Before beginning any visual design project, consider asking yourself the following questions (reproduced and adapted from the Photographers Guide to Inclusive Photography):
- Am I perpetuating stereotypical narratives with my work?
- Have I considered how my perspective or privilege may affect how I approach my projects?
- What are the likely consequences of the publication of my project? Who will be harmed or helped?
- When selecting images from other communities or groups, am I applying the same standards as I do for images of my own community?
- Is my aesthetic approach to portraits built on tropes used to dehumanize certain groups or people?
- How can I expand the types of people, places and organizations from which I draw story ideas and angles from?
- How much time do I spend with people and communities before starting my project? Am I taking the time to do my own research on and ask about underlying issues and context from the community or group I’m portraying?
- Do I seek out opportunities to work with people from the groups I seek to depict?