Getty Images Grant Photographers $20,000 to Improve Disability Representation

The Disability Collection, an initiative led by Getty Images in partnership with Verizon Media and the National Disability Leadership Alliance announced that a total of $20,000 in grants has been awarded to two photographers and a cinematographer championing disability representation.

Update 5/16: The grant is $20,000 to be split among the three awarded visual artists, not $20,000 each as originally stated.

In February, PetaPixel shared news of Getty Images’ partnership with Verizon Media and the National Disability Leadership Alliance (NDLA) to lift members of the disability community with a series of grants. As a follow-up to that announcement, today Getty Images announced the three winners will split a $20,000 creative grant.

The creators were each chosen for their outstanding achievements in “putting a spotlight on the talent, determination, and leadership of people within the disability community.”

First place was awarded to Elizabeth Rajchart, a photographer and disability advocate who Getty describes as “bringing a bold and nuanced lens to the professional lives of disabled individuals” as she “challenges narrow tropes and emphasizes creativity, autonomy, and innovation.” Rajchart draws from her first-person experience living and working across St Louis, New York, and Los Angeles for a diverse body of storytelling photography.

A post shared by Elizabeth Rajchart (@lizrajchart)

In second place is Nasreen Alkhateeb, an award-winning cinematographer from Los Angeles, California who trains her lens on significant cultural moments and current events whose work has been published by Apple, Netflix, Amazon, IFC, FX, OWN, NASA, BBC, NPR, UN Women, SXSW, AMC, Discovery, and Vogue.

“From Kamala Harris’ Vice Presidential campaign to Netflix and NASA productions. Her work centers intersectional identities and reframes disability leadership through cinematic storytelling. With this grant, she plans to create a visual archive for her project ‘Reframing Us’, that disrupts myths and redefines what professional success looks like through a disability-led lens,” Getty writes.

Zimbabwe-based photographer and communications specialist, Charmaine Chitate is the third-place award-winner. Getty shared that Chitate “focuses on the social identity of individuals in the context of health, education, and climate change.”

With her grant, Chitate plans to “close a significant gap in local disability imagery” with her project ‘unaltered.unfiltered’ that documents inclusion and exclusion in everyday professional life across her homeland, Zimbabwe.

A post shared by African Female Voices (@africanfemalevoices)

The three recipients were chosen by a well-rounded panel of judges including representatives from Getty, Verizon, the American Association of People with Disabilities, as well as artists and activists: Samantha Tokita: Award winning photographer and 2024 grant winner, Jen White Johnson: Artist and activist, Tom Olin: Social documentarian, Maria Town: President and CEO, American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), Fred Moltz: Chief Accessibility Officer, Verizon, and Sarah Foster: Senior Creative Content Manager, Getty Images.

Driving the grant is Getty Images’ desire to offer the opportunity for authentic expansion in representing how those with disabilities are portrayed, particularly in professional settings.

According to Getty Images’ VisualGPS research, which analyzes visual creative trends and related data, “71% of global consumers want to see people with disabilities represented in everyday social and professional settings. Yet currently, the majority of visuals – 3 out of 4 – depict people with disabilities primarily in healthcare environments. This highlights a meaningful opportunity to expand how disability is portrayed in visual content. By showcasing more authentic and multi-dimensional representations — including people with disabilities at home, at work, and in leadership roles — brands and media can better reflect the realities of today’s modern life.”

By directly supporting creators who are passionate about building projects around the disabled community, Getty Images hopes to make a difference from the ground up.

“We’re honored to elevate these visionary creators who are transforming the visual language around disability,” said Dr. Rebecca Swift, Senior Vice President of Creative at Getty Images. “Through their work, they are not just capturing images — they’re building a world where everyone can see themselves visualized.”

“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, oftentimes portrayed alone in an image or surrounded by able-bodied people,” Dr. Swift explained.

“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.”

The total of $20,000 awarded adds to Getty’s initiative with The Disability Collection to bring authentic representation to people of disabilities in media. To date, the project has awarded over $2.6 million, a testament to the company’s long-term commitment to documentation, storytelling, and providing opportunities to all voices.

“Getty Images has spent over a decade working to break down stereotypes and create a more authentic visual view of concepts such as gender, LGBTQ, religion, race, mental illness and disability across media, advertising, and social media. Just as images have the power to shape ideas, we believe they have the power to move the world — elevating diverse narratives that can alter perceptions, evoke empathy, and build community,” Getty said.

Image credits: Getty Images, Inc.