Have you ever needed to find the source of an original image, but you can’t remember where you found it? Try using your iPhone to take a picture of the image on your computer using Google Goggles, to locate where the source site is located.
In my latest foray of total nerdiness, I decided to create an HTML5 widget to add to my class page and iBook that I’m building for my unit on plants. Since I decided to go full out on this one, I wanted to be able to share the resource. So I scoured the internet for Creative Commons licensed images (which led to a few blog posts of their own:MorgueFile, Behold, ImageAfter). However, when I finished, and decided to license my own work, I realized I had forgotten to attribute two of my pictures. Unfortunately, they were public domain off of the Wikimedia Commons, and I couldn’t find the originals to properly attribute them. Since I haven’t yet built that time machine to go back and kick myself for not recording my sources better the first time, I ended up pulling my iPhone out of my pocket and using Google Goggles. Found the first image with ease, but struggled with the second. Luckily finding the first one jogged my memory and I was able to browse until I found the second.
I know there are searches like TinEye out there, but it didn’t work for either. I honestly had to laugh at myself taking a picture of a picture on my computer, to search for the picture on my phone rather than on the computer. Bit round about, but effective. Whatever gets the job done, right?
Head over to image.google.com and click on the camera icon in the search bar.