The close-up image analysis suggests that the location is likely within China, Taiwan, or another East Asian country. However, extracting precise information from the image is difficult due to low resolution and high exposure. The visible presence of East Asian individuals in the image further supports the assumption that the scene is from one of the regions mentioned above.
The only clearly identifiable detail in the image is a shop named “today toast.” After conducting a reverse image search, a visually similar image from the same location appeared on a Chinese website. Opening the link allowed comparison of the building infrastructure and roadway, which matched the source image
Reverse image search resultsStranger Friends Cafe
The logo and text in the resulting image were consistent with those in the original image, strengthening confirmation of the location. Further verification within the same website’s photo gallery also showed the Today Toast café, providing additional confirmation.
Today Toast Cafe -extracted from source imageToday Toast Cafe – image extracted from Chinese website
Because Google Maps has limited functionality in mainland China, determining exact geographic coordinates is challenging.
Within the website’s photo series, one image was taken near Goût & Co, a coffee company operating in East Asia. Additional investigation revealed that this coffee shop has two locations in the Chengdu region. By comparing the available images from the Chinese website, the matching address was identified as: No. 11/13, Zhuyuan Alley, Wuhou District, Chengdu, China.
Using Microsoft Bing Maps, searching for Today Toast returned a nearby address: No. 7 Zongnanzheng Street, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Although the remaining surrounding shops could not be definitively identified, the cumulative evidence strongly indicates that the location is: Chengdu, China
Reverse Image search ( Google Lens,X ,News articles, YouTube)
Procedure :
Reverse image search helped me understand the ongoing riots in a specific location. I determined that the events were taking place in England, UK. By identifying local businesses like Ganashe Cafe and Sincere Lettings, I narrowed down the location to Walthamstow, Hoe Street.
I used YouTube to confirm the location of the riots, searching for “Riots in Walthamstow” and finding similar footage in the same exact location. This confirmed that the riots were taking place on Hoe Street in Walthamstow.
This news report interview on the topic of riots where the interviewee stand in front of the traffic signal. In this specific screenshot fig 1.2 , we can see the background location where there was multi storey building behind the man.Similar backgrounds from the riot of the location
The street view of the city ‘ Walthamstrow’ reveals similar location that of ‘ source image’.
Location identified from the news interview
As we could see the McDonalds logo and a partial view of a brick building, so it is confirmed that image was taken somewhere around this position. As the recent Google Map street view image was not available ( latest one- 2022 ), there are chances of changes of shop names , colour of building etc.
Summary of Findings:
Location identified : Walthamstow, Hoe street E17 3AX, UK
TASK 2 : IDENTIFICATION OF COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER
Source Image was found on X. @Sector35
Fig 2.1 Source image in question
Through Image analysis, I found that flag belongs to a company called PADI (The Professional Association of Diving Instructors). The letters PAD can be understood by changing the exposure of the image but the fourth letter found to be difficult. I tried the PAD with few alphabets like X, M then I tried ‘I’ found out that both images has same logo.
Fig 2.2- Logo of PADI which can be seen on source imageFig 2.3 – Zoomed view of source image that shows the flag of PADI
Although I identified the flag logo as belonging to PADI, I was unable to pinpoint the company’s specific location, which prevented me from finding its registration number.
Solution from another resource
I found that PADI is an American company having 6,600+ dive centers and resorts around the world. Each country has its own registration number . In order to identify the location of the place, I tried to understand the text context but unable to enhance the picture.
Reverse Image Search ( Google Lens, Yandex Image Search, TinEye)
Image Enhancement Tools.
PROCEDURE
Step 1- Reverse Image Search Failure
The reverse image search did not yield any relevant results. This could be due to several reasons, such as:
Image Quality: The image might be too low resolution or have poor lighting, making it difficult for the search engine to recognize and match it with existing images.
Unique Image: The image might be a very unique or uncommon scene, making it difficult to find matches in the existing databases.
Step 2 – Identifying the Text and Language
I attempted to decipher the text within the photo. By analyzing the characters, I determined that the language was Korean. This narrowed down the possible locations to either North Korea or South Korea.
Step 3 – Identifying “Art Monster” as a South Korean Pub
The text read “Art Monster,” which is a popular pub chain in South Korea. They have multiple branches across the country.
Step 4- Comparing Branch Locations to the Photo
To pinpoint the exact location, I researched each branch of Art Monster and compared their interior design elements, such as wall and floor patterns, to the details visible in the photo.
Step 5 -Identifying the “OLIVE” Shopboard and Website
Another clue in the photo was a shopboard with the name “OLIVE” and a website that began with “WWW.epdenta…”. However, I was unable to locate any information about an “epdental” clinic, which might be due to:
Limited Online Presence: The clinic might have a limited online presence or might not be easily searchable under that specific name.
Local Clinic: The clinic might be a small, local establishment that is not well-known outside of the immediate area.
b. Tools and Techniques used : Google Maps and Reverse image search.
Findings
a. Summary :Successfully identified the geolocation of three images with varying degrees of accuracy. Verification involved using image metadata, landmarks, and reverse image search
b. Geolocation data :
Answer : Mariaplaats Street ,Utrecht, Netherland
Location Coordinates : 52°05’22.9″ N 5°07’06.1″E
Fig no : 3.2 – Reverse Image Search result of Google Lens
The lamp pole in the source image is mainly observed in European countries like Germany, Netherlands etc. Thus the options were narrowed down to European countries. Reverse image search were mainly conducted by focusing the lamp pole. The similar lamb poles were found in Netherlands which make the options to shrink down only to NL.
The detailed analyis of image reveals the different landmarks in that image. One primary landmark is ‘ Christian Cross’ on the top of the building which indicates the presence of church.
Fig 3.3 – Close examination of church structure.
Thus, Fig 3.2 was used for reverse image search to identify the name of the cathedral and street name. Thus , I found out that the cathedral name is Buurkerk and street name was Mariaplaats.
After extensive reverse image search I found a similar looking tower part of the church.This finding also helped me to identify location- the Utrecht town of Amsterdam.
Fig 3.4- Church tower
Fig 3.4 shows the close image analysis of the church tower which signifies its similarity.
I used Google map for finding street images of Mariaplaat. Then I recognized the same image except the bicycle in the questioned image.
Fig 3.6 – Image retrieved from Reverse Image searchSource imageImage 3.7 – Exact image as that of source image.
Analysis
Accuracy: Geolocation was accurate for all images. The accuracy was enhanced by using multiple verification methods.
Challenges: The B/W filter found to be difficult in understanding colours of the building.
Insights: The use of recognizable landmarks and cross-referencing data from various sources provided reliable results.
Summary of Findings: The geolocation of the images was accurately identified. Verification through landmarks and reverse searches proved effective.
TASK 4 :GEOLOCATION IDENTIFICATION
OBJECTIVE : To identify the geolocation of image shared on X (Twitter) to identify their location.
SCOPE:Analysis of image from Twitter to identify the precise location.
TOOLS & TECHNOLOGIES : Google Map, Reverse Image Search
Methodology
Summary:Successfully identified the geolocation of three images with varying degrees of accuracy. Verification involved using image landmarks, and reverse image search.
Geolocation Data:
The source image was clear and concise that can be easily be reverse image to find the country of the source image.
Fig 4.2 represents the landmark of the source image.
Source ImageIdentified Image
Accuracy: Geolocation was accurate for all images. The accuracy was enhanced by using multiple verification methods.
Summary of Findings: The geolocation of the images was accurately identified. Verification through landmarks, metadata, and reverse searches proved effective.
TASK 5 – IDENTIFICATION OF STREET NAME
Objective: To identify the missing street name shared on Twitter to verify their location.
Scope: Analysis of one publicly available image from Twitter.
Challenges: I was not able to find similar images related to source images. The reverse image search only helped me to understand that location is in Paris, France.
Summary of Findings: The geolocation of the images was not identified.
TASK 6 – IDENTIFICATION OF WINDOW
Date and Time :16/08/2024
Scope : Identify the window where the photo was taken.
Tools &Techniques : Google Map, Reverse image search, Google Earth Pro
Place where the photo was taken : Cologne Cathedral , Germany.
Window : Second last window from tower entrance
Reverse image search
I managed to find the interiors of cathedral using youtube
TIME STAMP 18.22 FIG 6.3
STAIRCASE TO THE TOWER FIG 6.4
Challenges: I was able to find the window where the photo was taken. The reverse image search only helped me to understand that location is in Germany.
Summary of Findings: The geolocation of the image with exact window was identified.
TASK 7 : GEOLOCATION IDENTIFICATION
Date : 28/08/2024 Time taken : 5 minutes
Objective : To find the location of the image taken.
Tools / Technologies used : Reverse Image search ( Google )
Findings :Conducted Reverse Image search on the questioned image.
Fig 7.2 – shows the reverse image search result which shows similar images from where the photo was taken. The handrails in the Q.image and reverse image search results are similar.
There were a bridge which can be seen if observed carefully.
Fig 7.3 – Highlightned part shows the bridge head in the Q. mage.Fig 7.4 – Reverse Image search findings that shows the bridge viewFig 7.5 – Reverse Image search findings – Handtrail similarity Fig 7.6 Exterior view of the hotel where we can see the handtrails
Objective : To find the time when the image was taken
Source : X @sector35
Link :
FIG 8.1 – SOURCE IMAGE IN QUESTION
Methodology
TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES USED : SunCalc, Reverse Image search
Step 1: Identify the location in the image
Fig 8.2- Reverse Image search findings
Reverse Image search help me to understand the location where the photo was taken which was Hotel ParkHotel Hachenburg frontyard lake in Germany. There is also a clue that the image was taken in April.
Fig 8.3 -Similarities of water front from questioned image which shows that this park is the part of Hotel
Step 2: Analysing the image in question to find clues about the time.
I used editing features to sharpen the shadow of the fence grills .
Fig 8.4 Shadows of the fence in the image which proves that image was taken on broad sunlight day.
Step 3: Using SunCalc ( an online website ) to identify the time where the photo was taken
I am not entirely sure about the date and day where the picture was taken. But if you look at fig 8.4 you can see that shadow falls on the fence of the lake .
So I believe the time taken was during morning between 9 am to 12 pm . There is no confirmation oof this finding yet.
fig 8. 6 The image in the flip mode of original source image but the shadow falls on North eastfig 8.7
If the image is flipped to opposite direction, the direction of fence grills falls on the North East direction which means the shadow will be on the opposite side of sun which indicates that sun is on South west direction which indicate the time between 15.00 pm -17.00 pm.
Summary of Findings
Location : ParkHotel Hachenburg
Time : 15.00 pm-16:00pm
TASK 9- IDENTIFICATION OF LOCATION
Objective : To find the time where the image was taken
I am not able to find the exact location where the photo was taken as most of the searching tool shows no result. Using OSINT Framework I got to know about a tool called PICARTA. These tool helped to narrow down my search to Turkey where this website shows probability of 93 % match.
Fig 9.2 – PICARTA reverse image search result
This finding help me to reduce the options to Goereme in Turkey
Fig 9.4 – Turkey is quite famous for his artistic handycrafted vessels and pans
I assured the location is in Turkey because the reverse image search shows different places in Turkey where they decorated walls using pots/ vessels etc .
Fig 9.5 – Similar wall of pots/ vessels in Turkey.
Summary of Findings
Thus I think the place is in Gerome , Turkey.
Location cordinates :38.644897, 34.830093 ( Precise location will be within 20 metres within this lat: long coordinates.
Findings from other resources
The following finding is not mine. This is the data derived from other resource who has done similar investigation
Step 1 : The given image was submitted for reverse image search to find clues. The google image search was a dead end. But I deployed various tools in OSINT Framework website to find any leads.
There were few clues can be extracted from the image which was – Cheese Inn and Cheese Gifts.
Step 2 -Yandex Image Search proved that the yellow shoes was considered as a souvenior . The extensive search lead to an Instagram account of a user where she posted a series of pictures including the image of similar shoes from her vacation trip to Amsterdam ,Netherland . This proved that image location was in Amsterdam.
Fig 10.2 Reverse image search finding on IG
Another social media application like IProfiles were also used for analysis to confirm the location of the image .
Fig 10.3 Reverse image search findings on I profile
This Image helped to recognise that the ‘ cows logo’ in the source image was similar to this logo where they mentioned ‘ upstairs’ which concludes that its a cheese shop.
Step 3 – Now I extended my research using that cows logo and the name ‘ cheese Inn’ on YouTube to find a vlog of a tourist in cheese inn where I found a similar floor design as of source image
Fig 10.5 YT reverse search finding
Step 4 – I found the address of the shop ‘ Cheese Inn ‘ from their YouTube Video only to know that their shop was permanently closed but there were images associated with this shop which confirms the similar shoe and the floor.
Fig 10.6 Google Map image search findings10.7 Google Map reverse search finding
Thus I confirmed the location was Cheese Inn , Amsterdam ,Netherland
> Reverse Image search ( Google Earth Pro, Google Map, Yandex Reverse Image Search, Bing Map .
>Picture Highlighting using normal editing features
Procedures
Step 1 – The original image was enhanced by balancing exposure,contrast, brightness, shadows features etc. The enhanced image help me to gather more clues about the location.
FG 12.2 – Images that shows some important landmarks
There was an image of a bus/tram passing through that road.
2. Triangular shaped grassland
3. Different shaped building
4.A building – single windows in a row
5. A Tall tower
Step 2- Reverse image search was done on the source image to find the similar matches. I utilized different tools like Yandex Image Search,Google Map and Google Earth Pro, Bing Maps etc . I was able to identify the location which was Germany from similar looking cityscrapers.
I employed the tool called PICARTA . This website would generally give you an overview about a geographic location. This site revealed that Image was taken in Berlin and gave a random location coordinates.
But that GPS coordinates doesn’t give any leads to exact location.
Step 3 – I have done an extensive research on different hotels/ building exterior views as most of the city scraper views are taken from Hotels . After a thorough research I found a similar building which confirms the similarity with the source image.
Fig 12.3- Findings of similar buildingZoomed view of source image
FG 12.4- The better view of the shop name to find more leads.FG : 12.5 – This image depicts that the both hotel and the shop are adjacent to each otherFG : 12.6 – The nameboard of Hotel name which you can see the source image (12.7)FG 12.7 – Close up view of the hotel name from the source image.
This reveal that the building belongs to a Hotel called Novotel Suites Berlin. This proves that image was taken somewhere near to ‘Novotel’ and that building should be quite tall.
FG 12.8 – Aerial view of Novotel Suites.
This shows that this hotel was surrounded by few very tall building, making it easy to understand that from where the image was taken. The building operates varieties of companies and organizations ranging from restaurant bar to tech companies.
One such company was a restaurant -bar called ‘ Solar Sky Bar Restuarant Lounge’
Fg 12.9 The bar operates in either top floor/second last floor Fg 12.10 View from SOLAR BAR AND LOUNGE Fg 12.11 – Video clip of bar interior and exterior view FIG : 12.12- VIEW FROM SOLAR BAR AND LOUNGE – Snow timeFg 12.14- Map view ( Google Earth Pro)this image shows that picture was taken somewhere around this corner ( almost right ) – then only the image would cover a partial building structure of Novotel suites.Reverse Image Search findings that proves the original source image.
The source image was a mirror image of the original footage
Summary of Findings
The image was taken from SOLAR BAR RESTAURANT LOUNGE ( Top floor of the building)
Tools/Technologies used : Reverse Image Search ( G.M , G Earth Pro)
Procedure :
Step 1 : Reverse Image search was employed to find similar images on web.
Fg 13.2 Google Reverse Image Search finding
Few images shows that picture was taken in one of the shipyard in Germany which help me to focus on one country.
Step 2- I utilized various tools and technologies from the website to find precise location using a website called ‘ OSINT framework’.
Fg 13.3 Reverse Image search finding revealing about precise location
One specific user in Flickr shared a photo( fig 13.3) of Hamburg port which I confirmed through that silver tank where the windmill is located.
FG 13.4 Another X user who posted similar images of Hamburg port
Step 3 – Utilized Google Earth and Google map for detailed analysis and investigation to find any proper leads
Fig 13.5 – Place board name . Retrieved from google map photos saying – Altena FischmarketFG 13.6- a- DOCK 11 landmark behind the bridge indicates that image was taken somewhere around that location Fg 13.6 b – Similar images of the source location indicating the angle in which photo was takenFig 13.7 – Google Map photos -The person who took this photo must have stand around this cornerFig 13.8 Aerial view of the map indicating key clues from source image – Docker 11 , Bridge. The photographer must have been stand around that corners which is highlightedFig 13.9 – Street view of the highlighted location where the person positioned him to take the image – Infront of the hotel/Fig 13.9 b- Street view of the building where the photographr positioned to take the image – Infront of fish market Fig 13.10 – map view
Step 1 : First of all I tried to find the location of the Image. The reverse image search didn’t give any leads. But I extracted few hints from the image that includes
1. the street name : Lyle Street
2. the name board of a shop
3. waste bin infront of the building
The source image was subject to enhancement to highlight the hints that can be derived from the image.
Fig 14.2 – Highlighted the name board of a specific building
The enhanced image reveals the nameboard – ED ___ and Tattoo. The dash part was not identified correctly. Though the word was either three or four lettered .
Fig 14.3 – Close up view of the bill board
Without zooming further in to the billboard , I tried to recollect the similar looking words that would go with the word ‘ Tattoo’ which has 3/4 letters. The close up analysis of letters have similarities with the alphabets which is mentioned below
The first letter either can be h or b ( lowercase )
The second / third letter can be either a , e , o
The last letter must be ‘r’
I was not entirely confirmed about the first word but I decided to consider the word ‘ hair ‘ .
The name board can be ED Hair and Tattoo
With this avaliable information I tried to locate the precise location using these 2 important clues. I abled to identify the location must be in US / American continents
Fig 14.4 – Reverse image search findingFig 14.5 A – The glass entrance side window retrieved from G M imagesFig 14.5 B Transparent window of the shop which can be seen partiallyFig 14.6 Map view of the streetFig 14.7 – The image was taken on January 2021 winter
The source image must have been taken during winter of 2020 -2021. As the position of street name board ‘ Lyle street ‘ varies in the year 2022.
Fig 14.8 Aerial view of the street name board changed during yearsFig 14.9 Position of street name board changed in the year 2022
Therefore , by confirming all these factors we identified the location in 674 Dundas St, London, ON N5W 3R8, Canada
As we solved the third part of the question. Lets move on to the first question – Identify the oldest version of the photo
The reverse image search prove that this specific image was used in different websites varies from Pinterest , X, Spotify, Soundcloud etc . I found that this image was utilized in different contexts in different website. And I believe that this specific image was taken during 2019 Nov / Dec to 2021 Jan/Feb winter time. As extreme snowing hits in American region during these months.
Fig 14.10 Reverse Image search findings of exact matches where the date varies from 2020 to 2024 Fig 14.11 -Reverse Image search proved that the image was taken on Nov 29 2020
Thus we answered all three questions by identifying the oldest version of the image as well as the owner of the image which is Olivia (posted on X )
Tools / Technologies used : Reverse Image Search ( Google Map)
Procedures
Step 1: Source image was subjected to reverse image search.
Fig 15.2 – Google Reverse Image Search findingFig 15.3 Reverse Image search result that shows the geolocationFig 15.3
The reverse image search result was found successful as we are able to find the location of the specific image. Most of the results directly implicits that the location is in Friedburg in Breisgau , Germany.
I also abled to retrieve another image from this location which gives us more hints about the location.
Fig 15.4 – Wider view of the specific location
I was able to retrieve few hints from these 2 images : source image and fig 15.4. These hints are mentioned below :
The blue tinted window panel.
The yellow building wall next to the pole.
Advertisements pasted on the black pole.
The design of the door and door number ’40’
The pebble rock floor
The street lamp
These hints can be utilized to establish the exact location of the source image.
Fig 15.5 Retrieved similar looking image from Google Map
Fig 15.5 represents the image that have similar patterns as of original source image that is – rock cobbler floors and the window designs
Munsterladen is a place which I found on google map while I am trying to get neighbourhood restaurant exterior views
Fig 15.6 Similar looking building
The building next to Munsterladen have similar features of the building in source image but when I zoomed to see the door number , its says ’42’ which is wrong . So this particular Munsterladen must have been in the opposite side of the source image.
After finding the door number 42, I tried to narrow down my search to door number 40, then I am able to retrieve this image from Google map photos which this user has posted.
Fig 15.6 Original source image retrieved from G. M
Fig 15.6 clearly shows the whole highlighted hints pointed out from source image which means that the specific photo was taken from this angle by cropping out building sides and walls. The door number 40, the yellow building, the pole with advertisement stickers, the street lamp were all captured in the picture mentioned above. Thus , I successfully managed to find the exact geographic location.
Fig 16.2 Reverse image search result using G. Image Scan
From the image 16.2 I was able to retrieve a lot of information or hints which would aid to trace the image origin . These information were mentioned below.
There is a lamp post with red stripped ribbon .
Christmas wreaths on the top.
An yellow circular name board mentioning ‘Art and Design Caramel District’
An yellow building
Brick building
Green bus moving towards traffic signal
A building opposite to the lamp pole.
These hints were used to identify the location.
The green bus on the source image were subjected to reverse image search but I am only able to understand that this particular bus was only running during christmas time ( Nov – Jan ) . This bus was mainly in USA and Canada regions.
It was difficult to focus on multiple regions so I shifted my reverse search to nameboard of ‘ Art and Design’.
Fig 16.3 – Reverse search result
Fig 16.3 shows the result of the nameboard image search result. I was able to retrieve a clear picture of the nameboard as well as the whereabouts about this particular landmark.
Fig 16.4 A – Landmark of Art and Design reference from google searchFig 16.4 B- Address of the landmark
I identified where this landmark was situated. I figured out this ‘ Caramel Art and Designs’ must be within the locality of Carmel , Indiana, USA.
Fig : 16.5 Geographical location of Carmel Arts and Designs
As I explored the location near to Carmel Arts and Design I didn’t find any buildings / landmarks that matches with the source image. So I confirmed that the image was not taken in neither Elm Street or E Phelps street. Thus I started exploring locations near to this Art and Designs club.
I found a blog that mentioned about the Carmel Art and Designs as well as the nearest main city /town .
Fig 16.6 Blog related to Carmel .
After researching around Sophia Square, I noticed a yellow building and a traffic signal which is similar to the source image. This yellow building can be seen on the photo which serves as a primary clue.
Fig 16.7 Yellow building landmark
There were various pathways in front of that building so I learned about different path by understanding building structure , lamp poles , view from certain location to the yellow building etc. I finally confirmed with route A.
16.8 Map representation of pathways
The pathway A had shown similarities with the source image, example – the single storey building in front of the lamp pole with blue window panel. The flower handing pots were not shown in the source image as it was hided by the appearance of bus
16.9 Google Map view of the precise location16.10 – the lamp post with the name board
The image was taken during christmas time
16.11 – The Christmas decor on the lamp pole – wreath and red ribbon
The question itself reveals that the image was taken from a cctv cam. The camera was positioned in such a way that it covers only lamp pole, single floored store as well as the yellow building entrance . Thus I confirmed that image was taken from this CCTV camera in front of law office.
16.12 CCTV was positioned in a way to capture the outside view
Through all this investigation. I successfully managed to identify the location of the Image
Identification of CCTV camera and the hidden part in the video.
Publicaly avaliable resources of CCTV videos were limited. Websites like Shodan , Earth Cam ,Zoom eye were the few of it. I employed various tools to find the CCTV footage of Carmel, USA. Most of them failed until I found ‘ Earth Cam’.
There was a search bar tool to find the CCTV footages of different locations. I tried with various keywords like city name,shop name , Location coordinates etc until I searched for Carmel, Indianpolis, USA to get result .
Now I solved the second part of the question which was the hidden part in the video which was scrapped off – ‘ Earthcam’ watermark
16.13 CCTV Camera footage retrieved from Earth Cam
Earthcam also provide the facility to search a specific timeline. As I observed christmas decor, the image was taken during the timeline between Nov 2023-Jan 2024
16.14 Earthcam CCTV Clippings of the street16.15- Highlighted the moving bus footage
From the image 16.15 , its easily understandable that the original source image was taken from this CCTV footage from Dec 24 2023.
To identify the time which the clip was recorded. I need to use ‘ sun calc’ to understand the hour by analysing the shadows formed by the bus.
16.16 Sun calc tool
I employed suncalc to understand the timing of the shadow which fallen on the right side ( side of Carmel Tattoo shop ). The shadows were short and slanted towards a particular side. So I believe that the CCTV footage was recorded between 14:30 -15:00 time.
Summary of Findings
Location : 1 S Rangeline Rd Suite 110, Carmel, IN 46032, United States
Time and Date : 24 December 2023 around 14:30 – 15:00 ish
Hidden data on source image : Watermark of EarthCam
Step 1- Reverse image search was done on source image in question using Google Lens feature
17.2 – Reverse image search result a – Flickr website resultFig 17.2 b – Reverse image search result- Instagram
Fig 17.2 a – Represent an image retrieved from Flickr which shows similarities with the source image which I have highlighted in Fig 17.3 . The small cubicle floor designs , the graffiti art and the staircase Handtrail also shows similar patterns
Fig 17.3 – Highlighted features of similarities Fig 17.4- Suspected location of the image uploaded by Flickr userFig 17.5 Instagram uploads in similar looking location
In image 17.5 , the IG user had uploaded images in a series where the user gave a hint that the images were taken in Berlin ( Reference- ‘ Berlinale Talent 2024’ poster ). In this image, we could see a long pole between the stack of staircase with long light fitted on the pole, this light tubes were also seen on source image.( Fig 17.6)
Fig 17.6 Highlighted image-Tube light
I done a thorough analysis on her other Instagram photos which was taken in the same location. The photos from the user’s Ig was posted below-
17.7 a17.7 b- 17.7 c
The user also mentioned about where the photos was taken which will confirm with the location the Flickr user has mentioned.
Fig 17.8 – Revealing of location of images
The fig 17.8 – shows that image was taken in a Museum in Berlin.
17.9 -Entrance of Museum17.10- Interior of museum.
Thus the images of evidence (17.9 & 17.10 ) confirms that location is Fotografiska, Berlin, Germany.
Summary of Findings
Location- Kunsthaus Tachelesm, Fotografiska Museum Berlin, Germany.
Step 1- Reverse Image analysis was done on source image. I employed Yandex Image search and Google Lens Image search.
Fig 18.2- Google Lens Reverse Search
Most of the reverse image search were shown the result as location in Jakarta, Indonesia. The analysis of source image leads to find some hints hidden in the photo.
The hints in the source image are discussed below:
AIA ,the company ( the red name board ) on the top of building.
the bridge
digital billboard or a large LED screen.
A white striped black verticle patterned pillar that can be seen on the right side of the building
Fig 18.3- Highlighted the hints on source image
The company ‘ AIA’ in Jharkta was considered as a landmark to find nearby location that shows similar building patterns. The street view and aerial view of this specific location exhibit similar features on source image.
Fig 18.4- Aerial view map of AIA in Jharkta.
In the questioned image(18.1), it is observed that image was taken from a close angle from source camera position thus the image was taken from an adjacent or opposite building to the building of AIA organization.
Fig 18.5 Highlighted the hints from Google Lens search result
The Intiland Tower is the location where the image was taken.Intiland Tower Jakarta is a breathtaking building and an innovative office for rent ever build. It has 24 floors with three basements and being the most iconic building located at Jakarta.
Fig 18.6 – Building lies opposite to AIA buildingFig 18.7 – The image must have been taken from any of these highlighted floor ( second last/ third last floor )
Unfortunately I am not able to locate the exact floor number where the photo was taken.
The image in fig 19.2 was highlighted because this image shows the presence of a green screen or something which we can also observe in source image
I opened the specific website mentioned in Google Lens Search result. This specific website belongs to a photographer where she posts images she took with a small writeup . I found an image that gives me more detailed image which she apparently took and mentioned it under ‘ Berlin’. This means that Image was taken in Berlin, Germany.
Pictures posted in her travel blog give us a detailed overview about what kind of event happened. The image analysis help me to gather that event was ‘orchestra performance.’
Fig : 19.3 – Images retrieved from a photographer’s website.Fig 19.4- Travel blog of the user that give details about the event happened in Berlin.
Unfortunately as the user didn’t give exact information about specific location. Again I conducted a reverse image which I retrieved from the user’s blog.
19.5- Reverse image search
Reverse image search was successful as I managed to receive similar looking image . I found a website to get more information about precise location.
Fig 19.6-Detailed view of the event
Thus, I confirmed the location and type of event happened in the source image.
Summary of Findings
Location: West-Eastern Divan Orchestra Performs in Waldbuehne, Berlin, Germany
Reverse Image Search ( Google Lens, Yandex. Istock,Flickr,Picarta)
PROCEDURE
Reverse Image search was done on the subject image to get any leads which navigates to the precise location. Different tools were employed ranging from Google Lens to Flickr yet the results were negative.
Fig 20.2- Reverse Image search findings- negative
The next part of the investigation is analysis of the subject ie. the image. The image gives you few hints which is mentioned below.
Mailboxes / Letterboxes
Texts in a different language other than English
There is graffiti on the wall behind the mailboxes.
Stickers and posters.
Location mentioned as Germany
If the language is only spoken in a specific place in the world, it will help confirm the location options to Germany. So I extracted some pieces of texts written in the posters to detect the language.
Fig 20.3 – Google translate
The translated text confirmed that the location is in Germany.
There were different phrases and texts on the image, some of these phrases were some brand names/ shop names , random quotes etc.
After exploring most of the phrases/ shop names , I observed a word which is repeated twice. I googled what is ‘flohmarkt feinkost’ which is highlighted in the image fig 20.4
Fig 20.4 -Highlighted the landmark which is repeated twice
In German, flea market is termed as ‘Flohmarkt’and ‘feinkost’ is a place in Germany where this was located
Fig 20.5 – Flohmarkt findings
I managed to get whereabouts about a certain place using keywords ‘Flohmarkt Feinkost’.
Fig 20.6 Whereabouts of the Flea market
There are more than 500 photos in Google map which was uploaded by different people. I done a thorough analysis on google map uploads to find any similar image.
I successfully managed to retrieve a similar image that of the source image. This image contain some few mailboxes as that of the subject image and the mailboxes are mounted on a wall with different colour palette of blue and green. The wall appears to be a made of wooden structure. The few letters written down on the wall can be also observed in the subject image
Reverse Image Search ( Google Lens, Yandex Image search, Facebook, X , Instagram )
PROCEDURE
The reverse image search was conducted on the source image using Google Lens. This led to a similar image of three cats in astronaut suits, which had been uploaded to Facebook. The retrieved Facebook image contained a clear watermark labeled “Surimiart.”
Fig 21.2- Image retrieved from FB
A reverse search of “Surimiart” on Instagram revealed an Instagram page featuring illustration posts and reels primarily focused on cat images. A thorough examination of her content indicated that the artist is based in Berlin, Germany. She creates illustrations of cats and pastes them in various locations around Berlin, categorizing these works as “space cats.”
Fig 21.3 – IG feed of Surimiart account
Unfortunately, the specific location where the original image was taken could not be determined.
Summary of Findings
Information about the Image – Illustration by ‘ Surimi’ – Spacecatheroes
Location– Berlin
TASK 22 – IDENTIFICATION OF DATE & TIME OF AN IMAGE
Step 1 -In order to identify the date and time when the image was taken, we first need to determine the location. For this purpose, I performed a reverse image search on the subject image, but it was unsuccessful.
Fig 22.2- Reverse image search result
The next step was to find any clues or hints from the image itself. I used a basic image editor in Windows to enhance the image and look for leads. There were a few landmarks in the form of text within the image. One visible clue was a green street sign that read ‘Reichartstraye.’ I searched the name online but did not find any relevant information.
Fig 22.3- Closer view of important landmarks on image
Further analysis of the image (22.3) revealed a blue logo belonging to a company named ‘MELAGE.’ I investigated the ‘MELAGE’ organization and discovered that the company is located in Berlin, Germany. Although map analysis of MELAGE did not yield much information, the street view of adjacent buildings helped pinpoint the exact location where the image was taken. Apart from fig 22.4- the street view of MELAG were almost none. I
Fig 22.4 – Street view of Melag.Fig 22.5- Map view of ‘GeneststraBe’Fig 22.6- Retrieved image from Google Map Photos
With the location identified, we could now determine the date and time. The image was posted on March 26, 2024, and the user mentioned that it was taken sometime in 2024, which narrows down the focus to three months: January, February, and March.
I utilized two tools simultaneously—MoonCalc and TimeandDate. Both of these tools provide an estimated time based on shadows and the moon’s position. In the image, it was clear that the moon’s position indicated that it was either morning or night. The tool ‘TimeandDate’ offers a general overview of the different moon phases and their timelines. The moon goes through various phases each month, which can change depending on latitude and time zone differences. I examined the months from January to March to understand the full moon cycle.
I have attached screenshots from TimeandDate and MoonCalc, showing the moon’s position to help determine the time. The shadow cast by the cyclist was almost the same length, pointing towards the southwest, which was in the opposite direction of the moon. By comparing the full moon phases from January to March, the shadow and moon position matched on March 25, 2024. However, there are no definitive sources to validate this conclusion.
As per timeanddate website, the full moon appeared on march 25. I tried to position moon on various time to cast the shadow on North-west direction opposite to moon.
When I compared different date and time ,the size of shadow seems to be either very long or very short. Longer shadows typically indicate early morning or late afternoon, while shorter shadows suggest midday. In this scenario, shadow seems to be short or same length as that of the object in the image.
Fig 22.7- Timeanddate website analysis on full moon cycle
There are different phases of moon cycle and in the scenario , focus on full moon dates.
In the source image, moon appears to be South-East direction, and the shadow of the bicycle lies in the opposite direction as that of moon which was North-west direction. Thus the time in the image was taken was between 20:00-21:30 pm.
In order to find the precise time when the image was taken, I needed to determine the exact location.
Step 1: I performed a reverse image search on the subject image to find any leads relating to the source image. When no results were found, I employed various tools like Yandex, OpenStreetMap, Earth Explorer, etc., but none of them were helpful.
Step 2: I conducted an image analysis on the source image to extract any clues present in the image. A few of the hints are mentioned below:
The image was flipped from left to right.
Tall, multi-storey building – Park Inn hotel chain.
Coffee chain – Espresso House.
Italian Restaurant – Vapiano.
Streetlight lamps were on.
Presence of a few people on the street.
Hints 1 to 3 were easy to identify from the image, while hint 4 required more in-depth analysis.
In the source image, a few letters were partially visible, such as “v,” “a,” “n,” and “o.” I tried to find any company, organization, restaurant, or retail store with similar letters, but no results were found. The ordeal of letters were confirmed – VA __NO?
There were challenges in narrowing down to a single country because both Park Inn Hotels and Espresso House coffee chains operate across several European countries like Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Finland, and Norway. Park Inn hotels are also present in these countries, which made it challenging to pinpoint the exact location.
Deep image analysis was conducted using various tools like Adobe and PicsArt. A closer inspection of the logo revealed the letters “P” and “i.” It also showed a seating arrangement similar to that of a restaurant. It appeared to be a two-storey building, as the company’s logo was visible on the first-floor level. I utilized ChatGPT to get information about any restaurant names that matched these letters, which led me to “Vapiano”—an Italian restaurant chain that operates globally.
Upon identifying three primary landmarks, I performed another reverse image search, this time focusing on a different portion of the source image (specifically the Vapiano restaurant logo). This search revealed a similar image to the source, which ultimately led me to the precise location.
This article gives the whereabouts the exact location of the building where ‘Vapino’ was located. I utilized Google Map to get the virtual street view option which aided me to find the precise location.
After identifying the location, the next step was to determine the exact time. From the source image, it was clear that the photo was taken either early in the morning or after sunset. Given that the location was in Germany, the sun typically sets between 7 pm and 8pm during Autumn. A thorough analysis of the image showed that there were few to no people in the coffee house, which typically closes at 8 pm. However, this information alone did not help establish the exact time.
There were vague shadows visible near the door and the shop’s signboard. These objects cast medium-sized shadows. Analyzing these shadows could help approximate the time.
Most European single doors are around 2.0-2.1 meters high, so I used an approximate height of 2.4 meters to calculate the average length of the shadow. Here, the length of the shadow was almost equal to the height of the door.
Thus I explored different time and date in MoonCalc to find the matching shadow length. So I believe that image was taken between
Step 1: The image was subjected to a reverse image search to find the location using Google Lens. The reverse search helped to yield information about the whereabouts of the location. The search returned various results connecting to different websites, confirming that the location is in Berlin, Germany.
Fig 24.2- Reverse image result
Step 2: An image analysis of the subject was performed. Some information was extracted from the source image to detect the precise location. These clues are listed below:
Brick building covered in a net
Posters
Two cars parked in front of the building
Shadows formed by the cars, indicating daytime
A nameboard in German reading “Anthropocene Floraissance”
The image appears to be flipped
According to the original poster (OP), the image was posted a week after it was taken
The reverse image search showed similar images from the same location. By gathering bits of information from different websites, I identified the street as Mitti Borough in Berlin. Further reverse image analysis pointed to the location as Auguststraße.
Fig 24.3 – Reverse image search finding
In Figure 24.3, I found an additional hint about the location: building number 69. This matched with Hint 5 from the image analysis (the nameboard in German reading “Anthropocene Floraissance”). Thus, I confirmed the location of the image.
Fig 24.4- Reverse image search finding
The closer view of the source image that presents the board name.
Fig 24.5- Source image -zoomed version of the name board
Then I proceed to reverse search the street name on Google Map to find the exact location from where the image was taken.
We need to determine the exact time the photo was taken.
For that purpose, we conducted analysis on shadow. The shadow was formed by the car, and the car logo is visible in the image. It appears to be a Mercedes-Benz. I used reverse image search to find the model of the car and obtain its measurements.
Fig 24.7- Reverse image that confirms the model of the carFig 24.8 – Length of Mercedes Benz E class in mm Fig 24.9- Conversion of mm into metre
The OP mentioned that the image was taken a week before it was uploaded, which was on July 2, 2024. Therefore, the image was likely taken on June 25, 2024.
In the source image, the shadow was positioned in a North-East direction, indicating that the sun was in the opposite direction, i.e., South-West. When the time was set between 16:30 and 16:46, the shadow of the car aligned with the curb of the road. This suggests that the photo was taken sometime between 16:35 and 16:46.
Fig 24.10- Direction of shadow on S.Image
Given the input value of the car length as 5 meters, SunCalc automatically provided the shadow length as 5.98 meters.
Fig 24.11- Providing values to Sun Calc to measure the shadow length
When the time was set between 16:30 -16:46,the shadow of the car aligns the curb of the road. Thus I confirmed the time in which the photo was taken anywhere between 16:35-16:46
Step 1 – A reverse image search was conducted to gather information about the image. After exploring similar images found through Google Image search, I discovered that the image was taken in Germany. I confirmed the location based on the similarities I matched with the source image, as detailed below:
River/Lakefront
Mountain overlay
Church top
Yellow-painted two-story building
Presence of a bridge
Fig 25.2- Google Lens search resultsFig 25.3- Closer view of buildings
The location is the wine village of Unkel, on the waterfront of the Rhine River in Germany. The task was to identify the town, which was confirmed to be Unkel in the district of Neuwied.
Fig 25.4- Finding town name
Next, we needed to find the nearest train station to this location. The photo was taken from inside a train, as indicated by the railway tracks running parallel to the waterfront. There was also another clue confirming the mode of transport: the image analysis showed the presence of a red tube light, which is commonly found in trains or trams.
Fig 25.5 Transport view of two train stations of Unkel
Having identified the mode of transport, the next step was to determine the direction of the train’s movement. In the source image, it’s evident that the majority of objects appear shaky, blurry, or glitchy. The image shows a river and a town on the right side of the train, suggesting that the train is moving in the opposite direction of the river, which is east. Therefore, the next station to the east is Remagen.
Summary of Findings
Town : Unkel
Next station– Remagen
TASK 26 -IDENTIFICATION & GEOLOCATION OF A BUTTERFLY
The reverse image search was successful as it provided more information about the image, including the species of the butterfly and the location.
Firstly, I focused on the butterfly. The image search confirmed that the butterfly belongs to the species :- Hestina assimilis.
Fig 26.2- Reverse Image search result
With the first part of the task complete, I then focused on finding the geolocation of the butterfly. After exploring various resources, I found a similarity with a mountain view from Hong Kong, China.
Fig 26.3- Reverse Image Search of Mountain view
By navigating through multiple travel articles, I managed to narrow down the location to Lantau Peak in Hong Kong. It is the second highest peak in Hong Kong and the highest point on Lantau Island, with a landmass of 147.16 square kilometers.
After reviewing several articles and maps of Lantau Peak, I determined the precise location of the photograph. The image was taken from a landmark known as Tung Chung, located on Lantau Peak.
Fig 26.4-Mountain view from Tung Chung point
I confirmed this landmark ‘ Tung Chung’ because of similarities matched with the source image including the mountain elevation, the position of buildings as well as the bridge connecting between two island look landmarks.
Fig 26.5- Map overview of Tung Chung pointFig 26.6- Detailed view of source image
In fig 26.6, the view has presence of two independent bridges similar as that of similarly retrieved images of same location.
Reverse image search was conducted on the graffiti art. This led to the discovery of similar images from various buildings. After examining these images, a building with a strikingly similar graffiti art was identified. Although the buildings appeared alike, no further information about the location was available.
As only a small portion of building was visible, its difficult to understand similar images from same location. In order to confirm the location, we need more evidence.
Fig 27.3- Exact image as that of source image
Fig 27.3 confirmed that the location is in Berlin , Germany.
To obtain more relevant results, an additional image from Google search was used (27.3). This approach yielded more information, revealing that the location is in Berlin, Germany.
Fig 27.4- Relevant info about location.
Reversed image this location to cross verify.The building belongs to a hotel named Oderberger, Straße 57, Berlin, Deutschland. The graffiti art is known as “Big Jump.”
Fig 27.5- Closer view of the building
When comparing source image with fig 27.5. There are few factors that help to confirm the location.
Fig 27.6- Overview of buildingFig 27.7- Closer view of the graffiti art building
The presence of green roof confirmed the location , both the source image and retrieved images has green roof down below the graffiti art. The tree branches fallen over the art had also contributed to confirm the location.
Thus , we identified the location.
Now comes the second part of the investigation- the origin of this art
To determine the origin and date of the art, another image search was performed. Through various resources, it was confirmed that the art originated in this hotel in the year Feb 24 2019.
Fig 27.7- confirms the original time of creation of this art
Reverse Image Search ( Google Lens,Flickr , G.map photos )
PROCEDURE
Image analysis was conducted to extract relevant information from the source image. A few key details were noted, which were clearly evident:
Two ducks colored blue and silver
The location appeared to be a park
A golden-shaded deer statue was visible in the background
A reverse image search helped confirm the location.
Fig 27.2- Reverse Image Search
I identified it as Rudolph Wilde Park in Berlin, Germany, after finding similarities with the source image: two ducks positioned similarly, with the deer statue in the background.
Fig 27.3- Clear view of backgroundGig 27.4- Description of 2 ducks
Initially, these two bronze statues had a silver colour, but their shade was recently changed. I now need to determine when the colour of one of the ducks turned blue.
To investigate this, I used Google Maps photos uploaded by other users to check images of the ducks. Most photos still showed silver-shaded ducks, but one user had uploaded an image of the silver ducks in September 2023. It’s unclear whether the photo was taken earlier and uploaded later, but I’ll assume it was captured around September 2023.
Fig 27.5- Dated Sep 2023
Meanwhile, the original post on X was from June 2023, suggesting the colour change occurred sometime between September 2023 and June 2024.
After reviewing multiple articles, Flickr, and iStock images, I found a photo from January 2024 showing one silver and one blue duck at the same location. The user who uploaded it mentioned that the image was taken in January 2024. There were no earlier uploads of the blue duck, indicating that the colour change likely occurred around December 2023- January 2024.
Fig 27.6- Ducks with blue and silver shade
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Date when colour of duck was changed – Since December 2023-Jan 2024
TASK 28 – GEOLOCATION IDENTIFICATION
Source– IG story @private user
Fig 28.1- Source image in question
METHODOLOGY
An image analysis was conducted to extract hints that could lead to identifying the precise location. The following clues were derived from the source image:
A building named RMIT University
Adjacent shops including BBQA Buffet
Movie posters/advertisements
A white van
Korean/Chinese shop names
The next step was to conduct a reverse image search, which returned similar locations suggesting that the image was taken in Melbourne, Australia.
Fig 28.2- Reverse Image Search Result
Focusing on RMIT University, I reviewed street views on Google Maps. However, RMIT has multiple branches/buildings across Melbourne.
Fig 28.3- RMIT University locations
The reverse image search yielded images of similar locations, from which I attempted to extract more clues.
In these two images, the locations appear similar, but differences in building names, shop names, colours, and structures suggest that the images were taken years apart. Additional clues from these images included:
A building/shop named “TopShop TopMan”
A building/company named “Sensis”
Vodafone advertisement on an electronic billboard
Graffiti art on the walls
Korean/Chinese shops
A shop named “Sakira”
Domino’s Pizza
Yellow taxi service
Fig 28.4- Images retrieved from Google MapFig 28.4- Images retrieved from Google Map
These clues were used to verify the location. I focused on the “TopMan TopShop” store, which has since permanently closed, but Google Maps indicated its location as Melbourne. Further research confirmed that ‘TopShop TopMan’ was located at 287Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia.
Expanding the search on Google Maps, I identified other landmarks adjacent to this retail store, which confirmed the presence of RMIT University and nearby shops.
Fig 28.6- Street View of 287 Lonsdale Road-2019 Fig 28.7- Street View of Lonsdale Road-2021
The company “Sensis” was located at this site until 2019/2020. In 2021, RMIT University relocated to this address, explaining why images from earlier years do not show “RMIT University.”
The source image appears to have been taken from the Lonsdale Street Pedestrian Bridge, based on its perspective.
Fig 28.8.streetview-2022 from the point of capture.Fig 28.9-The user took the source image from this bridge.
Reverse image search was done on the source image. The results were navigated to Paris, France because of the similarity in location.
fig 29.2- reverse image result
I started off the investigation with a shop named ‘ Le Tousi’ in Paris, France. Unfortunately , this restaurant is now shutdown but the address remains unchanged.
fig 29.3-Finding from the source image
After exploring through google map photos of ‘Le Tousi’, I found the exact coordinate from where the photo was taken . The image was taken on July 2020.
Fig 29.4- Original image retrieved from Google Map Photos
A reverse image search was conducted on the source image to gather potential leads. This search was successful in identifying the approximate location of the church, which appears to be in Sweden.
The recovered image and the source image share similarities in the church’s architecture, particularly the distinctive church top. Based on this observation, we have identified the church as Oscar Fredrik Church.
Fig 30.4- Images of church
To further verify this identification, we explored various street views of the church. We cross-referenced these views with the source image, looking for specific features such as:
The church’s view from the street
The projected balcony
Street signs and parking meters
The pathway leading to the church
Original image is flipped
By comparing these features between the source image and the recovered image, we have confirmed the match.
Fig 30.5- Original position of the user from where the photo was clicked.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Location Coordinates :
Location Details:
Google Map Link :
TASK 31 – LOCATION IDENTIFICATION
Source : X@JULIABAYER
Fig 31.1- source image in question
PROCEDURE
A reverse image search was conducted on the source image to gather potential leads. The results varied, showing the same character portrayed in different appearances and environments.
Fig 31.2- reverse image search result
This analysis helped to identify the artist’s name as “Muebon,” signed on the street art with “Muebon 2019.” I then searched for the artist online and found that Muebon has a social media account under the same name.
Fig 31.3- MUEBON INSTGRAM ACCOUNT
Upon reviewing Muebon’s Instagram account, I found a post featuring the same image but with a colorful filter. The location tagged was Chiang Mai, Thailand. I then researched Chiang Mai and learned that it is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai Province, and the second-largest city in Thailand.
Fig 31.4 – Source image uploaded by Original artist
To narrow down the specific location of the street art, I expanded my search to articles, travel blogs, YouTube videos, and Google Maps. This research revealed that there are over 10 popular street art locations in Chiang Mai. Despite examining numerous street views, I was unable to locate the exact spot where the photo was taken.
Further image analysis on the source image revealed small details, such as three red letters visible in mirror view: “S” or “E,” “H,” and “G.” I looked into the possibility of a shop or retail establishment with these letters but was unable to find a match.
Fig 31.5-Close up view of logo
Additionally, a few capitalized letters, “ROTER,” were visible in the image. I searched for any artists or tags related to “ROTERO” but found no relevant information.
Fig 31.6-Closeup view of ROTERO
As a result, the only details confirmed from the image are the location as Chiang Mai, Thailand, and the artwork’s creation year, 2019.
Summary of Findings
Location coordinates : Couldn’t find
Location details :Chiang Mai , Thailand
Date when art is created : 2019
TASK 32- GEOLOCATION IDENTIFICATION
Source : IG @samsungus @caziafranklin
Fig 32.1 (a)- Source image in questionFig 32.1 b- Source image in questionFig 32.1 c-source image in question
PROCEDURE
A reverse image search was conducted on a series of source images to gather potential leads. Some results showed similarities with Lake Estes in Colorado, U.S. I investigated various articles, websites such as iStock and Flickr, and social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook to find comparable images from the same location.
The location was confirmed by comparing numerous elements from the source image with images retrieved online. These images are listed below:
Fig 32 – Shows notable similarities to the source image, including vegetation type, soil characteristics, and mountain structure.
Fig 23.2(a)- Image retrieved from IG (1 month ago)Fig 23.2 (b)- Image from IG (2 months ago)
Upon careful observation of Lake Estes, the trees in the image have yellow leaves, suggesting that the photograph was likely taken during autumn.
Fig 32.3- Autumn view of Lake EstesFig 32.4- Lake Estes view Fig 32.5(a)-Position from where the image was taken.Fig 32.5 (b) Position from where the image was taken.
The photographer of the original source image has likely captured the image from a position that showcased the mountain view, rocks, grass vegetation, and autumnal foliage on the trees.
Fig 32.6- an attachment I extracted from YouTube video that shows Lake Ester tour. This is the link to the video-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-vtVRww4Dktimestamp :10:20 to 10:40
Fig 32.6- Clear view of Lake Estes from where the photo took
Movies that shot in Lake Estes
Several movies have featured Lake Estes, including Catch and Release (2006), currently available on Netflix. The lake and surrounding area appear in the film between timestamps 1:02:45 and 1:08:41. As Netflix has disabled screen recording, it is not possible to attach a screenshot here.
Summary of Findings
Location coordinates :40.373963, -105.494013
Location Details :Lake Estes, Estes Park, Colorado, USA
A reverse image search was conducted on the subject to gather clues. The results were helpful and narrowed down the options to the Czech Republic.
Fig 33.2- Reverse image search using Google Lens
Further image analysis revealed several clues about the location, described below:
Pebble/stone surface
Building structure
‘Hotel Leylaria’ shop banner
‘Verona Apartman’
I reviewed these clues to find the exact location. I searched for ‘Verona Apartman’ and found that it has only a few branches.
Fig 33.3- Verona Apartmans in C.R
I explored the street view around Verona Apartman to locate additional primary landmarks identified as hints. As a result, the location was confirmed as Český Krumlov in the South Bohemian Region, Czech Republic.”
Fig 33.4 Street view of Verona ApartmentsGig 33.5- OP must have took this picture from this point
Reverse image search was conducted on the source image to identify potential leads about its origin. The search revealed that the image was captured in Denmark.
Fig 34.2- Reverse image search result
Image analysis was performed to extract specific details, including:
Floor surface
Light decorations
Red shop logo
“t.i.n.g” shop name board
Fig 34.3- Extracted hints from source image
These details were utilized to pinpoint the exact location in Denmark. By systematically exploring each extracted clue, the store named “t.i.n.g” emerged as the key to the precise location.
It appears that this particular store, a furniture shop, is situated at a unique address: Tværgade 13, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark.
The location was confirmed by cross-referencing the street view with the source image. This comparison verified the alignment of the pathway, building color and structure, and other shop names.
Fig 34.4- Closer view of t.i.n.g store and its name boardFig 34.5- Exact point from which image was taken.
A reverse image search was conducted on the subject image. The results indicated that the image was taken in North Macedonia. Similar images were also identified using the Google Lens feature.
Fig 35.2- Reverse image search result
I researched various articles and websites to narrow down the location within North Macedonia. By translating the language to English, I was able to pinpoint the precise location from an article.
Fig 35.3- Findings from website aFig 35.3- Findings from website b
To enhance clarity, I extracted several hints from the source image, including:
A red logo with the brand “KAM”
The shop name “Iguana” on a board
A country’s flag
A black billboard
A rotating lamp
Building structure
These details were utilized to identify the exact location in Skopje, Macedonia. By systematically exploring each clue, the “Iguana” store emerged as the key to the precise location.
Fig 35.4- Branches of Iguana
Given that Iguana has numerous branches across the country and limited street view availability. Iguana travel was right store ,as we can see the red coloured building in the source image where the brand name logo was located adjacent to the red building.
Fig 35.5 (a)- G.map street view of Iguana travelsFig 35.5 b- Closer view of ‘Iguana’ and ‘KAM’
Image analysis was conducted on the source image to extract relevant information. Some of the extracted details are listed below:
Two power stations
A windmill
A blue and yellow fence
Small brick-coloured tents
Street signs
Road construction work in progress
This information was used to gather details about the precise location.
The source image was subjected to a reverse image search using the Google Lens feature. After trying different focus levels, I managed to find a similar image from a web source.
Fig 36.2- Reverse image search result
This image appears to have been taken from Langerlo, NV in Belgium. By exploring the street view of Langerlo, NV, I identified the specific point from which the image was captured to include the two power stations and the windmill.
Reverse image search was conducted on this image to gather more relevant information about the location. The results indicated that the image was likely taken in Mallorca ,Spain, based on similar images identified using Google Lens.
Fig 37.2- Reverse image search – Google Lens
Further investigation was conducted through various resources to confirm the location. An exact landmark was found: a shop with a cloth stand outside, displaying a sign that reads “Art Ambient.”
Fig 37.3-Findings from the webFig 37.4- Closer view of shop name
Focusing the search on “Art Ambient” in Spain, it was determined that there is only one “Art Ambient” gallery. Street view images of the gallery revealed that the original image was taken somewhere around the corner.
Fig 37.5- Street view of ArtAmbient GalleryFig 37.6- Street view of ArtAmbient gallery
No recent update off street view was available thus there will be changes of environment in the source image.
A reverse image search was conducted on the subject image to gather information about the location. Using Google Lens, the location was identified as Greece by comparing the image to similar ones.
Fig 38.2- Reverse Image Search
Further analysis revealed that the specific location is the Meteora Monastery. This conclusion was drawn by comparing architectural features such as the building structure, floor patterns, and the path to the stairs visible in the source image.
Image analysis was conducted prior to a reverse image search to gather more information about the location. The following information was extracted:
Street signs
Electronic ad board displaying a Prime Video ad in a foreign language
Busy street with a large crowd
Restaurant named “Le Pain Quotidien Boulangerie”
Building name “270 Oxford House”
Shop name in cursive: “Hans EGstoer Croissant”
Fig 39.2- Highlighted the extracted hints
A reverse image search proved unhelpful, so we focused on the extracted hints.
Fig 39.3- Reverse image search
The presence of an electronic billboard with a foreign language suggested the location might be outside of an English-speaking country. Translating the text revealed it to be Dutch, indicating the location was likely in the Netherlands.
Fig 39.4-Google translation of text
With the location narrowed down to the Netherlands, we focused on the “Le Pain Quotidien Boulangerie & Restaurant.” However, this is a large Italian restaurant chain with numerous branches across the country. As it was impractical to investigate each location, we turned to the next hint: “270 Oxford House.” Most investigations based on this hint led to dead ends.
Fig 39.5 (a)- Number of branches in EUFig 39.5 (b)- No: of branches in NL
The final hint, “Hans Eerste Croissant,” was the key to unlocking the location. Zooming in on the specific portion of the image and conducting a reverse image search on the shop name yielded relevant information.
Fig 39.6- Zoomed image of shop nameFig 39.7- Reverse image search result of shop name
This specific bakery, “Hans EGSTORF Croissant,” is located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. With only one branch, a street view analysis was conducted to identify specific landmarks visible in the source image. The bakery was found to be adjacent to “Le Pain Quotidien Boulangerie & Restaurant.”
Fig 39.8- Location of Bakery ‘Hans Egorf’.Fig 39.9(a)- Street view of Hans EgorfFig 39.9 (b)- Street view of Le Pina Quietedo
Cross-verifying with the other four extracted hints confirmed the location: Spuistraat 266 hs, 1012 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Fig 39.10- Zoomed version of building no : 270 Oxford HouseFig 39.10- The user must have taken picture around the other side
A reverse image search was conducted on the subject image to gather information about the location. Using Google Lens, the location was identified as Cefalu in Italy by comparing the image to similar ones from the same location.
FIG 40.1- Reverse image searchfig 40.3 -a- Reverse image search findings -1fig 40.3 (b)- Reverse image search findings -2Fig 40.4- User must have been positioned there to capture this imageFig 40.5- The view from the specific position
Thus, the location is confirmed to be the Cefalu, medieval village of Sicily island, Province of Palermo, Italy
Step 1: The source was subjected to reverse image search. The results were provided pretty quick. The location is revealed to be in Museum im Kulturspeicher Würzburg, Germany
Explored the interiors of Kulturspeicher , to find the similar interior structure which confirmed the location.
Location –Museum im Kulturspeicher Würzburg , Germany
The source image is subjected to reverse image search for any leads connecting to location.
The reverse image search shows similar looking result from various location. The location was narrow down using the location attributes on the image which was described below :
Water body canal
Stadium
Seating arrangement
Low floor Stadium
After exploring through reverse image search findings , I found a YouTube Video from the similar looking location. The YTB video has given the location and its date. The YouTube video link is mentioned below:
After extracting different keywords and going through numerous websites and YouTube links, I confirmed the location was in Würzburg, GER.
This event was called Harbor Summer Festival in Old Port, Wurzenberg, this was a floating stage
I first conducted a reverse image search on the source image to find any similar images, but the search did not yield any results that could support the investigation.
A closer analysis of the image revealed several location-related details, including:
Building structure
Adjacent buildings
Street signs
I then performed another reverse image search on a different platform, Yandex Images, which produced a few similar images and helped confirm the location.
Using those results, I attempted to geolocate the image on Google Maps, but no matching results were found.
Further analysis showed that the hotel in the image had been closed.
Location: Hotel Rheinhotel Loreley Koenigswinter, Rheinallee 12, 53639 Königswinter, North Rhine-Westphalia
Task – 43
Source : Reddit (r/GeoPuzzle)
Fig 43.1 – source image
Methodology
Firstly, I analysed the picture deeply and gathered all the indicators in the image, which would narrow down me to the location. I identified following hints which is mentioned below
Fig 43.2 – Extracted Hints
Hello Ride Bicycle/Scooter service
A danger poster written in Tamil Language
AMA E-billboard
Red logo on the building
Street lamp structure
Writings on the buildings
Engraved Shop sign
Before proceeding with the reverse image search, I first gathered information about HelloRide. I learned that HelloRide operates only in Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. This helped narrow the possible locations to Singapore and Malaysia, especially because of Clue No. 2, which mentioned a poster in Tamil, an official language used in both countries.
Fig 43.4 – HelloRide operations in the country
Next, I attempted a reverse search on the AMA logo, but it yielded no useful results. I then shifted to Clue No. 6, which showed the partially visible text “Tenaga Nasional Pangsapur…” on a wall, with the rest blocked by trees. Researching this led me to Tenaga Nasional Berhad, a major utility company in Malaysia. This further narrowed the search specifically to Malaysia.
Fig 43.5 – Info about Tenaga Nasional Berhad
Clue No. 4 mentioned a red logo on a building. After performing a reverse image search, I found that the logo belongs to AMBank, a well-known national bank in Malaysia with branches only within the country. I listed all major AMBank branch locations and cross-checked each one on Google Maps to find an environment that matched the surroundings in the image.
After reviewing multiple branches, I identified the one whose building architecture and surrounding environment matched the photo. This branch is located on Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Fig 43.5 – AM Bank logo identificationFig 43.5(a) (b) AMBank locations in MYFig 43.6 – AMBank in Jalan Raja Chulan branchFig 43.7 – AMBank location
To verify from exactly where the image was taken, I examined aerial imagery around the AMBank branch and located the Malai Thai Cuisine restaurant. This aligned with Clue No. 7, where part of the signage in the original image showed “MAL…” with “cui” beneath it. These observations confirmed that the photo was taken near Malai Thai Cuisine. Since the restaurant has limited exterior photos on Google, the only helpful reference was a Street View image taken near the HelloRide scooter parking area, which matched the vantage point in the original photo.
Fig 43. Adjacent places near to AMBank
The exact location is HelloRide scooter parking zone, located next to Malai Thai Cuisine at Menara Ample West, 6 Jalan P. Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur.
Fig 43.9 – Exact location from where the image was taken
I performed a reverse image search on the source image since there were limited visible clues. The search revealed the same graffiti art at the same location, leading to a Flickr account that identified the place as Doel in Belgium.
Fig 44.2 – Flickr images of same location
I then looked for additional images from the area on Flickr and found one that was location-tagged on Wikimedia as Vissersstraat, Doel, Belgium. After checking Google Maps, I was able to pinpoint the exact spot where the original photo was taken. Doel is an abandoned village in Belgium with a very small remaining population.
Fig 44.3 – Exact Location where the image was taken
I performed a reverse image search on the source image because it contained very few identifiable clues. The search returned only a small number of locations with similarities, one of which was St. Simons Island, Georgia. I repeated the process with Yandex, and it suggested similar results.
Fig 45.2 – Reverse image search results
I then looked up St. Simons Island, Georgia, on Google Maps and browsed through Google Photos for matching images. After reviewing many photos, I found one that closely resembled the source image and featured the same type of bridge. This allowed me to identify the bridge.
Fig 45.3 – Google Photos of St. Simons IslandFig 45.6 – Clear image of the bridge during daytime
Methodology: I performed a reverse image search on the source image, which returned results related to couriers to India in Sydney, Australia. I entered that location into Google Maps and browsed through Google Photos and Street View for each building. Using this process, I was able to identify the exact location where the image was taken.
Fig 46.2 – Reverse image search resultFig 46.3 – Exact location where the image is taken
The image was taken during sunset, so I first enhanced the photo with basic filters (brightness/contrast) to bring out details on the beach and in the background. This helped isolate visual clues that could support geolocation.
Extracted clues from the image:
Black sand beach
2 jetty visible on the right side of the frame.
Uniform green-topped, white umbrella holders
Using these clues, I performed several reverse-image searches. Results suggested that similar umbrella-holder designs and beach layouts appear frequently on the western coast of Italy, especially in the Tuscany region.
Next, I compared the image to beaches along the Tuscan coastline using satellite and user photos. The combination of:
west-facing shoreline,
dark sand,
organised umbrella posts, and
a breakwater/marina structure on the right
matched beaches around Marina di Cecina, on the coast of Tuscany.
Although I could not find an exact match for the green-topped holders, the overall beach layout and the breakwater closely resemble the structures in Marina di Cecina, making it the strongest candidate location.
Methodology: I reverse-searched the image and the results pointed to Vicolo dei Lavandai, a street in Italy. After checking it on Google Maps, I noticed that the bridge barriers matched perfectly, which confirmed the general location. I then explored the street in Street View to determine the exact spot from which the photo was taken.
I reverse searched the source image using Google Lens, and most of the results pointed to Cythera (Kythira) Island in Greece.
I then copied the suggested location into Google Maps. After exploring the area and adjusting the map view, I was able to identify the exact coastal bay shown in the image as Kapsali. The curved shoreline, the twin-bay layout, and the cluster of white buildings along the coast match the features visible in the image.
Fig 49.2 – Image from the seaport
By analyzing the image closely, the photograph appears to be taken from an elevated viewpoint, looking down at the bay and the seaport. The cruise/boat port is visible in the center of the bay, and on the opposite side there are buildings constructed on a slope. One of these buildings has a distinct C-shaped structure and is located toward the end of the row of buildings.
Fig 49.3 – Aerial view of the C shaped structure
From the seaport area, the same C-shaped building structure can be observed on the hillside, with one-storey buildings located below it on the slope, which aligns with the visual details in the source image.
While exploring the opposite side of the port on Google Maps, I found a signboard labeled “Spitia Vasili.” Upon searching for Spitia Vasili, the building structure matched the source image, including the curved layout and its position relative to the bay.
Fig 49.4 – view from the balcony
Although Street View imagery is not available for this exact spot, the balcony view from Spitia Vasili corresponds with the view of the seaport and coastline seen in the source image. The angle, elevation, and surrounding terrain further support this match.
The exact location shown in the source image is Spitia Vasili, Kapsali, Kythira Island, Greece.
I reverse image searched the source photo, but the results did not lead to a direct match. At first glance, it is evident that the image was taken in a European country, based on the road infrastructure, building style, and traffic layout.
A closer analysis of the image reveals several key indicators that help narrow down the location:
A red circular logo with the text “ÖBB” is visible. ÖBB is the abbreviation for Österreichische Bundesbahnen, commonly known as Austrian Federal Railways, which strongly indicates that the location is in Austria.
On the building, the word “Bahnhof” is visible. “Bahnhof” is the German word for railway station.
The castle structure visible on the hill in the background was then reverse searched separately. This led to the identification of the structure as Schloss Rosenburg (Rosenburg Castle) in Austria.
The next step was to identify railway stations located near Schloss Rosenburg. Several nearby stations and transit points were explored using Google Maps and satellite imagery.
Fig 50.2 – Aerial view of transits near the castleFig 50.3 – The number of transits and railway stations near castle
After checking multiple stations in the area, the station Hötzelsdorf–Geras Bahnhof stood out. The match was confirmed by comparing the paint colour and architectural style of the station building.
Fig 50.4 – Railway station
Based on these matching features, the image appears to have been taken from the entrance area of Hötzelsdorf–Geras Bahnhof, facing the road with Schloss Rosenburg visible in the background.
Fig 50.5 – Exact location where the image is taken.
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