I’m on the hunt for stock photography almost every day, and finding really good, authentic photos of diverse people can be difficult. Some of the larger, more mainstream photo sites seem to be getting a little better (at least in my experience), but still aren’t great when it comes to finding non-staged images of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled people. Luckily for me (and you!), I’ve found some fabulous new options for images of real people.
- Unsplash is a huge library of photos with a wide variety of diversity and specific concepts.
- Pexels is another huge stock photography site with millions of photos, and lots of images of real people.
- Stocksy is a highly curated stock photography site that intentionally showcases authentic images depicting a wide diversity of skin tones, ages, nationalities, abilities, and body sizes.
- CreateHER stock images primarily feature Black women (or ‘melanated women’, as the creator calls them).
- picnoi features diverse, multi-racial images—a “Stock Images Coop for a Colorful World.”
- Nappy features beautiful photos of black and brown people that are more representative of today’s generation.
- AllGo’s library of images spread body positivity, featuring plus-size people doing everyday activities—the focus is on what they’re doing, not the body they’re in while doing it.
- Diversity Photos offers inclusive images of all different types of people, and they also have programs that reinvest into BIPOC, disabled, and queer communities.
- TONL images are culturally diverse and represent more realistic portrayals of everyday life in the real world.
- #WOCinTech images are photos of women of color engaging in technical tasks, disrupting the idea of who is or can be a tech worker.
- The Gender Spectrum Collection is a stock photo library featuring images of LGBTQ+, trans and non-binary models that goes beyond the stereotypes.
I’m committed to using inclusive photography wherever I can, and it can be tricky to find the right images, but these sites make my job so much easier. Are there any other stock sites that you think should be added to the list? Let me know!
Before you use that image from Google… Using Googled images is never a good idea (read here to see why), so reach out to us first. We have lots of great stock photo sites to recommend for your next project. Get in touch!