The Images you use always derive a meaning
*They will never be neutral.
‘Our daily access to reality is mainly based on visual media and visual representations…They act to frame our perception of the world, including gender, age, ethnicity, and social behaviour. They act to confirm, reinforce, or dispel stereotypes. They act to constitute reality and to form identity.’1 This is a snippet from research published in the Frontiers of Communication journal, about the way we interact with images.
This is a snippet from research published in the Frontiers in Communication journal about the way we interact with images.
It’s not hard to see why the images we use in our communications take on next-level significance. Images add context to your words and support your narrative. Whether your communication is an official government report or an advert for socks, the images you use will always carry meaning. They are never neutral.
That’s why it’s so important to ensure the images you use in your communication are respectful and inclusive. They convey the diversity of the humans who inhabit this planet (or at least your audience).
If you want to speak to a wider audience that includes people with disabilities, neurodivergence, gender diversity, cultural diversity and people of all ages, your images need to reflect that audience.
Inclusion is one of our key values at The Easy Read Toolbox. More and more organisations are recognising that we are all different and that’s a good thing!
We are currently the only supplier of photos of disabled Australians, who do so with a focus on authentically representing people with disabilities. We're also a social enterprise that makes a difference by employing disabled people on full wages. Our cartoons and illustrations are primarily created by disabled Australians, for all Australians.
We have over 3,000 images available to purchase individually or as a bundle. We’d love to support you and your organisation or business in creating accessible communications that speak to everyone.
1 Weber W, Eriksson Y and Tan S (2023) Editorial: The power of images: how they act and how we act with them. Front. Commun. 8:1320409. doi: 10.3389/fcomm.2023.1320409
Written by The Easy Read Toolbox Senior Writer, Adriana Pamplin
