A person wearing a red shirt holds a brochure featuring a photo of two smiling individuals in Red Cross volunteer vests. In the background, blurred images of other Red Cross workers can be seen.

Finnish Red Cross visual communications

Photo: Lassi Häkkinen / Suomen Punainen Risti

The Finnish Red Cross uses a wide range of visual materials in its communications. On this page, you will find instructions to help you create and use imagery in a coherent way.

Our aim is to create an image of a world where we stand up for humanity, dignity and equality. We are constantly improving our visual storytelling through feedback and measurement. Visual storytelling techniques are constantly evolving, and these instructions will be updated as necessary.

These instructions focus on photographs and illustrations, but the same principles can also be applied to the production and use of moving images.

Note: campaign imagery may differ from these instructions.
The example pictures are owned by the Finnish Red Cross unless otherwise stated.

Each visual element shapes the image of the Red Cross. We want to show that we are a genuine, safe and competent organisation that is a part of your everyday life, but we also act quickly when needed. We encounter people boldly, even in challenging situations.

Just like our work, our images also focus on people. We capture the connection of one person to another and highlight the importance of human interaction. We present each and every person as equally valuable and capable. We show that anyone can need help or help others. We actively highlight diversity.

A collage of several pictures depicting Red Cross activities. The side of the picture reads ‘Genuine, safe, competent, quick to act’

Our images show the diversity of our activities: aid operations, organisation activities, voluntary service, and crises and disasters. The images are designed and selected with our different target groups in mind: volunteers, supporters, partners and the media. We also use images to tell stories about everyday life and social phenomena, and to support people’s ability and willingness to help themselves and others. In some cases, we are communicating to the so-called general public. In these cases, special attention is paid to accessibility and appropriate tone of voice.

A collage of several pictures depicting Red Cross activities. In the middle of the picture it reads ‘Diverse activities, organisation activities, voluntary service, crises and disasters, aid operations’

We want to show the world as it is. Our aim is to create a natural, fresh and contemporary imagery with a sense of movement.

Movement
We reinforce the image of our organisation as an efficient and action-oriented operator by creating movement in the images through composition, cropping and angle.

Style
The style of the images is documentary. In campaign imagery, the style may also be conceptual.

Lighting
We use as much natural light as possible. During the dark seasons and indoors, we use enough lighting to achieve a sense of freshness, but as naturally as possible. We avoid filters, strong shadows, silhouettes, flash and post-processing, except for colour.

Composition
In pictures, we are close to the person or the subject of the picture. Our pictures have a clear focus, and we use depth of field to emphasise this. We avoid general pictures. We do not put ourselves above anyone, not even in pictures.

Colours
The aim is to reproduce colours in a natural way. When appropriate, the colour red is taken into account in clothing, surroundings or equipment. However, red is not the main thing — it is a seasoning to be used when it comes naturally.

The first picture shows a smiling Red Cross volunteer outdoors. In the second picture, smiling Red Cross volunteers are taking older people on rickshaw rides.

Diagonal composition and an out-of-focus background add a sense of movement to the image. Photo: Leena Koskela and Teemu Ullgrén

In the first picture, smiling people dressed in Red Cross uniforms are pitching a tent outdoors on a sunny day. In the second picture, five people are practising dressing a wound indoors.

A blurred background highlights the people in the foreground. Even if there are multiple people in the picture, a small depth of field makes the main subject of the picture stand out clearly. Photo: Aino Salmi and Marjaana Malkamäki

In the left picture, one person is holding a brochure and another person is laughing. In the right picture, a smiling mother and child are sledding in a winter landscape.

Tight cropping brings the viewer closer to the people in the picture and the atmosphere of the scene. The colour red is used in the details with the aim of achieving a natural result. Photo: Suvi Elo and Joonas Brandt

The first picture shows several serious-looking older people and volunteers in dim lighting. In the second photo, three Red Cross first aid volunteers are walking outdoors with their backs to the camera. In the third picture, a box collector is collecting funds for the Red Cross in a crowd.

Indoor photography during the darker months of the year requires special care in lighting design. Shooting from the back makes us look distant. An overly generic picture makes the message unclear. Photo: Tiina Parkkinen, Teemu Ullgrén and Mari Vehkalahti

Community level
With community-level images, we communicate the organisation’s local activities. They are used in local materials and media, such as branch brochures and social media channels. The images show the variety of activities and the diversity of local communities. The images are produced locally by local staff and volunteers, as well as professional photographers. The headquarters support the production of images.

Brand level
The aim of brand-level images is to attract people to the activities and generate visibility. The images boost the brand voice of the organisation. The images show diverse activities, social phenomena and everyday life. The images also support people’s ability and willingness to help themselves. The images are produced by selected professional photographers.

Reportage level
With our reportage-level photos, we provide information on our global operations. The photos are journalistic documentation. They focus on substance and information. The photos show our work in crisis and disaster areas and our development cooperation projects. The style of the photos varies and can even be rough, but they are always produced responsibly. The photos are produced by trained professional photographers from the photographer network. We also make use of images from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the movement’s national societies.

We want to depict the help we give and the hope our work brings. We work with vulnerable people, and this requires special attention when designing and using images.

The images of our aid operations at home and abroad differ in content, but we follow the same principles in both:

We respect everyone’s dignity. We follow the ‘do no harm’ principle, meaning that we ensure that our well-intentioned actions do not cause harm to vulnerable people, even by accident.This transcends any communication, fundraising or other needs.
We value diversity by default and challenge stereotypes. We present everyone as equals.
We present the full picture. We do not exclude anything relevant to the person or their situation that might change the viewer’s interpretation.
Informed consent. We protect the privacy of everyone in the picture in accordance with their wishes. We amplify the voice of everyone’s story.
Our activities are based on knowledge. We act based on the best knowledge and understanding available at the time.
We ensure the safety of everyone involved. Our activities must not put anyone in danger.

In the first picture, a group of women are smiling as they carry buckets on their heads in an African landscape. In the second picture, they are filling their buckets in a stream.

We show that, with our help, people can help themselves. We do not put ourselves above anyone, not even in pictures. Photo: Benjamin Suomela

The first picture shows a mother with a crying child wrapped in a thermal blanket. A Red Cross volunteer standing next to them is comforting the child. In the second picture, there is an inflatable boat on a beach with a large group of migrants rescued from the sea and Red Cross volunteers helping them.

We present those in need as individuals. We avoid presenting them as mere masses. Photo: Jarkko Mikkonen

In the first picture, a smiling Red Cross volunteer is handing a soup bowl to an aid recipient next to a field kitchen. The second picture is a close-up of a hand holding a spoon, a plate of porridge, and some coffee and bread.

We capture the connection of one person to another and highlight the importance of human interaction. Photo: Joonas Brandt and Suvi Elo

Our work involves subjects and population groups whose visual presentation requires special attention.

We try to use visual expressions that convey competent help and compassionate support, while avoiding clichés. We show everyone as individuals, but allow for anonymity where necessary.

The first picture is a close-up of a person. The second picture is a silhouette of a human figure in front of a window.

Very tight cropping allows for anonymity even in photos of faces. We avoid silhouettes. Photo: Joonas Brandt and Jussi Partanen

The first picture is a close-up of hands and coffee cups. There are two people comforting a third. In the second picture, a Red Cross volunteer and an aid recipient are standing in a doorway. No faces are visible in the picture.

The choice of angle can help maintain anonymity. We avoid silhouettes. Photo: Joonas Brandt and Jussi Partanen

In the first picture, a Red Cross volunteer and a helper are next to a person in need of help lying on their side. In the second picture, a thin older person holds their face in their hands, looking mournful.

We capture encounters and aid. Photo: Marjaana Malkamäki and Ben Hershey / Unsplash

We encounter and photograph children in the same way around the world. Special discretion must be exercised when photographing children or using images of children. Our role is first and foremost to protect children, but also to provide information about events and phenomena that affect their lives. Like adults, children are presented as capable actors in their own lives.

In the first picture, a child is sitting between their smiling parents. The second picture is a close-up of a child with a serious expression.

We show the whole picture and the impact of events or phenomena on children’s lives. Photo: Saara Mansikkamäki

In the first picture, a smiling person is holding a newborn baby. In the second picture, a child with a serious expression is looking up.

We show that children are getting help even in the midst of a disaster. We avoid images that highlight the child’s helplessness and role as a victim of circumstances. The child’s lower body must always be clothed. Photo: Saara Mansikkamäki and Niklas Meltio

In the first picture, a Red Cross volunteer is talking to a child on the sofa. In the second picture, a child is lying alone on their side in a dark room.

Positions and cropping allow for photography while preserving anonymity. We avoid compositions that exude loneliness and hopelessness. Photo: Joonas Brandt and Mali Desha / Unsplash

In our images of crises, disasters and conflicts, we make sure that the people photographed get the help they need. We show that we act quickly and are there to help people. The tone of the images is serious, reassuring and hopeful.

In international crisis situations, the presence of a Red Cross volunteer or employee in the picture reinforces the message that the Red Cross is active in the affected area. The main focus of the pictures is on local workers and volunteers, just as it is on site.

All aid recipients in the photos have a face, name and story, unless showing them would put the recipient in danger or cause harm.

In the pictures, Red Cross volunteers help people by handing them a water bottle and a food bag.

When the camera is pointed at the helper, the aid recipient can remain anonymous. Photo: Teemu Ullgren and Anette Selmer-Andresen / IFRC

In the first picture, a Red Cross aid worker is feeding a newborn baby with a bottle. The second picture shows a smiling mother holding a young child in her arms.

We show that, even in the midst of a crisis, even the smallest ones can get expert help. In crisis photography, it is good to have an adult in the picture with the child. We show that children are not left alone. Photo: Saara Mansikkamäki and Marko Kokic / IFRC

In the first picture, a Red Crescent volunteer is comforting an aid recipient amidst collapsed buildings in an area hit by an earthquake. In the second picture, a Red Crescent volunteer is hugging a smiling older person in an area with evacuation tents.

The image should show human connection, even if the people’s backs are to the camera. Encounters and emotional support are at the heart of our aid work. Photo: Victor Berezkin / IFRC and Turkish Red Crescent Society

Rokia stands smiling towards the camera, with a Red Cross worker in uniform in the background.

An example of an aid recipient’s story: 11-year-old Rokia was forced to flee Syria with her family 14 months ago. She speaks Arabic, Farsi, English and Spanish and is planning to learn Greek, even though she cannot attend school classes. She is an avid learner who dreams of speaking every language in the world to be able to communicate with everyone! Rokia would like to move to Germany, where her two brothers live. Kara Tepe, Lesvos, Greece, December 2020. Kara Tepe, Lesvos, Greece, December 2020 Photo: Georgia Trismpioti / IFRC

Carefully designed and executed illustrations bring versatility to visual communication and expression. Illustrations also allow difficult and abstract topics to be dealt with in an easy, approachable and understandable way.

The Communications Services unit helps with the production of illustrations. Please contact aineistot@redcross.fi.

Graphic illustrations with different elements: an ear, an eye, hands, drawn characters talking on a sofa, a volunteer talking on a walkie-talkie and a volunteer carrying emergency response supplies.

Images from the organisation’s illustration library and illustrative elements for the Week Against Racism campaign 2024–2026. Photo: Ville Salonen / Napa Agency

There are many ways to acquire images: by downloading from the Finnish Red Cross Material Bank, by taking a photo yourself, by ordering a photo from a photographer or by using free image banks. To ensure image quality and protect copyright, we recommend using images from the Finnish Red Cross Material Bank in the organisation’s communications.

Copying or using images without permission may infringe copyright. Using images in a context other than the original can also cast the people in the image in an unfavourable light.

Information about the photographer must be indicated on the image or in close proximity to it.

The images in the Material Bank support the goals of our operations, communications and fundraising. Images on other topics can be obtained from various image banks, such as Unsplash or Pixabay, which offer free images. Please take the image use policy into account also when selecting and using images from image banks.

The Communications Services unit helps with the use and production of images and illustrations: aineistot@redcross.fi.

Finnish Red Cross visual communications

Red Cross visual identity

The Red Cross brand book

Brand and visual identity