Photographs

News and stories about photographs in Getty’s collections and exhibitions

Featured

The Man Who Photographed Ghosts

A black and white photograph of a man sitting in a chair with a "ghost" behind him.

Ghost photographer William H. Mumler duped the rich, profited, and got sued

The Personal, Political Photography of Ishiuchi Miyako

A young Japanese woman and man sit together, facing the camera, in a small apartment.

A rare photographic view into women’s history in post-war Japan

Capturing the Feeling of the Ocean on Paper

How an artist-scientist uses cyanotypes to inspire a love of marine life

Latest

  1. The Getty Villa’s New Cocktail Offers a Taste of Aztec History

    A bright yellow cocktail garnished with cucumber, mint, pineapple, and a tajin rim sits on a ledge overlooking a Roman-inspired colonnade.

    Its special ingredient has been enjoyed for thousands of years

    Sep 9, 2026

  2. La Villa Getty brinda un sorbo de la historia azteca con su nuevo cóctel

    A bright yellow cocktail garnished with cucumber, mint, pineapple, and a tajin rim sits on a ledge overlooking a Roman-inspired colonnade.

    Su ingrediente principal se ha degustado durante miles de años

    Sep 9, 2026

  3. Remembering the Creativity and Humor of David Hockney

    Tim Potts and David Hockney at the Getty Center at the Getty Center

    Getty curators look back at two exhibitions that celebrated his 80th birthday

    Sep 3, 2026

  4. A Photographer’s Search for Identity

    A figure in the shape of the human circulatory system stands in front of two skyscrapers dotted with lit windows.

    A major Getty acquisition of photographs by Josef Breitenbach expands the presence of this innovative 20th-century artist and his experimental work in Los Angeles

    Sep 2, 2026

  5. Getty Presents “Paul R. Williams: Architecture Across the Color Line”

    A negative space drawing of a church with figures of attendees, green trees, and blue sky.

    Learn more about how Paul R. Williams transformed Los Angeles by designing across racial and social boundaries in one of three exhibitions across Los Angeles

    Sep 2, 2026

  6. Un nuevo libro bilingüe pone en primer plano un siglo de fotografía mexicana

    Cover of book “Instante/revelación” featuring an image that shows a black-and-white close-up of abstract, curved plant-like forms.

    Desde retratos icónicos hasta escenas de la vida cotidiana, cerca de 150 imágenes ofrecen un recorrido por la rica tradición fotográfica de México

    Aug 31, 2026

  7. New Bilingual Book Brings a Century of Mexican Photography into Focus

    Cover of book “Instante/revelación” featuring an image that shows a black-and-white close-up of abstract, curved plant-like forms.

    From iconic portraits to depictions of daily life, nearly 150 images illuminate Mexico’s rich photographic tradition

    Aug 31, 2026

  8. The Art of Photo Booths

    When the sign said, “Close the curtain, strike a pose, and collect your photos here,” you were in for a treat

    Aug 27, 2026

  9. Photography / Fotografía: LA and México at Getty

    A person in skeleton makeup and a dress carries gladiolas, posing against a draped background.

    Photographers reframe Los Angeles in “Every Minute is History: Five Views of Los Angeles”

    Aug 27, 2026

  10. Photography / Fotografía: LA and México at Getty “Instante/revelación: Moments in Mexican Photography”

    A black-and-white photograph of a woman leaning out of a window, she and the surrounding building are shadowed in a cross-hatch lattice.

    Exhibition explores the rich tapestry of cultural and artistic dialogues that have shaped Mexico’s photographic history

    Aug 11, 2026