Graphic by Justin Olivares.

When scouring Easy Read resources available over the internet, it quickly becomes apparent that Easy Read resources, while they may have their commonalities, also have a lot of variety in style, in particular concerning the images used. Some use stock photos, while others use clip art or illustrations. The question to be asked is then: Is one option necessarily better than the other? 

The short answer is no. The long answer is a bit more complex than that, but ultimately depends on what you have access to, your intended audience, and the themes of your resource.

Photos

Pros

Testing by both the South Australian Council for Intellectual Disability (SACID) and Information Access Group revealed that adults with intellectual disability preferred photos in comparison to illustrations, as they could identify with and relate to them. This is particularly relevant when depicting photos of people with disabilities, as these images act as direct examples of representation and inclusion. 

Photos may also be better at conveying nuanced emotions and feelings, providing a more immediate and realistic connection to the reader. Photos generally offer the most realistic representation of the concept they aim to portray, which is important when referring to specific people, locations or objects that readers should recognise and draw a connection to instantly.

Using photos can also help avoid the perpetuation of stereotypes and insensitivities that may be harmful or inaccurate. This is especially important with respect to images that depict diversity of cultures, ages and abilities.

Cons

There may be legal, ethical, privacy and sensitivity concerns regarding obtaining or distributing sensitive photos of real people. There are even organisations that have started developing AI-generated photos of sensitive matters to get around this issue! This issue can also arise if people revoke consent for their photos to be used, meaning that resources may have to cease distribution until they can be modified.

Furthermore, developing custom photographs can cost an organisation a significant amount of money, time and effort, due to the number of different elements involved in their production. This includes booking talent and photographers, securing locations, managing props and clothing, handling post-production editing and more. 

Moreover, while there are a number of stock photo enterprises, easyread.tech noticed they largely contain photos set in countries outside Australia, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom. This means the people, signs, vehicles, infrastructure, and other elements are not contextually accurate or relatable for an Australian setting and audience. This lack of locally contextualised imagery was a big influence in our desire to develop the easyread.tech illustrations library, complete with illustrations made in Australia, representing a diverse audience of cultures, ages, abilities and intersectionalities.

Illustrations

Pros

On the other hand, Inspired Services Publishing has conducted some research that found that illustrations can be more beneficial than photos for readers with low literacy. Photos with too many elements and details may be confusing for this audience, and illustrations can be made simple and minimalistic to maximise their impact. 

Illustrations may also be more suitable to use in resources about sensitive or graphic topics, including abuse, violence, or health information, as illustrations can be impersonal, and can better represent more abstract themes.

Illustrations can also be newly created or modified to better suit the text and fit the precise meaning of what is being depicted. This is particularly important if an Easy Read resource is tested by a forum of people with disabilities, as modifications can be made to the images to better enhance comprehension of the text.

Illustrations can also be relatively easier to produce than photos, with typically one or two illustrators who can manage the project within a shorter timeline and lower budget.

Cons

Illustrations may impede on the comprehension of a resource if they are too complex, detailed, abstract, and lack a real-world connection to the reader. Complex images may be vague in interpretation or interpreted in a way not intended by the author. 

Clipart or cartoon-like illustrations also have the potential of looking childish or immature for older audiences, which can make the content less engaging and relevant across diverse age ranges. 

Furthermore, illustrations are dependent on the skill of the artist, meaning that poorly executed images may defeat the purpose of images in Easy Read as a tool to augment comprehension of the text.

How should I choose between photos and illustrations for my Easy Read resource?

There is not a clear-cut answer to this question, but there are some considerations to keep in mind when making your decision. 

Audience

A younger audience for your resource, or an audience with low literacy may be more comfortable with illustrations and find them more beneficial in understanding the text. 

Theme

If the theme of your resource is sensitive or graphic, and including real-life photos would be either impractical or unethical to source and feature in your resource, seeking custom illustrations may be a suitable alternative. 

Existing resources

Your organisation may already have a bank of relevant imagery. However, if not, it may be easier to request custom illustrations compared to styling photographs and settings to suit your needs. 

Best practices 

As a general rule, regardless of whether you use photos or illustrations in your Easy Read resource, make sure that the image:

• relates clearly to the text accompanying it and adds to its comprehension, and 
• is not too detailed, abstract or complicated to understand. 

If the image has no connection to the text, they will not affect comprehension at all, defeating the purpose of including them.

Easyread.tech also recommends that you stick to one option in a single Easy Read resource, rather than mixing it up. This can help your document look cohesive for your reader.

We also suggest that you think carefully about whether producing a digital written document is the best way to communicate your information. There are other accessible forms of communication, including multimedia, animation, video and audio content, that might offer a more engaging and effective means of communication with your target audience. 

We have developed this summarised table for you to use in deciding between photos and illustrations in your next Easy Read resource.

The team at easyread.tech are well equipped to support your organisation with your next accessible communications project and can advise at any stage of the process to maximise the impact of your campaign.

Easyread.tech has an illustrations library of over 600 original illustrations designed for an Australian context. Created by our talented and dedicated team of designers, these illustrations are inclusive of characters with different cultural backgrounds, disabilities and ages, and covers a wide range of topics, from household chores, health and wellbeing, emotions, sports and much more. 

Easyread.tech can also support your organisation in developing custom illustrations for your next Easy Read project, ensuring they suit your text accurately.

Get in touch with the team to get started on your next Easy Read resource, and join our mission to make information accessible for all!