An image appearing in search results is not automatically available to reuse. Before adding it to a website, presentation or newsletter, identify the original source and the permission that covers your intended use. A short record of the creator, source and licence can prevent confusion later, especially when several people contribute to a publication or a project changes from internal to public use.
Find the original source page
Open the page associated with the image rather than downloading the search thumbnail. Look for the creator, the original file and the terms attached to that specific item. Search results can display copies from unrelated websites, so the page where you first see the image may not be the place authorised to grant permission.
If the source is unclear, search for the image or its distinctive description through an appropriate reverse-image or catalogue tool. Compare versions and dates, but do not assume the oldest visible result proves ownership. For an important publication, choosing another image with clear permission is often more efficient than trying to resolve an uncertain chain of copies.
Read the permission for your intended use
Identify whether the image is under a stock licence, a Creative Commons licence, a public-domain statement or individual permission. These are different arrangements. Read the linked terms rather than relying on a free-download button. Free access describes the cost of obtaining a file; it does not necessarily describe every right to publish or modify it.
Match the conditions to the project. Consider commercial use, modification, attribution and redistribution. Creative Commons provides several licences with different requirements, so the letters after CC matter. Keep the exact licence link with your record. A general understanding that an image is openly licensed is not enough to identify the conditions attached to that work.
Keep a simple rights record
Record the image title or identifier, creator, source-page address, licence address and download date. Add any required attribution wording and a note describing the intended placement. This can be a small spreadsheet or a file stored alongside the asset. It is much easier to capture these details when downloading than to reconstruct them after publication.
Keep permission correspondence if a creator has approved a particular use directly. Store the scope and any conditions, not just a message saying yes without context. Where your organisation has a formal approval process, follow it. An internal note helps coordinate work, but it does not create permission that the rights holder never granted.
Check context as well as the licence
A licence may permit use of the photograph while other issues remain relevant, such as identifiable people, trademarks or private property. Read the stock platform's restrictions and avoid implying that a pictured person endorses your service. A neutral illustrative photograph should not be captioned as an actual employee, customer or participant without evidence.
Write a caption that accurately describes what the image shows and what role it plays. Do not assign an invented location or event to a generic photograph. If you crop or edit the image, ensure the result does not misrepresent the subject and that the applicable licence permits the adaptation you plan to publish.
Publish accessibly and retain the evidence
Choose alternative text according to the image's function. Describe information the reader needs when the image communicates content; decorative images can use an empty alternative where appropriate. Avoid repeating a long caption word for word. Accessibility decisions belong alongside image selection because the image has to work for people who cannot see it.
Save the final asset with its rights record and attribution location. Before reusing it in another project, check whether the new context still fits the permission. A dependable image workflow combines clear sourcing, proportionate rights checking and accurate presentation, giving future editors enough information to maintain the page without starting the search again.
Further reading: Creative Commons: Licence types · W3C WAI: Images tutorial
