Blog
Practical guides on finding where and when a photo was taken, and checking whether it is what it claims to be.
How to Tell When a Photo Was Taken
The date in a photo's metadata is a start, not proof. How to check when a picture was really taken using search results, old street-level imagery, weather, shadows and the details in the frame.
How to Remove the Location From a Photo Before You Share It
Your phone saves where every photo was taken. Here's how to remove that location on iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows, and how to check that it's really gone.
How to Find Where a Photo Was Taken
A step-by-step method for working out where a photo was taken: start with the file's GPS data, then search for the image, read the clues in the picture and confirm it on the map.
What Is EXIF Data and What Does It Reveal About Your Photos
Every photo your phone takes carries hidden data: the phone model, the settings, the exact time and often the GPS position. Here's what EXIF contains, where it survives and how to remove it.
Shadow Analysis: Using the Sun to Check When and Where a Photo Was Taken
The direction and length of a shadow depend on where the sun is. Here's how to use shadows to check the time and place of a photo, with free tools and without any metadata.
Reverse Image Search for OSINT: How to Trace a Photo
How to use reverse image search to find where a photo came from, which engines to use, how to get better matches and how to read the results.
How to Verify If a Photo Is Real or Manipulated
Most misleading photos are real pictures with the wrong caption. A practical order of checks to tell whether a photo is old, edited, generated or simply out of context.
Photo OSINT for Journalists: A Practical Workflow
A routine for verifying photos from readers and social media before publication: keep the original, check its history, place it, date it, and talk to the person who took it.