Photographic Resources

Photographic Collection Scope Access to the Collection Research Service Online Photo Galleries Copyright and Permission to Publish Prices for Copies of Photographs Publication Fees Exhibition Fees

Photographic Collection Scope

The Middle East Centre Archive holds a substantial photographic collection of over 100,000 images covering all areas of the Middle East from the 1850s. The bulk of the collection consists of early to mid 20th Century photographs with a smaller number of 19th Century photographs including Bonfils and American Colony. Major Collections include the photographs of Freya Stark and St John Philby.

Access to the Collection

The Middle East Centre Archive is committed to improving access to its photographic collections and has therefore started to develop online photo galleries. For copyright reasons only images that can be published can be put online. As digitisation work on suitable collections progresses more images will put online. To view images that are currently online please visit our Photo Galleries Homepage

Please note that for conservation reasons photographs are only available for viewing via microfiche or contact sheets in the Archive reading room, except by special arrangement with the Archivist. Please see the online Historical Photographs of the Middle East Microfiche Catalogue (pdf file) for details as to what material is available for viewing on microfiche. The Freya Stark Collection is also available to view on microfiche. Please see the Freya Stark Microfiche Catalogue (pdf file)

Research Service

By arrangement with the Archivist, a limited research service for images is available. The first half hour of an enquiry will be provided free of charge thereafter the charge is £20.00 per hour (excluding VAT). Watermarked images can be provided for remote browsing. Once an image has been selected for purchase the cost of each image is as advertised in our Prices for Copies of Photographs

Copyright and Permission to Publish

Due to changes in UK Copyright law in 2014, the exemption that permits Archives to copy material for private study and non commercial research now includes artistic works (such as photographs). Consequently we can now provide copies of photographs for private study and non commercial research. However our ability to license material for publication depends on the copyright status of the material.

Collections for which the Archive can provide copies for publication include:

There are also some smaller collections and some 19th Century published photographs such as American Colony and Bonfils that we can provide copies of for publication.

Please note that the provision of an image does not imply permission to publish. Permission to publish must be obtained in writing from the Director of the Middle East Centre, and the appropriate reproduction fees must be paid.

When applying for permission to publish please fill out our Application form for Permission to Publish Images (word document).

Prices for Copies of Photographs

In House Service

The MEC Archive is now able to offer a limited in house photographic service. Loose prints will be copied using an A4 flatbed scanner. For photographs that are stuck into albums, which cannot be copied using a flatbed scanner, an image will be taken using a copystand and digital camera. Images taken using a digital camera in house may not be as high in quality as those provided by our external professional photographer.

Please note that the above prices include VAT

Publication Fees

The provision of a copy of an image does not carry with it the right to make additional copies or publish such images. Permission to publish must be obtained in writing from the Director of the Middle East Centre. When applying for permission to publish please fill our our Application form for Permission to Publish Images (Word document)

Book Illustration

Front Cover/Wrap - around : Double these rates

Please note that the above prices include VAT

Film and Television

Please note that the above prices include VAT

School Text Books Material used for school text books will be charged at half the standard rate.

Exhibition Fees

Images of documents and photographs can only be exhibited subject to copyright being cleared in the material. The exhibition fee is £18 per image (including VAT) and licenses are issued for a specific exhibition up to 5 years in length. High resolution digital copies are £6 per image (including VAT) and are scanned to order. Images should be credited to the Middle East Centre Archive, St Antony's College, Oxford.

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