Photographs in APA are classified as figures and use the format descriptor [Photograph] in the reference entry. The citation format depends on where the photograph was published or accessed — a photo from a news site, a museum archive, a book, or a personal collection each follow slightly different templates. The core rule is always the same: credit the photographer, identify the source, and provide access information.
Reference Format by Source Type
Photograph From a Website
Photographer Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month Day). Title of photograph [Photograph]. Site Name. URL
Example:
Hernandez, M. (2022, June 15). Coral reef at sunset [Photograph]. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/example
Photograph From a Museum or Gallery
Photographer Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Title of photograph [Photograph]. Museum Name, City, State/Country. URL (if available)
Example:
Adams, A. (1942). Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico [Photograph]. Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY. https://www.moma.org/collection/works/example
Photograph From a Book
Photographer Last Name, First Initial. (Year of book). Title of photograph [Photograph]. In A. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (p. Page). Publisher.
Example:
Lange, D. (1936). Migrant mother [Photograph]. In S. Stein (Ed.), Dorothea Lange: A visual life (p. 78). Smithsonian Institution Press.
Photograph From a News Article
Cite the article itself — the photograph is part of the article:
Photographer Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month Day). Title of photograph [Photograph]. News Outlet. URL
Example:
Ramos, P. (2024, March 12). Wildfire damage in Maui [Photograph]. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/example
Photograph From a Digital Archive or Database
Photographer Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Title of photograph [Photograph]. Archive or Database Name. URL
Example:
Brady, M. (1863). Gettysburg battlefield [Photograph]. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/example
Photograph From Social Media
Photographer Last Name, First Initial [@username]. (Year, Month Day). Title or description of photograph [Photograph]. Platform Name. URL
Example:
Leibovitz, A. [@annieleibovitz]. (2024, February 10). Behind the scenes at the portrait studio [Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/example
Personal or Unpublished Photograph
Photographer Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Title or description of photograph [Photograph]. Unpublished.
If you took the photograph yourself:
Gonzalez, E. (2024). Campus library during renovation [Photograph]. Unpublished.
For a photograph from someone's private collection:
Torres, L. (ca. 1965). Family gathering at Lake Chapala [Photograph]. Personal collection of M. Torres.
Unknown Photographer
When the photographer is unknown, start with the title:
Title of photograph [Photograph]. (Year). Source. URL
Example:
Workers constructing the Golden Gate Bridge [Photograph]. (1935). San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library. https://sfpl.org/example
Unknown Date
Use "n.d." when the date is unknown, or "ca." for approximate dates:
Adams, A. (n.d.). Untitled landscape [Photograph]. Center for Creative Photography, Tucson, AZ.
Unknown. (ca. 1890). Downtown Chicago after the fire [Photograph]. Chicago History Museum. https://www.chicagohistory.org/example
In-Text Citations
| Scenario | Parenthetical | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| Known photographer | (Adams, 1942) | Adams (1942) |
| Unknown photographer | ("Workers Constructing," 1935) | "Workers Constructing" (1935) |
| No date | (Adams, n.d.) | Adams (n.d.) |
| Personal photograph | (Gonzalez, 2024) | Gonzalez (2024) |
Embedding a Photograph as a Figure
When you include a photograph in your paper, format it as an APA figure:
Figure 1
Moonrise Over Hernandez, New Mexico
Note. From Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, by A. Adams, 1942, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY (https://www.moma.org/collection/works/example). Copyright 1942 by the Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust. Reprinted with permission.
Copyright Notes
Reprinted Exactly
Note. From "Title of photograph," by A. Photographer, Year, Source (URL). Copyright Year by Copyright Holder. Reprinted with permission.
Adapted (Cropped, Annotated, etc.)
Note. Adapted from "Title of photograph," by A. Photographer, Year, Source (URL). Copyright Year by Copyright Holder.
Creative Commons
Note. From "Title of photograph," by A. Photographer, Year, Source (URL). CC BY 4.0.
Public Domain
Note. From "Title of photograph," by A. Photographer, Year, Source (URL). In the public domain.
Common Photograph Citation Mistakes
- Citing Google Images instead of the original source. Always trace the photograph back to its original publication or archive.
- Omitting [Photograph] from the reference. The format descriptor is required so readers know what type of source they're looking at.
- Using the filename as the title. If the photograph has no formal title, write a brief descriptive title in italics (e.g., Aerial view of campus).
- Forgetting the copyright note for embedded photos. If you include a photograph as a figure, the figure note must credit the source.
- Not distinguishing "Reprinted from" and "Adapted from." Use "Adapted from" if you cropped, annotated, or otherwise modified the image.
What's Next
- How to Cite an Image in APA — broader rules for citing all visual sources
- How to Cite a Painting in APA — citing artwork and fine art
- APA Figures — complete figure formatting rules
- APA Tables — formatting rules for data presented in rows and columns
Archivero helps you focus on your research while keeping the formatting consistent — so you can cite photographic sources correctly without chasing down reference templates.
