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. Getty Acquires Irving Penn‘s Cuzco Work

    A black and white negative film photograph of two small children dressed in tattered clothing and floppy hats, leaning against and joining hands atop a stool.

    Landmark donation includes 189 photographs from the artist’s 1948 project

    Feb 26, 2026

  2. “Let Me Get to Work"

    Black and white photograph of a person wearing a stylish outfit walking past a painted wall with an intricate illustration and the words, "think positive".

    Photographer Coreen Simpson reflects on five decades of documenting Black culture

    Feb 24, 2026

  3. Sights and Sounds of the Revolution

    woman with long braids wearing headphones, in a room with artwork on the walls and DJ equipment in the background

    KCRW DJ Novena Carmel discusses art and activism and crafts her own playlist inspired by the Black Arts Movement

    Feb 20, 2026

  4. Photography and the Black Arts Movement, 1955–1985

    Black-and-white image of a woman working in a factory surrounded by sewing implements. She smiles toward the camera with her arms stretched wide.

    New exhibition opens February 24–June 14, 2026

    Feb 9, 2026

  5. Take a Paul R. Williams Tour of Palm Springs

    A midcentury beige building stands with lush landscaping and palm trees against a blue sky and scattered clouds

    You can still visit four of the pioneering architect’s buildings today

    Feb 2, 2026

  6. Dress Code: Drag

    Black and white photograph of dark-skinned person with arms spread wide to reveal luxurious evening wear

    In the Johnson Publishing Company Archive, you’ll find photographs of 1950s' drag performers striking a pose at grand balls

    Feb 2, 2026

  7. Sixty-Five Feet Under

    Explore haunting photographs of Paris’s Catacombs

    Oct 29, 2025

  8. Why I Was Late to the Office

    A vintage photo postcard of a prairie fire in Dallas, South Dakota, with the text, "A midnight view of the Tripp Co, Prairie Fire. Dallas. S.D. Copyright by S. Downey."

    Photo postcards were the social media posts of the early 20th century

    Oct 28, 2025

  9. Getty Strengthens its Collection with New Acquisitions

    Silhouette of a child jumping off a structure with a light background.

    Recent additions bolster Getty’s holdings of antiquities, drawings, sculptures, and photographs

    Oct 27, 2025

  10. When Seashells, Ferns, and Seaweed Went Viral

    Two cyanotype photographic prints featuring ferns and algae.

    Why Victorian women like photographer Anna Atkins obsessed over natural collectibles

    Oct 21, 2025