Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Images
 | This guideline is a part of the English Wikipedia's Manual of Style. Editors should generally follow it, though it is best treated with common sense, and exceptions may apply. Substantive edits to this page should reflect consensus. |
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This page provides an overview of how images are used on Wikipedia. For detailed guidelines, see the Image use policy. For instructions on uploading and including images, see Help:Files.
Choosing images
Pertinence and encyclopedic nature
Images must be significant and relevant in the topic's context, not primarily decorative. Each image in an article should have a clear and unique illustrative purpose and serve as an important illustrative aid to understanding the subject. When possible, find better images and improve captions rather than simply removing poor or inappropriate ones, especially on pages with few visuals. However, not every article needs images, and too many can be distracting or cause undue weight: usually, less is more.
Images should look like what they are meant to illustrate, regardless of whether they are authentic. For example, a painting of a cupcake may be an acceptable image for Cupcake, but a real cupcake that has been decorated to look like something else entirely is less appropriate. Similarly, an image of a generic-looking cell under a light microscope might be useful on multiple articles, as long as there are no visible differences between the cell in the image and the typical appearance of the cell being illustrated.
Strive for variety. For example, in an article with numerous images of persons (e.g. Running), seek to depict a variety of ages, genders, and ethnicities. If an article on a military officer already shows its subject in uniform, then two more formal in-uniform portraits would add little interest or information, but a map of an important battle and an image of its aftermath would be more informative. Resist the temptation to overwhelm an article with images of marginal value simply because many images are available. Prioritize quality over quantity.
Ethnic groups
Articles about ethnic groups or similarly large human populations should not be illustrated by a photomontage or