Lesley Doyle's photographic archives spans her freelance career in photojournalism and commercial photography work for nonprofit community development organizations. Her output was largely journalistic in the 1980s and early 1990s, but by 2000 her work was predominantly used in publicity and annual reports for nonprofits. Doyle's photojournalistic work captured daily life in Catholic and Protestant Belfast communities; student and worker protests; women political and community leaders; the aftermath of political violence; music and the arts with a focus on jazz and theater; sporting events; parades celebrating the Twelfth (Orangemen's Day); and children.

Work pertaining to children and child welfare includes documentation of Bulgarian orphanages and homes for disabled children and United States President George H.W. Bush's visit to Baidoa, Somalia. There are also photographs featuring the Travelling People and Roma communities of both Northern Ireland and Bulgaria. Commercial work completed for community development groups features staff, events, and programs for the Children's Law Centre, Community Change, Community Relations Council, Law Centre Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, Northern Ireland Women's Initiative, and Workers Education Association.

Also included are some papers providing context for Doyle's work, including correspondence, daily planners including the locations in which she was working at a given time, and printed materials featuring her images.