Dr Rebecca Swift
Global Head of Creative Insights - Getty Images
Rebecca joined the photography industry over 20 years ago and was one of the founding members of the creative research team at Getty Images, introducing visual research methodology to the industry.
Today, Rebecca leads the Creative Insights team who set the content strategy for Getty Images, through researching and analysing trends in visual communication. This knowledge helps inform Creative Insights – an online destination from Getty Images that gives behind the lens access, authentic thought-provoking imagery and a curated glimpse of today’s visual trends. Rebecca also runs global research projects investigating the future of visual communications and has published many trend reports.
Day-to-day Rebecca works with photographer communities that range from amateur hobbyists to renowned professionals, setting creative briefs, training photographers and arranging photo shoots.
Rebecca leads the D&I initiatives at Getty Images and one area she is particularly passionate about is evolving visual representation. Rebecca is personally responsible for driving change in visual language depicting women and girls, which she has done by rewriting the visual standards of commercial imagery depicting this group and briefing Getty Images’ contributing photographers against these new visual standards. Rebecca is the lead on the #ShowUs partnership with Dove that aims to bring more female photographers into the industry winning over 30 international creative awards including a Glass Lion and Effies. Most recently she has turned her attention to addressing authentic and diverse representations of people with disabilities and moving the visual language about aging forward.
In addition, Rebecca acts as a visual brand consultant for global corporations. She works with companies spanning a wide range of industries, from the charity sector to the oil industry, and has presented her findings all over the world.
Rebecca lectures at conferences and seminars across the globe and guest lectures at universities across Britain. She has sat on the judging panel for most of Europe’s significant photography, design and advertising awards.
In 2020, Rebecca was recognized as one of AdAge’s “20 Women to Watch” and is Campaign magazine’s Female Frontier honouree. She was awarded the “Most Influential Leader in UK Visual Media” in 2020.
Rebecca has a PhD in Photography. Her research expertise is in commercial creativity and the evolution of visual trends in advertising.

