Autodesk Brand Hub

Imagery

Our imagery creates an emotional connection to our brand, adding depth and context to the stories we tell. It captures the inspirational spirit of our customers and our employees in authentic and thoughtful ways, while reflecting their rich diversity. It also gives glimpses into the innovative industries we play a part in.

Whether selecting stock images, browsing the DAM (access required), or featuring approved customer-owned images like animations or renderings, choose visuals that tell an evocative story that aligns with the Autodesk brand and encourages the audience to see themselves and their work in the images we use.

Our imagery styleSubject matterSources and permissions

Selecting photography and images should be done thoughtfully, with the goal of presenting what we call premium authenticity, even when using stock. Strive for selections that spark delight, provoke thought, tell a story, and encourage the viewer to identify with what they see or to look closer. Remember to consider how your image and the text that will accompany it will work together, including tone and subject matter.

We use two styles of photos, journalistic and staged. Regardless of the subject matter, strive to convey premium authenticity in either style of photography.

Two workers build a modular unit in a well-lit warehouse. One uses a power tool; the unit is labeled “Factory OS.”
Image courtesy of Factory OS

Journalistic

Think of journalistic photography as being similar to documentary filmmaking or journalism. Images should be dynamic and tell the story of Autodesk’s role in designing and making a better world. This style should capture real settings from our customer industries or realistic, human moments that feel as if you’ve entered an office, a factory, or a job site. When people are present, focus on authenticity, not models.

A researcher with smart glasses tests a robotic glove interface in a modern lab setup

Staged

Staged shots feature people who are more aware of the camera. Even though they’re staged, however, they shouldn’t feel unnatural. Choose images that communicate the feeling of a high-end product or service—refined, uncluttered, not overly touched up but not raw or garish. Take special care when using stock to avoid “stocky” images. Regardless of the subject matter, seek a premium aesthetic.

The below examples can serve as a reference for the wide range of setting and scenarios that fit our aesthetic and give you a sense of what to look for.

A red-eyed tree frog sits on a leaf in water, staring at a ladybug hovering above.
Image courtesy of Fellipe Beckman
Aerial view of a yellow excavator loading dirt into a red dump truck at a sandy construction site
Teenager studies a mechanical insect-like robot in a robotics lab, holding it up to observe its wiring and build
Urban construction scene featuring a yellow crane and a partially built high-rise among city towers.
A futuristic, tiered complex of buildings integrates dense greenery into its terraces, blending architecture and nature.
Close-up of a precision CNC cutter in action, generating bright sparks as it cuts metal sheets.

Our images feature six types of subjects: people, often in portraits; processes; technical overlays; outcomes or products of Autodesk solutions; intriguing abstract or textural images; and brand images.

People and portraiture

People in photos help our customers relate to, and see themselves in, our story.

Always represent authenticity and real people rather than models, showing the rich diversity of Autodesk’s customers and employees.

Amid bright signage and dense foot traffic, two cyclists pose in what appears to be a popular nightlife district in Japan
A man stands in a bright industrial loft framed by a white concrete arch, with raw floors, mismatched chairs, and green pendant lights accenting a long wood table
Two women sit confidently on a stack of plywood sheets inside an industrial warehouse, surrounded by neatly piled timber and rough concrete walls, with yellow and white hard hats beside them
Framed by a modern, light-filled corridor, a wheelchair user in cycling gear poses confidently next to a high-performance handcycle, radiating strength and focus
In a candid moment, a person with a wide smile, vibrant green beanie, and small gold necklace stands relaxed in a modern, organized workspace with shelves and tools in the background
3 office workers stand in a staggered line, crossing their arms and looking overly serious. The image feels overly posed, with unnatural expressions, and is marked with a red X.

DO NOT choose photos that are overly posed or where emotions feel forced or unnatural.

A woman sits cross-legged against a bright yellow background, her laptop in her lap. The image is marked with a red X.

DO NOT choose portraits on colored backgrounds or that don’t show the subject in a design and make environment.

4 people stand, arms around each-other, over a table with a few teacups. The image is marked with a red X, since the focus is not on product outcomes

DO NOT choose photos where people dominate over outcomes or their use of the product.

Processes

Autodesk emboldens our customers to design and make incredible things. Photos showing people engrossed in these processes are especially compelling.

Dramatic lighting highlights a solitary welder at work, encased in a massive pipe, smoke curling into the air as they weld
A construction worker in a safety harness uses a nail gun while standing on a partially built wooden roof frame
A technician adjusts a robotic arm outdoors while another worker observes, both wearing safety vests
Overhead view of a large yellow excavator moving piles of gravel along a dirt construction site, casting a sharp shadow on the roadway below
A person in a blue shirt holds their hands around a miniature house, appearing to levitate it in mid-air. The image appears overly staged or faked, and is marked with a red X.

DO NOT choose photos that feel overly staged or are in unnatural settings for the process.

In an automotive lab, a professional analyzes vehicle impact diagrams on his computer, with a wrecked car in the background and industrial equipment surrounding the space, making it unclear what the focal point of the image is supposed to be. Marked with a red X.

DO NOT use images that lack clear subject matter or a clear focal point.

Construction scene showing two men in reflective vests and hard hats having lunch inside a loader bucket, highlighting improper safety practices. Marked with a red X.

DO NOT forget to check that relevant best-practice safety equipment is present.

Outcomes

“Outcomes” can mean anything from a skyscraper to a modeling prototype to a robotic arm. They represent the incredible things our customers design, make, and build. How we feature these outcomes celebrates our customers and further elevates the story.

Abstract architectural detail of a suspension bridge’s towering structure and tension cables, emphasizing symmetry and engineering precision
CGI artwork featuring a cyberpunk-inspired space traveler, created using 3D modeling and digital painting techniques
Image courtesy of Natalie Jerabek
Cyclist leans into a turn on a velodrome, wearing a blue-white suit and helmet
Digitally rendered building with angular lines and large panes of clear glass, glowing warmly in a misty dusk and reflecting on a surrounding pool of water
Brightly colored shipping containers are loaded onto a truck as a plane flies overhead, creating an overwhelming composition without a clear focal point. Marked with a red X.

DO NOT overwhelm outcomes in a photograph with people or the setting. Ensure the outcome is the focal point.

Dark smoke pours out of a smokestack, implying a negative environmental impact. Marked with a red X.

DO NOT choose images that show settings that could be construed as hazardous or having a negative impact.

A handmade-looking acoustic guitar rests against a light-green background, implying that it has been made using Autodesk software. Marked with a red X.

DO NOT feature outcomes or products that haven’t been made with Autodesk as if they were.

Technical overlays

Technical overlays can draw attention to the power and sophistication of Autodesk and how it enhances our customers’ imaginations and capabilities.

In a garage workshop, two mechanics work on a race car, its interior frame digitally highlighted in bright yellow
Image courtesy of BBI Autosport
A mechanical engineer in safety glasses inspects a part, its surface structure digitally highlighted with bright green lines
A technician wearing safety equipment inspects a cast metal part for a seat assembly. The rest of the assembly is digitally overlayed alongside information on the part's area, density, mass, and volume
A worker inspects a large, complex, cast-molded assembly, its curvature digitally highlighted with subtle wireframe lines
A futuristic cityscape is overlayed with a variety of boxes and lines in bright neon colors, creating an overly busy composition wherein it is unclear what the overlays are indicating. The image is marked with a red X.

DO NOT use technical overlays in an overly heavy-handed way.

A man faces away from the camera, interacting with a gestural, 3d interface, creating an overly busy scene that makes the Autodesk-related outcome unclear. The image is marked with a red X.

DO NOT use technical overlays in a way that distracts from people looking engaged or the details of outcomes.

A man in a suit stands facing away from the camera, his palms outstretched against a wireframe city scape with multiple transparent overlays, creating a haphazard, disjointed, and confusing composition. The image is marked with a red X.

DO NOT use technical overlays in a way that feels haphazard. Ensure the overlay reflects a real part of the design and make process.

Abstract and textural images

Attractive, intriguing abstract and textural images can create a backdrop for our visual devices and complement our brand colors.

Abstract 3d rendering of a white spiraling staircase, forming a Fibonacci spiral as it winds downwards
Abstract 3d rendering of a rippling, iridescent fabric, seemingly made of thick threads that shine in vibrant purples, blues, and greens
3d rendering of a complex 3d tube shape that winds in and out of itself, forming a seemingly impossible interlocking ring shape
Abstract close-up photo of a curving, undulating roof, painted in pastel pink and bright orange, set against a blue sky
Close-up photo of a large industrial turbine, highlighting the abstract, sculptural form of its blades
Abstract photo of a stack of brightly colored shipping containers, stacked neatly in a terraced formation, the sharp shadows cutting diagonally across the image
Aerial photo of a winding road cutting through farmland, with neatly-tilled soil on one side and green fields on the other
Abstract close-up photo of yellow crane gantries criss-crossing over a blue sky
3d rendering of a wall and floor, both rendered in a checkboard pattern, creating a busy, overwhelming image. The image is marked with a red X.

DO NOT choose images that are too busy or overwhelming.

A complex, abstract diffraction pattern shimmers in green, yellow, blue, and purple tones, looking almost like a painting. The image is marked with a red X.

DO NOT use images that look like paintings, including abstract images.

Stacks of money are arrayed in an angled grid against a blue background. The image is marked with a red X.

DO NOT use abstract or textural images that don’t connect with one of our customer industries.

Always begin your search for imagery in the Autodesk DAM. The DAM image library has a wide variety of images that will work well in most instances. If you can’t find what you need in the DAM you may use stock. Well-chosen customer-owned imagery can also be a good choice to show inspiring outcomes and celebrate our customers. Be sure to secure appropriate permission to use customer-owned images.

DAM:

The Autodesk DAM includes customer, brand-produced, and licensed stock images for all industries. It also has images for a wide range of topics and settings like in-office, software-on-screen, in the field/illustrative, events, and more. It’s all free to use.

Be sure to include the relevant credit line in your final usage if the DAM indicates that it is required. 

Stock:

To license images not available on the DAM, our recommended stock agency is iStock. Other agencies like Getty Images, Shutterstock, and Adobe Stock, etc. may also be used if needed but are less cost effective.

You will need to create your own iStock account to license imagery. Contact iStock directly to create an account and purchase credits.

Customer-owned:

Using customer-generated images requires permission and appropriate credits. 

The DAM has many customer-owned images and videos that already have signed consent forms and are cleared for unlimited Autodesk use. Check the metadata for the image to confirm.

New customer-generated assets not already in the DAM need either a signed Marketing Consent Form or written permission from the customer for its intended context. Start with the Content clearance checklist and be sure to review the guidelines for using or posting photos and videos before selecting images. (All links require access.) 

In some cases, a customer may have given us permission to use an image or video for one specific use but has not signed off on any other uses. Check the asset’s metadata on the DAM, and/or contact the asset owner or customer relationship owner for the consent form and any use limitations. If we do not have a signed Marketing Consent Form (requires access) or other written permission for your specific use, you can’t use it.