Find the Original Image
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TinEye Reverse Image SearchFind all the other places online where this image has been posted. Great way to find the original source.
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Jeffrey Friedl's Image Metadata ViewerThis tool shows you all the metadata hidden in an image file, which might help you determine date of creation as well as basic attributes.
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Google Images - Search by ImageClick the camera icon in the search box and search by the image you have in hand (either by URL or by dragging in). Like TinEye, it finds other places online where the image has been posted.
Check the source's "Terms of Use," Image Credits," or "Image Permissions" section to make sure you know whether the image is under license or copyright or other terms of use.
Find the Image URL
Reverse image searching often involves finding and using the "image URL," which is the URL that describes the location of that image on a web server somewhere out there rather than the URL of any web pages that the image might be placed on.
Most browsers give you an option to see or copy the image URL if you right-click on the image. Here's what the option looks like on Chrome on a Mac.
