Hello to everyone who uses Photosymbols. If you've ever wondered who has been designing some of the new images in the library recently, that's me!

I'm Kat, and I joined Photosymbols in May 2025 as the Symbol Designer and Resident Artist. Ten months in, I'm thoroughly enjoying the role. It felt right from the start because it brings together my passion for visual communication with empathy, and a focus on understanding the experiences of people with learning disabilities.

I've always seen visual communication as a way to make ideas and concepts easier to understand, and this role allows me to do that in a very direct and meaningful way.

From architecture to accessibility

My background is in architecture and urban design within the built environment, where people, the end users, were always at the centre of the design process. Working in that sector involved communicating ideas for places visually, while thinking carefully about how people would actually use, move through and experience spaces.

A big part of this work was co-design, involving people in the process and listening to their feedback to shape the designs we created. Understanding how to represent people within the built environment and the spaces they use was a key part of this work.

It was during this time that I really fell in love with using collaging techniques with real photo imagery to build up scenes and tell stories that felt human, relatable and grounded in real experience. That early work shaped how I approach image-making today, and how I think about clarity, emotion and representation in visual communication.

I decided to move away from the built environment because I wanted to work more directly in visual communication, in a space where the designs I create genuinely have an impact and contribute to social good. Working at Photosymbols allows me to focus on creating images that support understanding and inclusion in a very real way.

It's been especially encouraging to see this reflected in the new Easy Read Standard, which highlights the importance of clear visual communication. The standard shows that the majority of people with learning disabilities agree that Photosymbols help them to understand information, reinforcing the positive impact this work can have.

How I work

At Photosymbols, this way of working continues every day. Each week, I design new images for the Photosymbols photo library, bringing the same people-centred design principles into every symbol I create. I think carefully about composition, scale and proportion, as well as colour and symbolism, and how these choices shape the way an image is read. I'm always considering the user of the image, who they are, how they might be feeling, and how those feelings are conveyed visually. This includes thinking about how our actors themselves might feel when they see their image reflected back at them, which is a really important part of the process.

Collaboration and co-design

Collaboration plays a big role in my work, and co-design continues to be central to how we work at Photosymbols. I really value the regular feedback we get from our expert advisers on the symbols we design, which helps ensure they capture the essence of the concepts they represent. I also work closely with Holly, our Content Manager in the creative team, whose experience in creating Easy Read content brings so much insight and care to our work.

Alongside this, Steve's photography is a key part of the creative process. His ability to capture people naturally and with warmth makes it a joy to receive the raw images and see our actors genuinely enjoying themselves during photoshoots.

Getting the tone right

Getting the emotional tone right runs through everything I do. Whether illustrating everyday moments or more challenging situations, I always aim to reflect people with dignity and respect, and to show life as it is, familiar, meaningful and real.

It's incredibly rewarding to see Photosymbols being used in the UK and across the world, from Easy Read government documents to information created by local advocacy groups. Knowing the symbols help people with learning disabilities access information and feel better represented makes the work feel genuinely meaningful.

Being part of the Photosymbols team means a great deal to me. It's a thoughtful group of people who each bring their own skills and perspectives, and who share a genuine commitment to clear visual communication and, ultimately, making information easier to understand.