How to Cite an Image (Harvard Style)

Learn how to cite images in Harvard style — including photos, pictures, illustrations, figures, and diagrams — whether they're from websites, books, or included in presentations like PowerPoint. This guide explains how to reference images correctly in your work and within slides, with real examples, citation formats, and tips tailored for students.

What Types of Images Should You Cite?

If you've included any kind of visual in your work that you didn't create entirely yourself, it likely needs citing — even if it's just a background photo or a simple chart.

In Harvard referencing, you should cite:

  • Photographs or pictures found online, in books, or taken by others
  • Charts, graphs, and infographics from articles or reports
  • Artwork, illustrations, and diagrams from books or journals
  • Screenshots, figures, and visual content from websites or software

You don't need to cite your own original images, but they should still be clearly labelled — for example: Figure 1. Photo taken by author .

Whether used in an essay, report, or PowerPoint slide, citing images properly gives credit to the original creator and supports academic integrity. This guide will show you how to do it step-by-step.

Reference List Examples (Harvard Style)

These examples show how to reference images from different sources — whether used in essays, reports, PowerPoint presentations, or posters. All follow the Harvard referencing style.

Photo from a Website

Example:
Walker, M. (2021) Street photography in New York . Available at: https://photosite.com/nyc (Accessed: 10 May 2025).

Diagram from a Textbook

Example:
Turner, J. (2019) Biology for Beginners . 3rd edn. London: Greenleaf, p. 52.

Infographic from a Journal Article

Example:
Chen, L. and Patel, R. (2022) ‘Mobile health trends in 2021’, Digital Medicine Review , 12(4), pp. 22–24.

Screenshot from a Software Interface

Example:
Adobe (2024) Screenshot of Photoshop Layers Panel . Available at: https://adobe.com/photoshop-guide (Accessed: 2 April 2025).

Image from a Social Media Post

Example:
@ArtDaily (2023) [Digital illustration of futuristic cityscape] . Instagram. Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/xyz123 (Accessed: 6 March 2025).

Stock Photo from a Free Platform

Example:
Pexels (2020) [Woman using laptop in library] . Available at: https://www.pexels.com/photo/12345 (Accessed: 15 May 2025).

For untitled or user-generated images, include a brief description in square brackets in place of the title. If there is no author, use the organisation or platform name.

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In-Text Citation Examples

In-text citations for images follow the same Harvard style rules as other source types — typically the author or organisation and the year. If you're referencing a specific figure or diagram, include the page number too.

  • (Walker, 2021) – for a photo found on a website
  • (Turner, 2019, p. 52) – for a labelled diagram in a textbook
  • (Chen and Patel, 2022) – for an infographic from a journal article
  • (Adobe, 2024) – for a screenshot from a software tutorial
  • (@ArtDaily, 2023) – for an image from Instagram
  • (Pexels, 2020) – for a stock photo from a royalty-free platform
  • (Instagram, no date) – for a user-generated image with no date or clear author

If you're using an image in a presentation (like PowerPoint), you can place the citation directly under the image or include it on a final references slide. Just make sure each citation matches a full reference in your bibliography or reference list.

Using Images in Your Work

Whether you're writing an essay, creating a report, or preparing a presentation, images can enhance your message — but they must be properly used, labelled, and cited in Harvard style.

1. Insert and Caption the Image

  • Place the image near the related text or section.
  • Add a clear caption starting with a figure number: Figure 1: Title or description .
  • Be concise but descriptive — help the reader understand the image’s purpose.
  • If the image is your own, state this (e.g., Figure 2: Photo by author ).

2. Add a Citation or Attribution

  • Use a standard in-text citation directly beneath the image (e.g., (Smith, 2023) ).
  • In presentations, place citations in small text below the image or in the slide footer.
  • Refer to the figure in your text when discussing it (e.g., “As seen in Figure 1…”).

3. Add to Your Reference List

  • Include a full Harvard-style reference for every image you did not create yourself.
  • Follow the format that fits the source (website, book, journal, etc.).
  • Ensure consistency between in-text citations and reference entries.

4. Stay Consistent and Clear

  • Label figures in order (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.).
  • Use consistent formatting for all captions and references.
  • Make sure every image is clearly identified and easy to trace in your reference list.

Following these steps helps your visuals support your ideas effectively — and shows academic integrity by crediting original sources.

FAQs About Referencing Images in Harvard Style

If the image is entirely your own, no formal reference is needed. However, you should label it clearly in the caption — e.g., Figure 1. Photo taken by author or Figure 2. Infographic created by student .

Use a short, clear description in square brackets in place of the title. For example:
Brown, A. (2020) [Infographic on social media use]. Available at: URL (Accessed: 10 May 2025).

Yes — unless it’s your own image or clearly marked as copyright-free. You can cite images on each slide (beneath the image or in a footer) or include full citations on a final “References” slide.

Treat screenshots like images from a website or digital platform. Include the name of the software or organisation as the author. For example:
Adobe (2024) Screenshot of Photoshop Layers Panel . Available at: URL (Accessed: 3 May 2025).

Yes. Use the account name as the author, add a description in place of a title, and include the platform name. For example:
@ArtDaily (2023) [Digital illustration of cityscape] . Instagram. Available at: URL (Accessed: 6 April 2025).

Even if the image is free to use, you should still credit the platform or creator. For example:
Pexels (2020) [Woman using laptop in library] . Available at: URL (Accessed: 15 May 2025).

Yes. Online content — especially images — can be moved, changed, or deleted. Always include the access date in your reference to show when you retrieved the content.

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Further Help and Resources

Need to reference other formats? Check out these guides:

How to Reference in Harvard Style

Your complete guide to Harvard referencing, from books to websites and everything in between.

See Full Guide

More Citation Examples

See how to cite videos, books, social media, journal articles, and more using Harvard format.

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