Does a picture really speak 1,000 words? According to Getty Images, a stock photography company, and LeanIn.org, a non-profit dedicated to female welfare: Yes.
The two have partnered to add more than 2,500 “stock” images to the Getty’s collection. Unlike typical stock pictures, which rely heavily on stereotypes, these feature women of all ethnicities, sexualities, cultures and societal roles.
“The stock imagery around women is embarrassing,” contributing editor at LeanIn.org Jessica Bennett said. “You can’t be what you can’t see, so if women and girls are not seeing images of powerful women and girls who are leaders, then they may not aspire to become that.”
According to Salon, the top three most-searched terms on Getty Images are “woman,” “business” and “family.”
The collection is consciously driven away from classic pictures, such as a mom juggling a brief-case and a baby or woman laughing alone with salad. Instead, there is an African-American female soldier staring stoically into the camera. A radiant young businesswoman commuting to work on her bike. A brunette girl laughing joyfully as she navigates her way through a video game.
“One of the quickest ways to make people think differently about something is to change the visuals around it,” said Cindy Gallop, an advertising agency founder. “The thing about these images is they work on an unconscious level to reinforce what people think people should be like.”
The Getty Image Lean In photos are united by their uniqueness. They span classes and countries and characteristics, just as real women do. And if you want to add yourself to the collection, it’s easy—just take a picture of what you think modern womanhood is and tag it as #NotYourStockWoman on Instagram or Twitter.
All of the pictures are available to view here. Some of the proceeds from their sales will go towards Lean In grants that will further their mission of female empowerment. Changing the world … one camera click at a time.