Getty Images Offers $20,000 to Capture Better Photos of People With Disabilities

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A man with a beard and short hair smiles while standing in front of a chalkboard with sketches and writing. He wears a navy polo shirt and tan pants. His left arm is not visible.

Getty Images, alongside Verizon and the National Disability Leadership Alliance (NDLA), is offering photographers and videographers a $20,000 grant to showcase members of the disability community in active, professional settings.

“Despite growing awareness of diversity in visual media, the stories of people with disabilities in professional roles remain underrepresented,” Getty Images explains. “Too often, visuals portray the disability community in limited, domestic or familial contexts, leaving a gap showcasing the vital contributions people with disabilities bring to the workforce.”

Getty Images’ VisualGPS research, which investigates visual trends, finds that two out of three Americans “believe that seeing people with a range of abilities and personal characteristics in media and advertising has a positive impact on understanding one another.” However, three out of every four visuals that feature people with disabilities show them in a healthcare setting rather than at home or in a professional environment. The new creative grant challenges photographers to break these stereotypes and show people with disabilities in more typical settings and situations.

A woman wearing glasses and an apron assists a customer at a checkout. She points at the register screen while the customer holds a smartphone, possibly making a digital payment. The setting appears to be a cafe or store.

The grant continues a long partnership between Getty Images, Verizon, and the NDLA. In 2018, the three launched The Disability Collection (https://www.gettyimages.com/collections/thedisabilitycollection), a curated selection of images that authentically portray individuals with disabilities. The collection now features over 12,000 pictures and videos. Throughout its entire Getty Images Grants program, founded in 2004, Getty Images and its partners have donated over $2.6 million to photojournalists and creative photographers.

“Our ultimate goal is to empower brands and marketers with the content necessary to break away from stereotypical imagery, such as a person in a wheelchair, often times portrayed alone in an image or surrounded by able-bodied people,” says Dr. Rebecca Swift, Senior Vice President of Creative at Getty Images.

A diverse group of people sitting in a meeting room, engaged in discussion. One person has a prosthetic leg, and another holds a tablet. Sunlight streams through large windows in the background, creating a bright atmosphere.

“In reality, the disability community is much more diverse and varied, including a range of disabilities and lived experiences. By broadening the visual language of disability, we can ensure that workplace imagery reflects a full spectrum of experiences, fostering a more inclusive and representative world.”

“As a brand driven to power how you live, work, and play, Verizon is thrilled to continue our ongoing collaboration with Getty Images and the National Disability Leadership Alliance through this timely and exciting creative grant,” says Zachary Bastian, Manager, Strategic Alliances, Verizon. “Since the Disability Collection began, it has built a community of creatives, brands, and non profit organizations. Navigating Work Life represents a great opportunity to dive deep into people with disabilities thriving in careers.”

Getty Images hopes its Creative Grant will help up-and-coming photographic and creative talent break into the field and improve the quality and quantity of authentic content on the market. The “Disability in Focus: Navigating Work Life” grant is a one-time grant. One recipient will receive $10,000, another will get $7,000 in support, and a third person will get $3,000.

Tom Olin, Sarah Foster, Fred Moltz. Each has a role or achievement listed, e.g., photographer, educator.

An esteemed panel of judges will evaluate entries that showcase themes and stories of authenticity in the workplace, leadership, and collaboration, representation across diverse roles, workplace inclusion, and photos that show disabled individuals balancing work and life.

The application period will end on March 7, 2025, and grant winners will be announced the week of April 28. Complete details and rules are available on Getty Images’ website.

Image credits: Getty Images

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