Finding Images
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Learn the best methods to identify and utilize images in many fields of study
Finding Web Images StrategicallyThe web can be a great source for images. But, you need to use research skills and good judgment to discover and evaluate web sources. Here are some things to watch out for:
- Irrelevant results. Often, search engines retrieve images based on the text appearing near image file names.
- Lack of advanced searching. What if you want to find photographs by Karl Lagerfeld instead of photographs of Karl Lagerfeld?
- Inaccurate information. Just because someone has posted an image doesn't mean that the information is correct.
- Poor quality. Watch for low resolution. Also, be aware that amateur images may vary in quality.
General Web Image Sources
- Flickr CommonsA number of libraries, museums, and archives from around the world have made some of their image collections available on Flickr.
- Flickr Creative CommonsMillions of photos created by Flickr users are available under different kinds of Creative Commons licenses.
- Image Resources in BUBL LINKA list of links to hundreds of online image resources, compiled by the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland.
- Life Photo ArchiveA collection of images from Life Magazine's archives, including material dating from the 1750s and onwards, hosted by Google.
- New York Public Library Digital GalleryA database of over 700,000 digitized images from the NYPL's collection.
- World ImagesThe California State University IMAGE Project's database of images in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences, from all over the globe.
Featured Web Sites
- GigapanThis site contains user-contributed panoramas made up of multiple snapshots. You can explore images from around the world and then zoom in to see minute details.
- 360 CitiesFeatures user-contributed images of 360 degree panoramas from locations around the world.