What it does
NOAA’s Digital Photo Collection preserves photographs of environmental science, surveys and agency work. It is the current home of the former NOAA Photo Library, which moved in 2024.
The collection is useful for illustrating real scientific activities, equipment and environments. NOAA’s Library permits public reuse of its public-domain photographs and asks users to cite the images they use.
This collection contains photographs, not video files. NOAA points video researchers toward Ocean Exploration multimedia and other institutional resources instead.
NOAA’s general imagery policy has separate conditions for its emblem, identifiable people and implied commercial endorsement. Material credited as someone else’s copyright also requires that owner’s permission; NOAA’s permission to display it does not transfer to other users.
Strengths
- Photographs document the agency’s environmental and survey work.
- Official guidance explains citation and the limits of general image permission.
Watch out for
- The Digital Photo Collection does not include video files.
Best for
- Science communicators sourcing environmental research photographs
Sources
- Finding Photos & Videos - NOAA Library (Oct 27, 2026)
- Image Licensing & Usage Info | Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (Oct 27, 2026)