Chicago 17th/18th · Image
How to Cite An Image in Chicago Edition
Chicago Notes & Bibliography asks for fuller repository detail when you cite an image—especially medium, dimensions when known, and the holding institution with city—then a URL if you consulted a digital surrogate. Even a “generic” image citation fails if you credit a search engine instead of the page that actually hosts the file.
Image Citation Generator
Chicago Style (Notes & Bibliography)
17th/18th Edition (CMOS 14.235)1. Ansel Adams, The Tetons and the Snake River, 1942, Photograph, National Archives, Washington, DC, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/519885.
💡 "Copy Formatted" copies with HTML styling so pasting into Microsoft Word or Google Docs retains italicized titles and indentation automatically.
Chicago formula for an image
Creator Last Name, First Name. Title of Work. Year. Digital image, dimensions. Institution, City. URL.
Italics: Italicize titles of artworks and photographs; medium and dimensions stay roman. Year position: After the title, before medium and repository details.
Worked example
In-text citation
(See note 1)
Template: Footnote number after the sentence; shortened subsequent notes.
Figure caption
Figure 1. Ansel Adams, The Tetons and the Snake River, 1942. National Archives, Washington, DC.
Special rules for images
- Name the creator if credited; otherwise move the title or a bracketed description to the author slot.
- Include a format description that matches what you actually used (digital image, JPEG, online illustration).
- Cite the permanent page URL, never a Google Images or Pinterest search URL.
Source of truth: The hosting webpage or repository that publishes the file—not a search results page.
Common mistakes
- Listing Google Images as the publisher.
- Omitting a format tag when the style requires one (especially APA).
- Copying a CDN asset URL that expires instead of the stable landing page.
FAQ
How do you cite an image in Chicago?
Build one Chicago reference from creator → date → title → “Digital image” → host. Then paste the finished string into your reference list; do not leave the format field blank or point to a search-results URL.
What is the in-text citation for an image in Chicago?
Match the creator spelling used in the reference entry and apply Footnote number after the sentence; shortened subsequent notes.. If the image is labeled as a numbered figure in the paper, add that figure number only where your instructor’s Chicago handout allows.
Do I need a figure caption when I include an image in my paper (Chicago)?
Only if you reprint the visual. A mention in prose needs in-text + reference list; a reproduced image also needs a numbered caption so readers can connect the picture on the page to the bibliography entry.
Where should I look for source details for an image?
Start on the object or article page that displays the image, then read the credit line, about panel, or download metadata. Skip aggregator cards and thumbnail feeds—they rarely carry a citable creator or permanent link.
What is a common mistake when citing images in Chicago?
Students often listing Google Images as the publisher. Another frequent miss: treating a cropped social share as the publisher of record.
How is citing an image different from citing a generic online photo in Chicago?
A generic photo citation can stop at photographer + site + URL. For images, you also have to capture name the creator if credited; otherwise move the title or a bracketed description to the author slot. That extra field is what keeps the entry recoverable.