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. In LA, Eight Moments That Powered the Civil Rights Movement

    A book cover featuring Black protestors boycotting a store by marching and holding signs with book title “Marching West” in blue and yellow gradient letters.

    A new book looks at social justice through a westward lens

    Jun 16, 2026

  2. West Hollywood Gets Its Close-Up

    Framed photo of a large, blue building looming behind a small, white house.

    Can a neighborhood so vivid and on the move be captured in a series of moments? We gave it some convincing shots

    Jun 10, 2026

  3. The Woman Who Shaped a Generation of American Ads

    woman leaning on a table behind a large camera, with a vase of flowers, bowl of fruit, and basket of bread on the table and photography lights above

    Photographer Barbara DuMetz reflects on over 40 years of championing diversity in commercial photography

    May 13, 2026

  4. Inside the Frame

    Three people sit on the trunk of a car along a city road.

    By pointing the camera at his friends, Jerry McMillan produced a portrait of the Los Angeles art scene as essential as any painting

    May 6, 2026

  5. Through the Camera’s Lens, Uncover LA’s Vital Role in the Civil Rights Movement

    Cover of book "Marching West" featuring protesters marching on a city street holding signs advocating civil rights during the Los Angeles Civil Rights Movement.

    With rarely seen photos, this book highlights the importance of photography in Los Angeles’s fight for equality

    Apr 13, 2026

  6. Is Your Favorite Painting Colored with Crushed Bugs?

    A large portrait of a man in a vivid red robe with a red frame hangs in a gallery setting, while a woman in the lower left of the frame points up at the man.

    Discover red’s rich—and sometimes secretive and violent—history

    Mar 10, 2026

  7. 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

  8. “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

  9. 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

  10. 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