Transcribe conservatively
Record only text you can actually read. Mark uncertain characters instead of inventing them. A caption, asset code or unusual phrase may be more useful than a common word such as “sale”.
Combine the trails
- Search the full image.
- Search a distinctive quoted phrase where appropriate.
- Open candidate publications.
- Compare the image, text and surrounding context together.
A poster with a unique event title may be easy to locate through text even if its background photograph appears on hundreds of pages. The event page can then supply the correct credit.
Avoid circular confirmation
Several sites may repeat the same incorrect caption. Repetition is not independent verification. Look for the original publisher or a primary record, and keep the text match separate from the visual match until both support the same source relationship.
Continue with finding an original image source.
Written by Facehunch with AI assistance and checked against the cited sources. Our editorial policy.