How do I cite an image with no title?

Use a bracketed description in place of a title — [Photograph of …] — and include the medium so readers know what it is.

What's the difference between referring to and reproducing an image?

Referring needs only a reference-list citation. Reproducing it in your document also needs a caption beneath the figure with the source.

How do I cite a photo from Unsplash or Getty?

Creator and platform as the source, with the medium tagged. Note licensing terms if your discipline requires it.

Do I cite my own photographs?

No — your own images aren't a source. Label them as your own work in the caption.

How to Cite an Image

Updated October 2026

Citing an image needs the creator, a title (or description), the medium, and where it lives — a museum, a website, a book. There are two situations to keep separate: referring to an image, and reproducing one in your own document, which also needs a caption.

The format

APA: Creator, C. (Year). Title of work [Medium]. Site or Museum. URL MLA: Creator Last, First. Title of Work. Year, Medium, Institution, City.

An online image (same web pattern) — APA 7

National Library of Medicine. (2025, December 9). Healthy Sleep. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/healthysleep.html

In-text(National Library of Medicine, 2025)

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Citation style

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition (2020). The 7th dropped the publisher location and the "Retrieved from" prefix that the 6th required.

Title, or a description if untitled

Use the work's title if it has one (italicized). Untitled images get a bracketed description in place of a title: [Photograph of the Apollo 11 launch]. Always note the medium — [Photograph], [Painting], [Digital image], [Map], [Infographic] — so the reader knows what kind of image it is.

Referring vs. reproducing

Referring to an image in your text — a normal reference-list citation as above.
Reproducing it in your paper — add a caption beneath the figure (APA: Figure 1 + a note with the full source; MLA: a caption with the citation) and include it in the reference list if required.
Stock/licensed images (Getty, Unsplash) — cite the creator and platform; note the license if your field requires it.
Your own photos/figures — not cited as a source; label them as your own work.

In-text citations

APA: (Adams, 1942). MLA: (Adams). When you reproduce an image, the figure caption carries the citation; see How to Cite Figures and Tables.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I cite an image with no title?: Use a bracketed description in place of a title — [Photograph of …] — and include the medium so readers know what it is.
What's the difference between referring to and reproducing an image?: Referring needs only a reference-list citation. Reproducing it in your document also needs a caption beneath the figure with the source.
How do I cite a photo from Unsplash or Getty?: Creator and platform as the source, with the medium tagged. Note licensing terms if your discipline requires it.
Do I cite my own photographs?: No — your own images aren't a source. Label them as your own work in the caption.

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