Retrieving Image Data from Flickr Group API Returns Empty Array

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1

I’m working with the Flickr API to fetch images from a specific group using JavaScript. When I make the request, I receive a proper JSON response that shows the correct total count of images, but the actual photo array comes back empty.

Here’s my API call:

const apiKey = 'your_api_key_here';
const groupId = '12345678@N24';
const endpoint = `https://api.flickr.com/services/rest?method=flickr.groups.pools.getPhotos&api_key=${apiKey}&format=json&group_id=${groupId}&jsoncallback=handleResponse`;

fetch(endpoint)
  .then(response => response.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data));

The response I’m getting looks like this:

{
  "photos": {
    "page": 1,
    "pages": 1,
    "perpage": 100,
    "total": "6",
    "photo": []
  },
  "stat": "ok"
}

The API indicates there are 6 photos available but the photo array is completely empty. What am I missing in my request to actually get the photo data back?

2

I’ve hit this exact problem before - it’s usually the jsoncallback parameter messing things up. Flickr’s API has weird quirks with JSONP callbacks that return empty results even when photos clearly exist. Remove the jsoncallback parameter completely and stick with standard JSON format. Also double-check how you’re handling the response since Flickr sometimes wraps JSON in a callback function when you don’t expect it. One more thing - verify the group actually has public photos. The total count often includes private photos that won’t show up in API responses without proper auth. Test with a known public group ID first to make sure your code works, then debug the specific group you’re after.

3

Could be the group_id format - try just the numeric part, drop the @N24 suffix. Flickr’s picky about ID formats and the pools API sometimes wants different formatting than other endpoints. Also check if you need nojsoncallback=1 since you’re using fetch instead of jsonp.

4

Check your API permissions and the group’s privacy settings. Some Flickr groups need authentication even for read access - you’ll need OAuth flow instead of just an API key. When you’re getting a total count but empty photo arrays, it’s usually a permissions issue, not a problem with your request structure. Try testing with flickr.groups.pools.getInfo first to see if you can access the group metadata. If that fails, the group probably requires authentication. Could also be that the group has posting restrictions where photos exist but aren’t publicly accessible through the API without member permissions.