InfoGuides: AVT 457: Documentary Photography: Find Images

Photography Collections

International Center for Photography - Collections
ICP's collections include > 200,000 prints and related materials that range from the earliest forms of photography to contemporary work.
Library of Congress - Prints & Photographs Division
Excellent source for FSA and other WPA project images and documentation.
National Archives - Photography Resources
Links to multiple photography collections available through the Archives or other public sources.
George Eastman House Photostream
Collections include autochromes, Southworth & Hawes daguerreotypes, and glass plate negatives by Ch. Chusseau-Flaviens.
Getty Research Portal
Collections are focused on 19th and earlier 20th century works, but great for finding primary sources (like original catalogs, archival documents, etc).

Other Images & Primary Source Collections

These library databases and public (online) sources provide high-quality digital images for research and coursework. (If you're looking to publish or print something, though, be sure to review our resources on Understanding Copyright.)

ARTstor This link opens in a new window
Over 1 million images, across most cultures, time periods, and media.
Note: Users must register with their Mason Live email for off-campus access.
New York Public Library Digital Library This link opens in a new window
Access nearly a million images digitized from primary sources and printed rarities in the collections of The New York Public Library, including illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, vintage posters, rare prints, photographs, illustrated books, printed ephemera, and more.

Internet Archive
Online collection of books, images, and more (useful for searching for scanned images in books, too!)
Wikimedia Commons
Images representing all topics and disciplines, free for use and open to contributions (though with some variances in quality).
Smithsonian - Open Access Collections
Includes images and data from across the Smithsonian’s 19 museums, nine research centers, libraries, archives, and the National Zoo.