The EPC makes no express provision for photographs; they are nevertheless allowed where it is impossible to present in a drawing what is to be shown and provided that they are directly reproducible and fulfil the applicable requirements for drawings (e.g. paper size, margins, etc.). Colour photographs can be submitted but will be scanned, printed and made available via file inspection only in black and white. If colours are necessary for discerning details of the photographs submitted, these details may be lost when the photograph is made available in black and white via publication and file inspection. See also A-IX, 7.1.

Photographs (or copies thereof) are to be numbered like drawings (Rule 46(2)(h)) and briefly described in the description (Rule 42(1)(d)).