How to Cite a Photo in Chicago/Turabian
Published May 7, 2012. Updated January 14, 2022.
When writing a paper, you may need to cite photograph either in its original form or from a book or website. This guide will show you how to create notes-bibliography style citations for different kinds of photographs using the 17th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style.
Guide Overview
- Cite an original photograph
- Cite a photograph in print
- Cite a photograph via website
- Cite a photograph via database
- Cite a digital image
How to Cite an Original Photograph
Chicago Style Photograph Citation Structure:
Note:
1. First Last, Photograph Title, Month Date, Year Created, medium, Size (if available), Collection, Museum/Institution, Location (if not in museum/institution name).
Bibliography:
Last, First. Photograph Title. Month Date, Year Created. Medium, size (if available). Collection, Museum/Institution, Location (if not in museum/institution name).
Photograph
Plaque: Usually located next to the photograph; will provide most information about the image
Chicago Style Photograph Citation Example:
Note:
1. Henri Cartier-Bresson, Juvisy, France, 1938, photograph, Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Bibliography:
Cartier-Bresson, Henri. Juvisy, France. 1938. Photograph. Museum of Modern Art, New York.
How to Cite a Photograph in Print
Chicago Style Photograph Citation Structure:
Note:
1. First Last, Photograph Title, Month Date, Year Created, medium, Collection, Museum/Institution, Location (if applicable), in Book Title, by Author First Last (if different from photographer) (Publisher Location: Publisher, Year Published), page number.
Bibliography:
Last, First. Photograph Title. Month Date, Year Created. Medium. Collection, Museum/Institution, Location (if applicable). In Book Title, by Author First Last (if different from photographer), page number. Publisher Location: Publisher, Year Published.
Front Cover
Page 2 The title page and subsequent pages after the cover will have publication information
Page of Photograph
Chicago Style Photograph Citation Example:
Note:
1. Peter Bennett, Antique Shop, East Village, photograph, in New York City: A Photographic Portrait (Rockport: Twin Lights, 2007), 21.
Bibliography:
Bennett, Peter. Antique Shop, East Village. Photograph. In New York City: A Photographic Portrait, 21. Rockport: Twin Lights, 2007.
How to Cite a Photograph via Website
Chicago Style Online Photograph Citation Structure:
Note:
1. First Last, Photograph Title, Month Date, Year Created, medium, Size (if available), Collection, Museum/Institution, Location (if not in museum/institution name), URL.
Bibliography:
Last, First. Photograph Title. Month Date, Year Created. Medium, size (if available). Collection, Museum/Institution, Location (if not in museum/institution name). URL.
Website
Date accessed: Only include if there is no publication date
Chicago Style Online Photograph Citation Example:
Note:
1. Henri Cartier-Bresson, Juvisy, France, 1938, photograph, Museum of Modern Art, New York, https://www.moma.org/collection/works/49983.
Bibliography:
Cartier-Bresson, Henri. Juvisy, France. 1938. Photograph. Museum of Modern Art, New York. https://www.moma.org/collection/works/49983.
How to Cite a Photograph via Database
Chicago Style Photograph Citation Structure:
Note:
1. First Last, Photograph Title, Month Date, Year Created, medium, size (if available), Collection, Museum/Institution, Location (if not in museum/institution name), URL or database name.
Bibliography:
Last, First. Photograph Title. Month Date, Year Created. Medium, size (if available). Collection, Museum/Institution, Location (if not in museum/institution name). URL or Database name.
*URL Note: Only include if URL is stable. If none, use database name instead.
Database
Date accessed: Only include if there is no publication date
Chicago Style Photograph Citation Example:
Note:
1. Leonard Freed, Holidaymakers Stuck in Traffic Jam, 1965, photograph, ARTstor.
Bibliography:
Freed, Leonard. Holidaymakers Stuck in Traffic Jam. 1965. Photograph. ARTstor.
How to Cite a Digital Image
Chicago Style Digital Image Citation Structure:
Note:
1. First Last, “Title,” digital image, Website Title, Month Date, Year Published, Accessed Month Date, Year (if no publication year), URL.
Bibliography:
Last, First. “Title.” Digital image. Website Title, Month Date, Year Published. Accessed Month Date, Year (if no publication year). URL.
*Title Note: If none, include description of image instead.
Website of Image
Website Footer
Image Search: Do not cite the search engine used to find the image, but the website of the image indexed by the search engine
Date accessed: Only include if there is no publication date
Chicago Style Digital Image Citation Example:
Note:
1. “Guggenheim Museum in Spain,” digital image, HowStuffWorks, accessed July 22, 2010, https://www.howstuffworks.com.
Bibliography:
“Guggenheim Museum in Spain.” Digital image. HowStuffWorks. Accessed July 22, 2010. https://www.howstuffworks.com.
