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photo, graphic, and video credits

If you use a photo, graphic, or video from the NLR Image Gallery, an NLR staff member, or a paid or external source, you must provide appropriate credit. See the entries on captions and sources for more information. NLR staff can also visit the copyrighted material page on the internal publishing site.

For Publications

When the photo or graphic source is an NLR staff member or an NLR contract photographer, use the source's name along with the NLR affiliation. Present the credit in italics, and do not use a period at the end.

Use "by" for NLR sources ("from" is for external sources).

Illustration by Ray David, National Laboratory of the Rockies
Photo by Pat Corkery, National Laboratory of the Rockies

If the photo, graphic, or video is from the Image Gallery, you must also include the image number in the credit.

Illustration by Ray David, National Laboratory of the Rockies 12345
Photo by Pat Corkery, National Laboratory of the Rockies 54321

Use the following format if an NLR illustration contains material from an external source.

Illustration by Ray David, National Laboratory of the Rockies 19500. Photos from Warren Gretz (National Laboratory of the Rockies 10929) and Iberdola Renewables Inc. (National Laboratory of the Rockies 15185)

If you use a photo or graphic from an external source (whether paid or free), use the source's name (if available) and affiliation. If there is an NLR image number, do not replace "NLR" with the source's affiliation; the image number is always an NLR reference.

Present the credit in italics, and do not use a period at the end.

Use "from" for all external sources (not "by" or "courtesy of").

Photo from John Williams, Western Area Power Administration
Illustration from SunPower Corp.
Photo from Kathy Boyer, Triangle Clean Cities Coalition, National Laboratory of the Rockies 18520
Photo from Margaret Smith, DOE, National Laboratory of the Rockies 18215

If the photo, graphic, or video is included in the Image Gallery, you must also include the image number in the credit.

Photo from Xcel Energy, National Laboratory of the Rockies12345

If the photo, graphic, or video is from iStock or a similar source, you must also include the number in the credit.

Photo from iStock 12345678

Please adhere to the following guidance when crediting graphics generated or modified by artificial intelligence (AI). This guidance applies only to technical publications, such as journal articles, conference papers, presentations, and technical reports.

For graphics created by or with the help of AI:

Graphic generated by [AI tool], [month day, year], from the prompt “[insert specific wording]”

If the prompt is very long, include the first five words (or the number of words needed to provide clarity).

Graphic generated by ChatGPT, April 7, 2025, from the prompt “river surrounded by pine trees”

Do not modify photographs or videos using AI or any other method.

If a caption is used with the photo or graphic, the credit should immediately follow it.

A picture of three people drawing equations on a glass window representing analysis work.
NLR analysts develop models, tools, and reports that help provide insight and objective information on energy technologies. Photo by Pat Corkery, National Laboratory of the Rockies16560

If the photo or graphic is used for illustrative purposes and does not include a caption, the credit should appear directly beneath the photo.

A picture of three people drawing equations on a glass window representing analysis work.
Photo by Pat Corkery, National Laboratory of the Rockies 16560

For NLR technical reports, use the “NLR_Figure_Caption” style for the caption itself, and then the “NLR_Figure_Note” for the in-text citation or other notes.

Photo of a sunset over the ocean and mountains
Figure 1. Caption text
Image from Smith et al. (2022)

For photo collages, pages with many photos with no captions, or full-page photos, credits can be placed on the same page or a different page, wherever they best fit the design.

For document covers, credits can be placed elsewhere in the document (typically inside the front cover). Reference the page containing the photos you are crediting.

If graphics are combined to create new graphics and the original graphics are still recognizable, the original graphics must be credited. For example, if two iStock graphics are merged with NLR graphics into a collage and used on a document cover, the credit should read: Cover graphics, clockwise from bottom: iStock 12345, iStock 67891, National Laboratory of the Rockies 12345, National Laboratory of the Rockies 67891

Microsoft stock images are available through PowerPoint. You may use them in NLR publications, but do not move images out of Microsoft Office for other uses (e.g., a webpage). In general, NLR photos from the Image Gallery are recommended first, iStock second, and PowerPoint stock images last.

To credit these Microsoft stock images, use: Photo from Microsoft stock images

To credit other photos used in a PowerPoint presentation, follow the previous guidance for publication photo credits, and ensure the credit is listed somewhere on the slide itself. Do not list the photo credit in the notes section of the slide or at the end of the deck.

For the Web

For photos, graphics, and video on the web, include the credit after the caption and italicize it.

Use "from" for external sources and "by" for NLR sources. Do not use "courtesy of."

The Energy Systems Integration Facility at the National Laboratory of the Rockies is located in Golden, Colorado. Photo from Joe Smith
The Energy Systems Integration Facility at the National Laboratory of the Rockies is located in Golden, Colorado. Photo by Joe DelNero, National Laboratory of the Rockies

Don't include image numbers in the credit. Instead, the photo file name should include the image number so it can be easily located in the Image Gallery if needed.


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Last Updated Feb. 25, 2026