Published October 17, 2020. Updated August 15, 2021.

This guide will cover how to reference images in the Harvard referencing style. Images can be found in physical, printed, and online formats. The Harvard style recommends making sure your reader knows how you viewed the image in your reference. Each image format has its own referencing rules. On this page, you’ll find examples of how to reference the following types of images:

• Online photographs

• Online photographs in larger collections (e.g. Flickr, Tumblr, etc.)

• Physical works of art (e.g. paintings and photographs)

• Images in books or articles (e.g. pictures, illustrations, figures, tables, etc.)

For standardisation purposes, this guide uses the rules put forth in the 11th edition of Cite them right by Richard Pears and Graham Shields. However, this guide is not affiliated with the text in any way. Make sure to check your university’s referencing guidelines before you get started, as Harvard referencing can vary somewhat between institutions.

If you’re citing sources, the Chegg Writing Harvard referencing generator is a helpful resource. Help protect your paper against accidental plagiarism with the Chegg Writing plagiarism checker and citation generator.

How to reference an online photograph

To reference an online photograph in Harvard style, you’ll need the following information:

• Photographer

• Publication year

• Photograph title

• URL

• Access date

In-text reference examples:

In Klassy’s photograph, the abandoned barn and windmill stand in contrast to the bright blue sky and green grass (2016).

The photograph shows an abandoned barn and windmill (Klassy, 2016).

Full reference template and example:

How to reference an online photograph in a larger collection

If you find a photograph on a database like Flickr or a social media site like Tumblr, Harvard referencing style only requires you to include the relevant publication information and the URL at which you found the photograph. For these types of sites that house larger collections of photos, the references follow the same format as above.

If the image you are citing has no publication date, simply use ‘no date’ in place of the publication year. Generally, you should be able to find all the information you need to cite the photograph in the metadata. Here are a few more examples of how to reference online photographs in Harvard style:

In-text reference examples:

Killock's technique was apparent in each windmill photograph (2013).

The photograph shows a windmill (Killock, 2013).

Full reference examples:

How to reference a physical work of art

If you need to reference a physical work of art, you’ll include the following information if you viewed it in person:

• Artist

• Year created

• Title

• Medium

• Holding institution

• City or town where the holding institution is located

If you are referencing a work of art you viewed online, simply include the URL and access date at the end of your reference in place of the holding institution name and location.

In-text reference example:

His painting of a windmill showcased his avant-garde style (Mondriaan, 1917).

Full reference template and example for in-person viewing:

Full reference template and example for online viewing:

How to reference an image in a book or article

If you need to reference an image in a book or article, you’ll use your in-text citation to point the reader to where you found the image. The in-text citation will give the typical author surname and year of publication, followed by the page number and an identifier for the image in round brackets. The identifier should be the term used by the book you are referencing (e.g. fig., table, etc.). You’ll use this format to reference illustrations, tables, figures, photographs, and other similar images you might find in a book or article.

Your full reference will simply cite the book or article in which you found the image.

In-text reference example:

The photograph of a Low Countries printing press gives an idea as to how books were produced in the 18th century (Gaskell, 2012, p. 120, fig. 65).

Full reference example:

For more style basics, read this Harvard referencing in-text citations guide and this article on formatting Harvard referencing style papers.

Works Referenced

Pears, R. and Shields G. (2019) Cite them right: the essential referencing guide. 11th rev. edn. London: Red Globe Press.