Template:Image requestedEdit This Page

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Revision as of 06:59, 13 October 2011 by Cottrells (Talk | contribs)



This template is used to request that someone take a photograph for an article or add an image (from another source) to an article.

It is not a general-purpose "no image present" indicator. Editors placing this template on a talk page should provide information about what photographs are wanted.

Categorize your request

Although it is possible to add just the template {{image requested}} to a talk page it is strongly advised that you add at least one category parameter. If you don't categorize your request, it will be lost in a large list, Category:Articles needing images, and may not receive attention from subject/regional photographers, and it is more likely to be deleted by other editors.

For example, if a picture of a specific car is required then the following should be added to the talk page: {{image requested|cars}} - this will then be added to Category:Requested photographs of cars. Picture of places are sorted by location, for example {{image requested|in=Norway}}

Adding more than one subject to the list of parameters will bring it to the attention of more people. If, for example, the subject is found in a location (or predominantly is in one country) then you can add more additional categories like so: {{image requested|computer equipment|in=Russia}}

If you are requiring a specific image of the article subject, it is possible to add detailed text. For example, in the talk page of a specific building: {{image requested|architecture|in=London|of=main entrance hall}}

For a full list of categories in use, go to Category:Articles needing images. When selecting a category please click down to the most relevant sub-category and select the most appropriate to the topic of the article requiring a photograph. Adding more than one subject category in the template is recommended.

Explain your request

If the subject matter isn't perfectly obvious (such as an article about a physical object), please explain your request on the talk page. It is very helpful to give photographers your ideas, particularly for abstract ideas, such as legal and philosophical concepts.

If you have a specific idea for another image, then use the |of= parameter to name the specific picture that you would like. This is particularly helpful if there are already images in the article.

Unexplained and uncategorized templates may be deleted by any editor.


The template employs several optional data field parameters as described below.

{{Image requested

Parameters legend

  • 1=: may be passed to indicate an appropriate topic subcategory. The positional parameter alternatively may be unnamed (e.g., instead of "|1=xxx", the string "|xxx" would have the same results as "|1=xxx").
Up to three positional parameters (e.g., 1=, 2=, 3=) may be used to specify appropriate subcategories. For example, use {{image requested|1=sportspeople|2=musicians}} or {{image requested|sportspeople|musicians}} to add the page to Category:Requested photographs of sportspeople and Category:Requested photographs of musicians.
  • of=: may be passed to indicate what the subject of the photograph should be.
  • in=: specifies where the photograph may best be taken, and adds the article to the appropriate location subcategory (e.g. {{image requested|in=England}} adds the article to Category:England articles needing images)
Additional in2=, in3=, ... up to in20= parameters may be used to specify up to twenty location categories (such as for roads that cross multiple counties or celebrities and others who may frequent multiple locations).
  • collapsed=: may be set to collapsed=yes to close up the template message box.
If more than six locations are specified (e.g., in=, in2=, in3=, in4=, in5=, in6=, in7= ... are used), the template message box will collapse automatically without using the collapsed= parameter. Specifying collapsed=no will keep the template message box expanded no matter how many in= parameters are specified (e.g., no matter how many locations are specified).
  • small=: toggles the message box from standard size to small, if small=yes.
  • category=: suppresses the automatic categorization if category=no.
  • free=: if free=yes, the substituted text will explicitly request a freely-licensed photograph.


  • If no category or location parameters are present, this template adds the article to Category:Articles needing images.
{{image requested| |of=|in=|in2=|in3=}}

Alternatives to this template

As an alternative, some talk page WikiProject banners can also list an article as needing a photograph. However, where the talk page banners do not highlight a need for a photograph in an article or where photographs for the article are requested in more than three locations, this template may be placed on the talk (discussion) page of the article, instead.

Another alternative is to find existing photographs that might meet the needs.