diff --git a/docling/datamodel/base_models.py b/docling/datamodel/base_models.py
index 8b6796d6..10086917 100644
--- a/docling/datamodel/base_models.py
+++ b/docling/datamodel/base_models.py
@@ -265,3 +265,9 @@ class PipelineOptions(BaseModel):
     do_ocr: bool = False  # True: perform OCR, replace programmatic PDF text
 
     table_structure_options: TableStructureOptions = TableStructureOptions()
+
+
+class AssembleOptions(BaseModel):
+    keep_page_images: bool = (
+        False  # False: page images are removed in the assemble step
+    )
diff --git a/docling/document_converter.py b/docling/document_converter.py
index 95b30a06..9954bc9b 100644
--- a/docling/document_converter.py
+++ b/docling/document_converter.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 from docling.backend.abstract_backend import PdfDocumentBackend
 from docling.datamodel.base_models import (
     AssembledUnit,
+    AssembleOptions,
     ConversionStatus,
     Page,
     PipelineOptions,
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ def __init__(
         pipeline_options: PipelineOptions = PipelineOptions(),
         pdf_backend: Type[PdfDocumentBackend] = DocumentConversionInput.DEFAULT_BACKEND,
         pipeline_cls: Type[BaseModelPipeline] = StandardModelPipeline,
+        assemble_options: AssembleOptions = AssembleOptions(),
     ):
         if not artifacts_path:
             artifacts_path = self.download_models_hf()
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.page_assemble_model = PageAssembleModel(config={})
         self.glm_model = GlmModel(config={})
         self.pdf_backend = pdf_backend
+        self.assemble_options = assemble_options
 
     @staticmethod
     def download_models_hf(
@@ -174,17 +177,23 @@ def process_document(self, in_doc: InputDocument) -> ConvertedDocument:
                     pages_with_images,
                 )
 
+                # 4. Run pipeline stages
                 pipeline_pages = self.model_pipeline.apply(pages_with_cells)
 
-                # 7. Assemble page elements (per page)
+                # 5. Assemble page elements (per page)
                 assembled_pages = self.page_assemble_model(pipeline_pages)
 
                 # exhaust assembled_pages
                 for assembled_page in assembled_pages:
                     # Free up mem resources before moving on with next batch
-                    assembled_page.image = (
-                        None  # Comment this if you want to visualize page images
-                    )
+
+                    # Remove page images (can be disabled)
+                    if not self.assemble_options.keep_page_images:
+                        assembled_page.image = (
+                            None  # Comment this if you want to visualize page images
+                        )
+
+                    # Unload backend
                     assembled_page._backend.unload()
 
                     all_assembled_pages.append(assembled_page)
diff --git a/examples/export_figures.py b/examples/export_figures.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6cd98430
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/export_figures.py
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+import logging
+import time
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Tuple
+
+from docling.datamodel.base_models import (
+    AssembleOptions,
+    ConversionStatus,
+    FigureElement,
+    PageElement,
+    TableElement,
+)
+from docling.datamodel.document import ConvertedDocument, DocumentConversionInput
+from docling.document_converter import DocumentConverter
+
+_log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def export_page_images(
+    doc: ConvertedDocument,
+    output_dir: Path,
+):
+    output_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+    doc_filename = doc.input.file.stem
+
+    for page in doc.pages:
+        page_no = page.page_no + 1
+        page_image_filename = output_dir / f"{doc_filename}-{page_no}.png"
+        with page_image_filename.open("wb") as fp:
+            page.image.save(fp, format="PNG")
+
+
+def export_element_images(
+    doc: ConvertedDocument,
+    output_dir: Path,
+    allowed_element_types: Tuple[PageElement] = (FigureElement,),
+):
+    output_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+    doc_filename = doc.input.file.stem
+
+    for element_ix, element in enumerate(doc.assembled.elements):
+        if isinstance(element, allowed_element_types):
+            page_ix = element.page_no
+            crop_bbox = element.cluster.bbox.to_top_left_origin(
+                page_height=doc.pages[page_ix].size.height
+            )
+
+            cropped_im = doc.pages[page_ix].image.crop(crop_bbox.as_tuple())
+            element_image_filename = (
+                output_dir / f"{doc_filename}-element-{element_ix}.png"
+            )
+            with element_image_filename.open("wb") as fp:
+                cropped_im.save(fp, "PNG")
+
+
+def main():
+    logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+
+    input_doc_paths = [
+        Path("./test/data/2206.01062.pdf"),
+    ]
+
+    input_files = DocumentConversionInput.from_paths(input_doc_paths)
+
+    # Important: For operating with page images, we must keep them, otherwise the DocumentConverter
+    # will destroy them for cleaning up memory.
+    assemble_options = AssembleOptions()
+    assemble_options.keep_page_images = True
+
+    doc_converter = DocumentConverter(assemble_options=assemble_options)
+
+    start_time = time.time()
+
+    converted_docs = doc_converter.convert(input_files)
+
+    for doc in converted_docs:
+        if doc.status != ConversionStatus.SUCCESS:
+            _log.info(f"Document {doc.input.file} failed to convert.")
+            continue
+
+        # Export page images
+        export_page_images(doc, output_dir=Path("./scratch"))
+
+        # Export figures
+        # export_element_images(doc, output_dir=Path("./scratch"), allowed_element_types=(FigureElement,))
+
+        # Export figures and tables
+        export_element_images(
+            doc,
+            output_dir=Path("./scratch"),
+            allowed_element_types=(FigureElement, TableElement),
+        )
+
+    end_time = time.time() - start_time
+
+    _log.info(f"All documents were converted in {end_time:.2f} seconds.")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()