Using htaccess, how to restrict seeing directory contents, but allow server to use the contents?

Question

More specifically, I have an htaccess file that restricts anyone from seeing the directory contents. Such that, nobody can see my 1000s of images in www.example.com/images by using:

deny from all allow from 127.0.0.1 

However, I want to use these images on www.example.com such that, <img src="images/thisimg.jpg" /> works.

I hope I'm in the right direction, but I appreciate any insight/re-direct. This is similar to: How to protect all directory contents, but gain access to php script but I want to link to these images in that directory, and using deny from all does not allow me to do that.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Answer 1

in .htaccess

Options -Indexes 

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/mod/core.html#options