The Core Collection Subject photographs consist of 830 envelopes of photographs under 125 different subject headings, which comprise 12 linear feet. Of the three branches of the library’s Core Collection, the Subject files are the least populated with photographs. This is because the library files photographs with their associated film title or film personality whenever possible.

There are several categories of note in the Core Collection Subject photographs. The Actors & Actresses (or A&A) files feature photos in a wide variety of subcategories . Particularly large holdings are in the categories A&A - Children in the Business and A&A - Fund, Bond Drives & Appeals, which features stills of World War II charity efforts by Hollywood luminaries. Also in the collection are large numbers of photos of various motion picture studios. Especially well represented are studios of the early years of cinema. The best represented are American Film Company, Edison (Thomas A.) Inc., Essanay Film Manufacturing Company, Lubin Manufacturing Company, Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Thanhouser Film Corp., and Vitagraph Company of America. These motion picture studio photos generally feature images of the studio buildings, backlots, departments or other production facilities, and were sometimes commissioned by the studios themselves for promotional purposes. In some instances they depict off-screen production of films or scenes from films that connot be readily identified.

Topics in the Subject files which feature notable collections of photographs include Animal Actors (divided by species), Cameras, Costumes, Sets, Sound, and Theaters.

A few of the Subject categories feature a number of Oversize stills. When Subjects contain Oversize stills, it is so indicated on the Subject’s regular-sized stills envelopes.