Tardis:Images and perspective

Like text, images have a point of view. It's important to match their point of view with the perspective of the article as a whole.

In-universe articles
For in-universe articles, images must come from an in-universe source, such as a screenshot of a televised episode, or a scan of a comic strip or illustration. Novel or audio covers may also be potential sources for in-universe imagery, although truly in-universe images, illustrating a specific scene, are often preferable to abstract, "floating heads" compositions if available. Special rules also govern images relating to audio stories: illustrations of an audio story's content that are released as promotional material, such as an illustration in DWM or screenshots from a CGI-animated trailer, can be used and should be cited to that story.

Promotional images — such as when actors pose in costume for a picture — are generally disallowed, if they have not been used as part of an actual, specific valid source (such as being used on the cover of the novel or as the illustration of a fictional prose piece in a Doctor Who annual). Such pictures may be used on real world articles about the actor pictured, and can of course be used on gallery pages, but out-of-costume pictures are preferred on such pages.

This ruling specifically means that most wallpapers available from the BBC's official website are not allowed on in-universe pages here. In fact, aside from galleries, the best use for promotional images on this site is in maintenance images, such as are found on stub templates and the site's background images.

Out-of-universe and story articles
For story articles, promotional images generally should not be used. Instead screenshots that capture "iconic" scenes from the story should be used.

Promotional images mainly belong on pages about an actor or other behind-the-scenes staff member. Even so, a picture of an actor out of costume is preferred over one with the actor dressed in character.

Note that just as promotional images should not be used on DWU pages, screenshots should be avoided on real world pages. If you don't have a headshot or other promotional image to go on an actor's page, don't put up an image at all. It is better that the article about, say, Bernard Horsfall go without a picture than to reuse the picture which is on display at Goth.

Put simply, the actor isn't the character, so don't use a picture of one to illustrate the other.