Pictures

BBC Pictures creates promotional pictorial campaigns for many of the BBC's TV and radio programmes. The department commissions stills photography for the BBC's in-house productions and liaises closely with independent production companies regarding their delivery of stills.

A free (password protected) website service, www.bbcpictures.com, is available for UK, Ireland and Benelux-based print and digital press media to download images promoting the BBC's current and future programming.

Press enquiries

You can contact the Picture Desk at pictures@bbc.co.uk. Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm UK time (excluding Bank Holidays).

Staff members of UK, Irish or Benelux-based press outlets, ie picture editors, picture researchers and journalists, who regularly use BBC publicity images for editorial purposes, can apply for access to the website. Registration eligibility is, however, governed by strict terms and conditions and therefore not an automatic guarantee.

Freelance professional photographers

BBC Pictures commissions stills photography covering all BBC programme genres in TV and radio as well as live events, children's and corporate.

Professional photographers who wish to be considered for a commission by BBC Pictures should submit their CV and website portfolio to pictures@bbc.co.uk for the picture teams to view. An invitation from BBC Pictures to show portfolio and discuss work is dependent on project availability and suitability.

BBC Pictures is especially keen to see new work from photographers based outside London.

Independent production companies

As part of the deliverables required by the BBC, production companies must provide a set of professionally taken promotional stills as explained on www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/delivery/.

Before filming starts it is highly recommended that you contact BBC Pictures at pictures@bbc.co.uk to discuss the requirements as detailed in the commissioning specification document. This will clarify any issues which may arise and will also enable you to contact the relevant supporting picture team.

The BBC Photo Library holds more than six million images. This collection dates back to 1922 and charts the BBC's rich TV and radio broadcasting history. From The Archers to Z-Cars, a dedicated team of Photo Library media managers will happily assist with any research and licensing enquiries. Please note that charges apply to this service.

BBC copyright images can be licensed for editorial re-use across the media industry. The Photo Library is able to deal with UK and international requests for archive material.

Unfortunately, the Photo Library is unable to provide images for commercial exploitation or personal use.

For all BBC archive photo enquiries the Photo Library Team can be contacted at photo.library@bbc.co.uk.

Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm UK time (excluding Bank Holidays).

This service deals mainly with requests from international press (excluding Ireland and Benelux), supporting BBC programmes that have been sold overseas by BBC Worldwide.

For any BBC programme currently being broadcast, press should go direct to the broadcaster's press office for images.

International Pictures' opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm UK time (excluding Bank Holidays) and they can be contacted at internationalpictures@bbc.co.uk.

In Pictures – www.bbc.co.uk/inpictures – is the section of the BBC News website that celebrates quality photojournalism from professionals and amateurs. It produces a range of daily picture galleries containing some of the latest news photos as well as photographic features and audio slideshows.

The photos are primarily sourced from the news picture wires and BBC staff, but In Pictures regularly commissions freelance photographers as well as using contributions from its readers.

In addition the Picture Editor writes a photo blog – www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/photoblog – that explores the world of photojournalism, photos in the news and BBC News' use of photographs. There is also a weekly theme asking readers to submit pictures and a selection of these are published every Thursday.

In Pictures can be contacted at inpictures@bbc.co.uk.