In this blog, our copywriter Jess explores how to use images in a responsible and authentic way.
Jess draws on her years of being a lead editor for Cochrane CMD and her experience in selecting visuals for mental health topics.
At Nifty Fox our vision is to help our clients communicate effectively through pictures. We want the right people, to hear the right story, at the right time. Images help us to do this. We don’t want our image choices to have any negative impacts. Poor image choice can undermine the message or worse cause upset and harm.
It feels like it should be simple; find a suitable image and go. It is easier said than done.
To make life easier here are 5 Top Nifty Tips for using visuals.
Nifty Tip 1 - Avoid stereotypes and stigma
People’s experience of life, the universe and everything is personal.
Images and the emotions they evoke are complex.
Illustrate real life and not a corporate or clichéd version.
Avoid compounding stigma.
Nifty Tip 2 - Images must not act as triggers
Certain images can act as triggers for people. Those who work in suicide and self-harm are acutely aware of these risks.
There are guidelines about responsible reporting in the area of suicide prevention and mental ill-health. Draw on guidelines to ensure images and descriptions don’t trigger people.
People find images triggering for a variety of personal reasons. Use common sense when selecting images of distressing topics (e.g., war and conflict, natural disasters, death of a loved one, crime, and phobias).
Nifty Tip 3 - Seek feedback from others
Triggers are not obvious to everyone. We all have different life experiences. Seek input from people close to the subject. Canvas more than one opinion.
For example, if targeting young people make sure you get input from them. Avoid the ultimate insult that your image choices are so millennial!
Nifty Tip 4 - Consent matters
Young people's life experience, including mental health, is different to former generations. It is essential to represent their experience. Young people are savvy with technology. They are careful about how they curate their online presence. Once online, they know photos can take on a life of their own.
This brings us onto our 4th Nifty Tip, which is about consent. When using photos of people, consent to take and use the photo is essential. You might find a perfect royalty free image online but stop for a minute. Ask yourself:
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Is the person identifiable from the photo?
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Did the person know they were photographed?
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Do you know if they gave consent for the photo to be widely used?
With pictures of people’s faces proceed with caution. If you don’t know for sure that consent has been given to take and use the photo, don’t use the image.
Nifty Tip 5 - Do not reinforce bias and discrimination
Ensure you represent minority groups in your images (e.g. young people, older people, minority ethnic groups, LGBTQ+).
Minority groups don’t often see themselves represented in mass media. When they do this might not be positively.
Don’t reinforce bias and discrimination when you select images. Help show positive and realistic images of people. There are some great online archives of images you can turn to. The Age-positive image library from the Centre for Ageing Better is a great example.
Often a drawn image can be better than a photo. Especially when trying to avoid the pitfalls outlined in our Nifty Tips. There is a shortage of quality stock images showing diversity. We have found drawn images easier to use when working in sensitive areas too (e.g. mental health, criminal justice, and domestic violence).
Drawings allow more people to identify with an image. In a drawing much is left to the imagination. This means people see themselves represented, rather than the person in the photo.
There will always be a huge range of views about an image. Experiment and tell us how you get on.
