How do I cite an image that I found using a search engine?

A search engine’s result points to a source on the Web.

Cite the source, not the search engine result.

Click the URL link (Bing) or “Website for this image” (Google)
Cite the Web page on which the image is found

How do I cite a born digital image in a subscription database?

Gather elements from the vendor’s record:

Permanent URL
Name of publisher / vendor
Database name
Title of image
Date of copyright or e-publication
Date of access
Identifier / image ID
Photographer or artist, if given

How do I cite a born digital image on the open Web?

Gather elements from the image’s Web page or the referring page:

Permanent URL
Name of website
Title of image (if untitled, provide a description)
Photographer or artist
Date of e-publication or copyright
Publisher of website
Identifier / image ID, if given

Has my photograph been altered?

Personal and professional photographs are often staged or edited:

For dramatic or aesthetic impact
To correct imperfections (e.g., red eye)
To deceive the viewer

One test for an edited image is to use an image search engine to compare your image with others.

How do I evaluate a “born digital” photograph?

A photograph meaning is shaped by the photographer’s point of view and our background as we “read” it. To evaluate a photograph, ask:

What do I see (observations)?
What might it mean (inferences)?
How does it make me feel?
Why might this photo have been taken?
What is out of the picture? What might be missing?
What other questions might I ask?

How do I evaluate an image creator?

A creator’s expertise should relate to your subject:

Credentials
Expertise
A body of work, exhibitions or publications

What is a “born digital” image?

We call an image “born digital” if:

It was created (e.g. digital camera, computer screen capture program, desktop scanner) in digital form for the Web
Or you do not know where the image itself (not the place or object in it) is physically stored