diff --git a/docling_core/types/doc/document.py b/docling_core/types/doc/document.py
index af27c3c..d12d862 100644
--- a/docling_core/types/doc/document.py
+++ b/docling_core/types/doc/document.py
@@ -1914,6 +1914,7 @@ def save_as_markdown(
         indent: int = 4,
         text_width: int = -1,
         page_no: Optional[int] = None,
+        include_picture_contents: bool = False,
     ):
         """Save to markdown."""
         artifacts_dir, reference_path = self._get_output_paths(filename, artifacts_dir)
@@ -1936,6 +1937,7 @@ def save_as_markdown(
             indent=indent,
             text_width=text_width,
             page_no=page_no,
+            include_picture_contents=include_picture_contents,
         )
 
         with open(filename, "w") as fw:
@@ -1953,6 +1955,7 @@ def export_to_markdown(  # noqa: C901
         indent: int = 4,
         text_width: int = -1,
         page_no: Optional[int] = None,
+        include_picture_contents: bool = False,
     ) -> str:
         r"""Serialize to Markdown.
 
@@ -1991,7 +1994,12 @@ def export_to_markdown(  # noqa: C901
         in_list = False  # Track if we're currently processing list items
 
         for ix, (item, level) in enumerate(
-            self.iterate_items(self.body, with_groups=True, page_no=page_no)
+            self.iterate_items(
+                self.body,
+                with_groups=True,
+                page_no=page_no,
+                traverse_pictures=include_picture_contents,
+            )
         ):
             # If we've moved to a lower level, we're exiting one or more groups
             if level < previous_level:
@@ -2174,6 +2182,7 @@ def save_as_html(
         page_no: Optional[int] = None,
         html_lang: str = "en",
         html_head: str = _HTML_DEFAULT_HEAD,
+        include_picture_contents: bool = False,
     ):
         """Save to HTML."""
         artifacts_dir, reference_path = self._get_output_paths(filename, artifacts_dir)
@@ -2193,6 +2202,7 @@ def save_as_html(
             page_no=page_no,
             html_lang=html_lang,
             html_head=html_head,
+            include_picture_contents=include_picture_contents,
         )
 
         with open(filename, "w") as fw:
@@ -2239,6 +2249,7 @@ def export_to_html(  # noqa: C901
         page_no: Optional[int] = None,
         html_lang: str = "en",
         html_head: str = _HTML_DEFAULT_HEAD,
+        include_picture_contents: bool = False,
     ) -> str:
         r"""Serialize to HTML."""
 
@@ -2271,7 +2282,12 @@ def close_lists(
         in_ordered_list: List[bool] = []  # False
 
         for ix, (item, curr_level) in enumerate(
-            self.iterate_items(self.body, with_groups=True, page_no=page_no)
+            self.iterate_items(
+                self.body,
+                with_groups=True,
+                page_no=page_no,
+                traverse_pictures=include_picture_contents,
+            )
         ):
             # If we've moved to a lower level, we're exiting one or more groups
             if curr_level < prev_level and len(in_ordered_list) > 0:
@@ -2416,6 +2432,7 @@ def save_as_document_tokens(
         # specifics
         page_no: Optional[int] = None,
         with_groups: bool = True,
+        include_picture_contents: bool = False,
     ):
         r"""Save the document content to a DocumentToken format."""
         out = self.export_to_document_tokens(
@@ -2435,6 +2452,7 @@ def save_as_document_tokens(
             # specifics
             page_no=page_no,
             with_groups=with_groups,
+            include_picture_contents=include_picture_contents,
         )
 
         with open(filename, "w") as fw:
@@ -2459,6 +2477,7 @@ def export_to_document_tokens(
         page_no: Optional[int] = None,
         with_groups: bool = True,
         newline: bool = True,
+        include_picture_contents: bool = False,
     ) -> str:
         r"""Exports the document content to a DocumentToken format.
 
@@ -2515,7 +2534,9 @@ def close_lists(
         result = f"{DocumentToken.BEG_DOCUMENT.value}{delim}"
 
         for ix, (item, curr_level) in enumerate(
-            self.iterate_items(self.body, with_groups=True)
+            self.iterate_items(
+                self.body, with_groups=True, traverse_pictures=include_picture_contents
+            )
         ):
 
             # If we've moved to a lower level, we're exiting one or more groups