Photo & Image Archives

Photo and image archives collect, preserve and provide access to photographic material from different periods and subject areas. Collections may include historical photographs as well as contemporary imagery covering subjects such as current affairs, sports, culture, nature, architecture, travel, science and everyday life.

This category includes digital photo archives, professional image collections and specialized photographic databases. Many resources allow visitors to search for particular subjects, people, locations, events or historical periods. Alongside publicly accessible collections, some archives provide photographs for editorial, academic, documentary or commercial licensing. Information about photographers, dates, locations and historical context often accompanies the images and makes extensive collections easier to research. Photo and image archives are valuable resources for editors, publishers, authors, researchers, historians and anyone searching for specific photographic material.

They also help preserve distinctive photographic collections, make visual records accessible online and provide opportunities to discover images documenting both historical and contemporary events.