How to document a negative image-search result

Describe the test conditions

Include the original filename, crop or conversion, service, category and access tier. A restricted demonstration or a small private image set cannot represent the whole public web.

Write a clear note

1. State the question you were testing.
2. List the input versions used.
3. Record any errors or unavailable features.
4. Separate no matches from irrelevant matches.

An upload error is not a negative search result because the search may never have run. Likewise, a results page full of similar objects differs from a service returning no candidates at all.

Decide whether another check matters

Try a complementary method when the answer is important, then set a stopping point. Repeated identical uploads do not prove absence. Preserve enough detail that a later reviewer can understand the limitation without recreating the entire session.

Continue with responsible source checking.