Google Image Search

Google Image Search

Using Google search engine to find images

When you click on the little camera symbol in the search box a search box will appear allowing you to search for an image by its URL. Or you can upload an image from your computer. Both are very useful solutions when you are trying to locate the original creator of the image and find out what type of license that image has.

Below is an image illustrating the search by pasting an URL and another one illustrating the view on the upload an image tab that allows the upload of an image on your computer.

Size

The first option you find is the Size. That will allow you to choose the size of the images you want the search to retrieve. You may choose any size or if you are looking for an image, for instance, a poster, you might only retrieve the large ones. In general, the large ones are over 1000 pixels, the medium ones are from 500 to 1000 pixels and the icon will retrieve images of around 250 pixels.

Colour

The second option is the choice of colours. You can choose any colour, black & white, transparent (this option will retrieve images with a transparent background) or specific colours from a selection presented in the menu (this option will retrieve images where the most prevailing colour is the one of your choice).

Type

You may select the type of image you prefer ranging from; Any type, a Clip Art, a Line Drawing or a GIF.

Time

This option allows you to choose images that were posted within several time intervals: Any time, last 24 hours, past week, past month and past year. Unlike the general search, you don't have the possibility to select a custom time interval.

Usage Rights

Finally, and one of the most useful features for this course is the possibility to choose images that have a specific type of license, for instance, creative commons. Remember that the fact that an image does not have a clear license type associated with it doesn't mean that you can use it. In such cases, the best idea is to contact the owner of the website where you found the image or the owner of the image, if possible. Using other people's work without permission may be considered a crime.