Finding Visual Sources
Image search engines & metasites
Online image searching relies on words to locate results. This means that images that are not named to reflect their
content are sometimes difficult to find. Brainstorm different keywords as you search. If you still get poor results,
consider using one of the more specialized databases or websites listed in this guide.
Google Image Search
Google's “advanced image search” allows you to limit by size, color, and other parameters. A little-known feature is
the power to search only for certain content types: news content, faces, photo content, clip art, and line drawings.
Yahoo Images Search
Offers image searching capabilities similar to Google's, but across a different collection of images. Note that Yahoo
emphasizes results from Flickr more than other search engines.
Exalead Image Search
Exalead's advanced image search provides a number of limits similar to those in Google, including face recognition.
Behold
From Behold website, "Behold's goal is to provide search access to high quality images that are openly available
online. Some of these images may be used free of charge subject to varying restrictions
(see creativecommons.org website for more information)."
Tin Eye
Searches Flickr site by colour…
http://labs.tineye.com/
RetrievrSearches for images that match a digital sketch you make
http://labs.systemone.at/retrievr/
Flickr –tag searcher
http://www.airtightinteractive.com/projects/related_tag_browser/app/
Compfight
Has a Creative Commons link
http://compfight.com/
oSkope
Is a visual search assistant that lets you browse images and products from popular sites like Amazon, eBay, YouTube and Flickr
in a highly intuitive way.
MUFIN
http://mufin.fi.muni.cz/imgsearch/similar
Search a term and then clock on visually similar to focus and get more choices.
Picsearch
http://www.picsearch.com/
Image collections on the web
Unlike the databases available through Ancaster Library; image collections freely viewable on the web have not
been licensed for educational use by Ancaster students. Many online images are freely available without permission
for non-commercial use, but many others require the owner's permission before you may use them. Before choosing
to use an image in your work, it is important to read the usage rights for the image collection or individual image
and, if necessary, seek the copyright owner's permission.
Science Photo Libraries
http://www.sciencephoto.com/images
http://www.sciencesource.com/
http://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/science.html
Dennis Kunkel
http://denniskunkel.com/image_use.html
Biology Image Library
http://www.biologyimagelibrary.com/
Science Daily
http://www.sciencedaily.com/gallery/plants_animals/biology/
Biodidac
http://biodidac.bio.uottawa.ca/
http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/hledej.php?hleda=biology
History of medicine
http://ihm.nlm.nih.gov/luna/servlet/view/all
Ad*Access
Provides "images and database information for over 7,000 advertisements printed in U.S. and Canadian
newspapers and magazines between 1911 and 1955." (Duke University Library)
American Memory – Library of Congress
A large collection relating to American culture and history, organized into more than 100 thematic collections.
Arounder Virtual Tours of Cities
A selection of 360-degree panoramic views of cities and monuments around the world
Art Images for College Teaching
Art images organised into categories, with an emphasis on ancient, medieval, and Renaissance European art and
architecture. Thumbnails link to more detailed information including text references.
Biology Image Library
Online collection of images, movies, illustrations and animations across the fields of biology and biomedicine.
Casselman Archive of Islamic and Mudejar Architecture in Spain
A searchable collection of approximately 4,000 color and black/white images.
Corbis
Large collection of images with a wide range of search options. Note, however, that image rights must be purchased
for use other than viewing.
Discovering American Women
Primary sources (photos, letters, diaries, artifacts, etc.) that document the history of women in the United States. To
find specific kinds of images (e.g. book covers, photographs), click the "Primary Source Types" link.
Earth Science World Image Bank
Geoscience images made available by the American Geological Institute. Some images are available at a highresolution free of charge for non-commercial purposes.
Flickr
Popular online site for organizing and sharing personal photograph collections as well as some institutional
collections. On the advanced search page, you can limit your search to Creative Commons-licensed content, or limit
further to content that can be used commercially or that can be modified, adapted, or built-upon.
Getty Images
Getty Images is a commercial image company providing photography, illustration, and film images. Collections
within Getty Images include 425,000Time & Life images as well as Lonely Planet, and National
Geographic images. Note that image rights must be purchased for uses other than viewing.
LIFE Photo Archive (Hosted by Google)
Search millions of photographs from the LIFE photo archive, stretching from the 1750s to today.
New York Public Library (NYPL) Digital Gallery
A wide-ranging collection that is useful for virtually all academic disciplines. Formats include photographs, drawings,
posters, rare illustrated books and others. Low resolution images can be viewed and used in research projects and
presentations. Permission must be obtained for use of high resolution images.
NOAA Photo Library
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's collection includes weather and space images, images of
shores and coastal seas, and marine species images.
Picture Australia
Maintained by the National Library of Australia but provides access to the collections of a range of Australian cultural
institutions.
Smarthistory
Multi-media web-book designed as a dynamic enhancement (or even substitute) for the traditional art history
textbook using images from The Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
UNESCO Photobank
Contemporary and historical photographs classified into themes: education, science, social science, culture, and
communication. Photographs taken at UNESCO headquarters and in field offices worldwide dating back to 1945.
Note that all images require copyright permission for use.
VADS (Visual Arts Data Service)
Art images from various UK collections.
Visual Collections
Includes digital images of maps, fine art, and photographs from over 50 museum, university, and private collections
worldwide. Some copyright restrictions may apply.
Wikimedia Commons
Searches the images available in the Wikipedia encyclopedia. Click on an image to view copyright restrictions.
WorldImages
Provides access to the California State University IMAGE Project. WorldImages is global in coverage and includes
all areas of visual imagery. The images may be freely used for non-profit educational purposes.
Cartography Associates Visual Collections
Over 300,000 images of maps, fine arts, architecture and photography from renowned private and public
collections
Europeana
A single access point to millions of books, paintings, films, museum objects and archival records that have been
digitised throughout Europe. It is an authoritative source of information coming from European cultural and
scientific institutions.
Flickr Commons
Cultural heritage institutions share photographs from their collections
Library of Congress American Memory
More than 7 million sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the
American experience drawn from more than 100 collections
New York Public Library Gallery
650,000 images digitized from primary sources and printed rarities--illuminated manuscripts, historical maps,
vintage posters, rare prints and photographs, illustrated books, fashion plates, and other printed ephemera
Canadian image collections
Canadian Landscapes Photo Collection
Photographs of Canadian landscapes and landforms presented by the Geological Survey of Canada to illustrate the
great diversity of Canadian scenery.
Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art (CCCA) - Canadian Art Database
Images of Canadian art including paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture, digital / computer based work,
conceptual art, and performance art. Permission to use images must be obtained from artist.
Government of Canada - Images Canada
Photographs, lithographs, and reproductions of subjects relating to Canadian culture and history. Copyright
permission varies among participating institutions.
Library and Archives Canada
Includes many digitized image collections by topic (aboriginal peoples, politics and government, sports, war and
military, art and photography, literature music etc.) Permission requirements vary by collection. Click "What We
Have On Our Website."
Virtual Museum Canada - Image Gallery
Images of museum artefacts, photos, paintings, etc. Copyright information accompanies each image.
Gallery and museum Image Collections
The websites of museums and galleries are particularly good for providing images of the artworks in their holdings.
To identify museums and galleries, try the following web directories:
artnet
Artcyclopedia
Some major museums and galleries include:
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
National Gallery of Canada / Musee des beaux arts du Canada
National Gallery, London
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Images and copyright
From the Canadian Copyright Act
What is copyright?
Copyright refers to the author's (creators of all sorts such as writers, photographers, artists, film producers, composers, and
programmers) exclusive right to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies, and publicly perform and display their works.
These rights may be transferred or assigned in whole or in part in writing by the author. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, work
created by an employee is usually owned by the employer.
The absence of a copyright notice does not mean that there is no copyright. Copyright protection exists automatically from the
moment of creation in a tangible fixed form, which is generally considered to include electronic form. A notice is not required to
protect copyright.
Fair dealing is the exception to copyright. The laws are to protect the monetary rights of the individual when they create a
work. Fair dealing allows others to use the work, where the use is not deemed to hurt the individual’s monetary gain or helps the
broader goal of not limiting information. It is a balance.
29. Fair dealing for the purpose of research, private study, education, parody or satire does not
infringe copyright.
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R.S., 1985, c. C-42, s. 29;
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First, the “dealing” must be for a purpose stated in the Copyright Act: research, private study,
criticism, review, news reporting, education, satire or parody. Educational use of a copyrightprotected work passes the first test.
The second test is that the dealing must be "fair." In landmark decisions in 2004 and in 2012, the
Supreme Court of Canada provided guidance as to what this test means in educational institutions.
Limits are put on the number of works from the same source.

R.S., 1985, c. 10 (4th Supp.), s. 7;
1994, c. 47, s. 61;
1997, c. 24, s. 18;
2012, c. 20, s. 21.
The Americans define this concept as Fair Use:
To determine whether a specific use under one of these categories is "fair," courts are required to
consider the following factors:
1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit
educational purposes;
2. the nature of the copyrighted work;
3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole (is it long or
short in length, that is, are you copying the entire work, as you might with an image, or just part as you might
with a long novel); and
4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
Copyright in Canada
Can students include copyright materials in their assignments and presentations?
Generally yes. Since fair dealing now includes education, students may include limited amounts of
material in their assignments and presentations. See the Fair Dealing Advisory for details about amounts
allowable under fair dealing.
Guidelines
1. Teachers, instructors, professors and staff members in non-profit universities may communicate
and reproduce, in paper or electronic form, short excerpts from a copyright-protected work for the
purposes of research, private study, criticism, review, news reporting, education, satire or parody.
2. Copying or communicating short excerpts from a copyright-protected work under this Fair Dealing
Policy for the purpose of news reporting, criticism or review must mention the source and, if given
in the source, the name of the author or creator of the work.
3. A copy of a short excerpt from a copyright-protected work may be provided or communicated to
each student enrolled in a class or course:
a. as a class handout
b. as a posting to a learning or course management system that is password protected or
otherwise restricted to students of the university
c. as part of a course pack
4. A short excerpt means:
a. up to 10% of a copyright-protected work (including a literary work, musical score, sound
recording, and an audiovisual work)
b. one chapter from a book
c. a single article from a periodical
d. an entire artistic work (including a painting, print, photograph, diagram, drawing, map,
chart, and plan) from a copyright-protected work containing other artistic works
e. an entire newspaper article or page
f.
an entire single poem or musical score from a copyright-protected work containing other
poems or musical scores
g. an entire entry from an encyclopedia, annotated bibliography, dictionary or similar reference
work provided that in each case, no more of the work is copied than is required in order to
achieve the allowable purpose.
5. Copying or communicating multiple short excerpts from the same copyright-protected work, with
the intention of copying or communicating substantially the entire work, is prohibited.
Fair Dealing Flowchart
It can often be tricky to determine whether something you want to do falls within fair dealing. This quick
guide sets out the steps you should take and the factors you should consider. Ultimately, it will depend on
your particular circumstances and you have to make a judgment call as to whether your use can be
classified as "fair". If you have any doubt, you should ask for permission.
STEP 1: CHECK WHETHER YOUR PURPOSE IS A PERMITTED PURPOSE
Are you using the work for the purpose of:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
Research
Private study
Criticism
Review
News reporting
Education
Satire
Parody
YES → Continue to step 2
NO → Check whether use is covered under:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Any other Copyright Act exception
Library licences for electronic journals and databases
Cinematograph film licences
Any other agreement
STEP 2: CHECK WHETHER YOUR USE IS “FAIR”
Is the nature of the dealing fair?
Nature of the Dealing
Less Fair
More Fair
Commercial
Charitable /
Educational
Multiple copies
Single copy
Widely distributed /
repetitive
Limited distribution /
one-off
Importance / amount of work copied
Entire Work /
Significant excerpt
Limited /
trivial amount
Effect of dealing on the original work
Competing with
original work
No detriment
to original
Confidential /
unpublished
Published /
in public Interest
Non-copyright works
available
No alternative
works
Purpose
Character of the dealing
Nature of the work
Available alternatives
Not necessary for
purpose
Necessary to achieve
purpose
So what should you do?

obtain the permission of the copyright holder of an image before using, reproducing, or manipulating it in an
assignment or research paper where requested

read licenses carefully as the copyright owner may have given up different levels of rights or only in certain
circumstances
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when dealing with freely viewable collections on the internet, look for a page with copyright information, a
license statement, terms and conditions, or permissions. This page may give blanket permission for
educational purposes, instruct you to check copyright terms for each image, or ask that you contact the
image owner for permission to use it. In other cases, you may be required to pay a usage fee.
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in all cases, regardless of copyright permission or use of an image from the public domain; cite your source.
Creative Commons licenses:
A growing number of online images are being published with Creative Commons licenses (for example, many of the
images on Flickr and Wikimedia Commons). These licenses are designed to give copyright holders a range of
permission options for digital intellectual property and in most cases allow educational uses.
Particularly if you would like to alter an image or incorporate elements of it into a new art work, you should examine
the license for details of how you are allowed to use the image. To see the license, click on the Creative Commons
logo or the Creative Commons License link.
Public domain:
You will sometimes see images described as being "in the public domain." This refers to works that belong to the
community at large, are not protected by copyright, and may be appropriated by anyone. For example, in Canada,
most works pass into the public domain after fifty years following the end of the calendar year in which the author
died. However, it is important to realize that while a work may be in the public domain, a specific edition or image of
the work may be under copyright.
Citing images
Though you may obtain permission to use an image, you must still credit the copyright holder. In statements of
usage rights on websites, this practice is often called "attribution." In some cases, you will be instructed to attribute
the image to an institution that owns the copyright.
Conform as closely as possible to the structure and examples below with the information you have available.
Consult a style guide for more detailed explanations and for exceptions (such as images without a listed date or
creator). Make sure to also track your research by recording the following information:
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Image creator's name (artist, photographer, etc.)
Title of the image
Date the image (or work represented by the image) was created
Institution (gallery, museum) where the image is located / owned (if applicable)
Date of access (the date you accessed the online image)
Website and/or Database name
Citing images using MLA style:
In-text citation
To cite an image you found online, use the italicized image title or general description in your text, and then cite it
using the first element in the works cited entry.
Examples:
The Dream (Rousseau) baffled art critics when it debuted in 1910, mere months before the artist’s death in
September of that year.
As illustrated in Up Close and Personal with the Very Large Telescope (Salgado), the fish eye camera lens creates
uniquely distorted images, which often evokes the curvature of the earth.
Incorporating images into the text of your paper:
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All images that are not tables or examples of musical scores are referred to as “figure” or “fig.”, and are referred to
by their number (i.e., figure 1 or fig. 2). Do not capitalize figure or fig, or refer to figures as "the figure below" or "the
figure above."
Place the figure close as possible to the part of text referencing it, unless otherwise instructed by your professor.
Number the figures consecutively, beginning with figure 1.
Below the figure, provide a capitalized label name and corresponding number, without bolding or italicization (e.g.
Fig. 1.)
If the figure’s caption provides complete information about the source, and the source is not cited in the body of the
text, it is not necessary to list the source in the works-cited.
On the same line as the label and number, provide a descriptive title/caption, as well as source information in the
following format:
Fig. #. Descriptive title or caption, from Image Creator’s First Name Last Name; Description or Title of Image; Title of
the website where the image is located; Publisher or sponsor of the site; Date of Creation; Medium of publication
(“Web”); Date of access.
MLA in-text citation example:
Works Cited list citation
When citing images found online, your MLA citation format will depend on whether the image represents a work
originally held in a museum or collection, or whether the image only exists on the web.
Structure for a work of art or photograph that exists in a museum or collection:
Creator's last name, first name. Title of Image or Description of image. Year of creation. Gallery or museum where
the image is physically located. Title of the Website or Database. Medium of publication ("Web"). Date of access
(Day Month (abbreviated) Year).
Examples:
Bonsu, Osei. Female figure (akua ba). [c.1960]. National Museum of African Art. African Mosaic/Womanhood. Web.
9 Apr. 2011.
Rousseau, Henri. The Dream. 1910. The Museum of Modern Art. ARTstor. Web. 29 Mar. 2011.
Structure for a work or photograph that exists only on the web:
Creator's last name, first name. Title of Image or Description of image. Date of creation. Title of the Website where
the image is located. Publisher or sponsor of the site (if available). Medium of publication ("Web"). Date of access
(Day Month (abbreviated) Year).
Examples:
Salgado, José. Up Close and Personal with the Very Large Telescope. 6 Dec. 2010. ESO Picture of the Week.
European Southern Observatory. Web. 9 Apr. 2011.
Sayer, Larissa. Nurse Log. 27 Jan. 2007. Flickr. Yahoo! Web. 7 Apr. 2011.
APA Style for Image citation: