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How to Geolocate Imagery using OSINT
Using clues held within an image file to identify where it was captured
OSINT Ltd
October 08, 2023
Step 1: Check for EXIF data
An Exchangeable Image File Format (EXIF) is a data set which provides metadata about media files such as images, videos, or audio.
This includes details such as the type of camera it was shot with, the shutter speed, and lens type. Even more helpfully, it may also include data on the time and date the image was taken, and the GPS coordinates of where it was taken.
An example of EXIF data from a media file. Image Credit: thomocochrane
Caveat: Don’t get too excited, while this is the god-tier indicator for geolocation, often it will not exist.
Social media platforms routinely wipe EXIF data from imagery to protect the privacy of users, and even if the file isn’t from social media there are a host of other reasons it may not exist: the camera wasn’t set to record it or its GPS was disabled when the image was taken, the user wiped it, the file is corrupted, or the file may be a copy of a copy of a copy.
To check whether EXIF data exists, simply right click on the file and select “Properties” on a PC or “Get Info” on a Mac. If your computer doesn’t have this feature, you can go to a site like www.metadata2go.com which allows you to upload files and checks them for EXIF data for you.
If you don’t want to download an image you’ve found online, you can try copying and pasting the URL of the image into a site such as www.exif-viewer.com, and this will check for the existence of EXIF data for you.
Step 2: Do a reverse image search
If there is no EXIF data stored on the image file, the next step is to conduct a reverse image search and see if any other copies of the image, or similar images, exist online that can give you more clues as to where it was taken.
Sites that allow you to do this include:
Yandex Search (This is a Russian-owned site, so I have not included a link. You can search for and use this at your own risk if you wish).
Results from a reverse image search I conducted on TinEye
Step 3: Look for visual indicators
If your reverse image search is fruitless, try and identify potential clues within the image itself. These include objects, environment, and text.
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