About us

Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo is the picture agency of the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Its archive mainly contains images of contemporary events and personalities and provides a comprehensive overview of past and present Munich. Also, it includes a broad range of historical photographs, contemporary images from Süddeutsche Zeitung's own photographers, picture stories from renowned photo journalists and stunning images from the prestigious photographer Regina Schmeken. Its portfolio is complemented by selected images of international partners, for example Scherl, Rue des Archives, Science & Society Picture Library, Forum or Imagno. In addition, well-known stock photo agencies such as laif and Alamy represent SZ Photo both in Germany and abroad. More than two million license based images are ready for being downloaded.

Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo, formerly known as "SV-Bilderdienst", has been a nationally and internationally known picture agency for press photography and photo stories since 1956. The main part of its archive is composed of historical images of the Süddeutsche Zeitung, with about 550,000 photographs from the Münchner Neuesten Nachrichten and Scherl publishers in Berlin. Images from Süddeutsche Zeitung's own photographers, from other publications of the Süddeutsche Verlag, such as the Münchner Illustrierte, from freelance photographers, and from national and international partner agencies add to its portfolio. The major part of its archive has already been digitalized and is held ready for its customers for research and download purposes.