Images Research Guide
Learn how to find, create, cite, and use images in papers and presentations.
Foundational Learning and Engagement Librarian
Finding Images - Best Places to Look
Image Search Engines
Google Images is a quick and easy way to find lots of images from web pages across the globe. But it only searches web content that it can find -- many images are actually hidden in databases or archives (whether freely available or in Cal Poly's subscription databases). The quality of images - size, resolution, description, usage rights - also varies considerably on the open web. Use Google, but don't rely on it for all image searches. Explore this page for more high-quality options.
- CompfightImage search engine that locates high-resolution images with Creative Commons licenses for use in presentations, blogs, etc. Also retrieves stock photos.
- Google ImagesTip: Use advanced search or facets to limit by image size, images within a domain/site (e.g. site: calpoly.edu), and usage rights. Also includes Reverse Image Search.
- Multicolr Search by TinEyeTinEye extracted the colors from 20 million Creative Commons images on Flickr to make the images searchable by color.
- TinEye Reverse Image SearchSubmit an image to TinEye to find out where it came from, how it is being used, if modified versions of the image exist, or to find higher resolution versions.
Image Sharing Sites
Be sure to follow license conditions and terms of use.
- Creative CommonsCreative Commons is a nonprofit organization that develops, supports, and stewards legal and technical infrastructure that maximizes digital creativity, sharing, and innovation. You can also find CC searches in Google Images (under the gear icon in Advanced Search) and other sites like Flickr
- Flickr Creative Commons (Advanced Search; limit by license)Flickr is a public photo-sharing site with billions of images. It is a rich resource to find images for your research (news events, places, people, etc.). Flickr users can opt to share their images with others under creative commons licenses (alternative to copyright).
- Flickr: The CommonsImages with no known copyright (public domain) from cultural institutions world-wide.
NOTE: To download images from Flickr, some require a Yahoo account sign up. To workaround this, follow the directions of this video: https://youtu.be/CSNlRvsn8FU
RIGHT CLICK on View all Sizes option and then Save Link As.
- Wikimedia CommonsA database of over 9 million freely usable media files to which anyone can contribute.
Kennedy Library Image Databases
- ARTstor This link opens in a new windowARTstor is a cross-discipline image library supporting education and research. Its JSTOR Forum community collections feature includes thousands of images added by Cal Poly. ARTstor images have been rights-cleared for use in education and research, including classroom instruction and handouts, presentations, student assignments, and other noncommercial educational and scholarly activities.
- Statista This link opens in a new windowStatista is a statistics portal which provides direct access to quantitative data on media, business, finance, politics, and a wide variety of other areas of interest or markets. The database features unlimited downloads, source citations and direct use or export of results in PowerPoint, Excel PDF and Graphic (PNG) formats.
Users may need to disable ad blocking software on this site if search results links don't work. - WorldImages Kiosk This link opens in a new windowWorldImages Kiosk is a searchable image database created by faculty, staff and students in the CSU system. It contains images from a wide variety of fields, is global in coverage and includes all areas of visual imagery. Images are licensed for non-profit educational use with attribution (CC BY-NC 2.5).
Digital Image Collections
The following are selected digital collections that provide access to a variety of images in the public domain and under copyright. Please check the terms of use and image rights statements for more information.
- Cal Poly University Art CollectionThe Campus Art Catalog serves as an online database of Cal Poly’s university art collection and contains searchable data for selections of the artwork. Development of the catalog is ongoing with new records being added often.
- CalisphereThe University of California's free public gateway to a world of primary sources. More than 200,000 digitized items — including photographs, documents, newspaper pages, political cartoons, works of art, diaries, transcribed oral histories, advertising, and other unique cultural artifacts — reveal the diverse history and culture of California and its role in national and world history.
- Cities and Buildings DatabaseFrom the University of Washington Libraries, The Cities and Buildings Database is a collection of digitized images of buildings and cities drawn from across time and throughout the world, available to students, researchers and educators on the web.
- Library of Congress American Memory ProjectDigitized historical materials from the Library of Congress - includes many images.
- Life Photo Archive hosted by GoogleSearch millions of photographs from the LIFE photo archive (1750s to today).
- National Gallery of Art | NGA ImagesThis repository of digital images documenting the National Gallery of Art collections allows users to search, browse, share, and download images believed to be in the public domain. More than 20,000 open access digital images up to 3000 pixels each are available free of charge for download and use.
- New York Public Library Digital GalleryProvides free and open access to over 800,000 images digitized from the The New York Public Library's vast collections, including illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, vintage posters, rare prints, photographs and more.
- Smithsonian Institution Collections SearchSearch archival, print and digital content.