provide a more accurate and diverse representation of mental health in media. This initiative aims to challenge stereotypes and promote understanding by offering a range of images that reflect the realities of people living with mental health issues. The library is part of their effort to encourage positive and respectful conversation around mental health.

Images of Empowerment:

It offers a free collection of over 2,000 images licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0), depicting women from around the world in empowering scenarios.

The collection spans 11 countries, including Colombia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda, and the United States, showcasing women in decision-making roles, actively participating in their communities, and engaging in work and reproductive health services.

The Centre for Homelessness Impact

The Centre for Homelessness Impact has launched the first free library offering non-stigmatizing images of people experiencing homelessness. This library aims to challenge negative representations by showcasing a broader spectrum of homelessness experiences in the UK, such as families in hostels and individuals 'sofa surfing'. The images are freely available for download by news publishers, public bodies, charities, and organizations writing about homelessness.

Climate change

ClimateVisuals is a pioneering platform offering a diverse and impactful collection of photographs aimed at enhancing climate change communication through evidence-based visual storytelling.

Images are available for non-commercial use to certain user categories, including editorial media, non-profits, and educational organizations. Commercial use requires specific permissions or licenses. All users must register, selecting their user category accurately, and follow the terms for image credit and restrictions based on the license type, including Creative Commons licenses for some images.

OCHA Visual Gallery: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) provides a Visual Gallery with high-quality royalty-free images, photos, and videos related to humanitarian action. You can explore a variety of images that may be relevant to your needs for the Sudan crisis or other humanitarian contexts. Visit the OCHA Visual Gallery at UNDAC Resource Center for more information.

See the image licenses section below to understand the best

1. Unsplash: Offers a wide range of high-resolution photos submitted by a community of photographers. Images on Unsplash are free to use for commercial and non-commercial purposes.

2. Wikimedia Commons: A collection of over 75 million freely usable media files, including images relevant to various subjects, including charity and research. The licensing terms vary, so it's important to check the details for each image.