images

title: Using images with an agent
description: Learn how to use images with an agent
zone_pivot_groups: programming-languages
author: westey-m
ms.topic: tutorial
ms.author: westey
ms.date: 09/24/2025
ms.service: agent-framework

Using images with an agent

This tutorial shows you how to use images with an agent, allowing the agent to analyze and respond to image content.

Prerequisites

For prerequisites and installing NuGet packages, see the [Create and run a simple agent](./run-agent.md) step in this tutorial.

::: zone pivot="programming-language-csharp"

Passing images to the agent

You can send images to an agent by creating a `ChatMessage` that includes both text and image content. The agent can then analyze the image and respond accordingly.

First, create an `AIAgent` that is able to analyze images.

AIAgent agent = new AzureOpenAIClient(
    new Uri("https://<myresource>.openai.azure.com"),
    new AzureCliCredential())
    .GetChatClient("gpt-4o")
    .AsAIAgent(
        name: "VisionAgent",
        instructions: "You are a helpful agent that can analyze images");

Next, create a `ChatMessage` that contains both a text prompt and an image URL. Use `TextContent` for the text and `UriContent` for the image.

ChatMessage message = new(ChatRole.User, [
    new TextContent("What do you see in this image?"),
    new UriContent("https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Gfp-wisconsin-madison-the-nature-boardwalk.jpg/2560px-Gfp-wisconsin-madison-the-nature-boardwalk.jpg", "image/jpeg")
]);

Run the agent with the message. You can use streaming to receive the response as it is generated.

Console.WriteLine(await agent.RunAsync(message));

This will print the agent's analysis of the image to the console.

::: zone-end ::: zone pivot="programming-language-python"

Passing images to the agent

You can send images to an agent by creating a `ChatMessage` that includes both text and image content. The agent can then analyze the image and respond accordingly.

First, create an agent that is able to analyze images.

import asyncio
from agent_framework.azure import AzureOpenAIChatClient
from azure.identity import AzureCliCredential

agent = AzureOpenAIChatClient(credential=AzureCliCredential()).as_agent(
    name="VisionAgent",
    instructions="You are a helpful agent that can analyze images"
)

Next, create a `ChatMessage` that contains both a text prompt and an image URL. Use `TextContent` for the text and `UriContent` for the image.

from agent_framework import ChatMessage, TextContent, UriContent, Role

message = ChatMessage(
    role=Role.USER,
    contents=[
        TextContent(text="What do you see in this image?"),
        UriContent(
            uri="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Gfp-wisconsin-madison-the-nature-boardwalk.jpg/2560px-Gfp-wisconsin-madison-the-nature-boardwalk.jpg",
            media_type="image/jpeg"
        )
    ]
)

You can also load an image from your local file system using `DataContent`:

from agent_framework import ChatMessage, TextContent, DataContent, Role

# Load image from local file
with open("path/to/your/image.jpg", "rb") as f:
    image_bytes = f.read()

message = ChatMessage(
    role=Role.USER,
    contents=[
        TextContent(text="What do you see in this image?"),
        DataContent(
            data=image_bytes,
            media_type="image/jpeg"
        )
    ]
)

Run the agent with the message. You can use streaming to receive the response as it is generated.

async def main():
    result = await agent.run(message)
    print(result.text)

asyncio.run(main())

This will print the agent's analysis of the image to the console.

::: zone-end

Next steps

> [!div class="nextstepaction"] > [Having a multi-turn conversation with an agent](./multi-turn-conversation.md)