JOL> COLLECTions>Digital Storytelling>Searching in Flickr

 

Flickr has recently improved the ability of users to search for imagery. Flickr has added Boolean searching, the ability to search using multiple tags, and the ability to use including and excluding terms.

This search capability even extends into the Creative Commons pools. In addition, Flickr most interesting is now available for a search return, something very valuable for digital storytelling because that return usually presents the most compelling photography.

 

GET this document as a pdf.

 

BOOLEAN SEARCHING:

Uses the Boolean operators AND, OR, NOT between search terms

Examples:

Illinois AND barns would yield imagery tagged with both terms ( see search )

Illinois OR barns would return imagery tagged with either term but not necessarily both. ( see search )

Illinois NOT barns would return imagery tagged with Illinois but could not include the barn tag. ( see search )

You may include multiple Boolean operators together in a string.

Illinois AND barns NOT owls. This search would return imagery tagged with Illinois and barns but could not contain imagery tagged with owls (such as barn owls) ( see search )

 

TAG vs. FULL TEXT SEARCH

You may search for an image using a tag search or a full text search. The full text search includes the description of the image included by the photographer as well as the title ( at least I think so ).

Example: Illinois AND barns

Full text search: 359 images

Tag Search: 11 images

 

INCLUDING AND EXCLUDING TERMS

You may use an excluding term ( - ) to remove specific tags from a search or you may use an including ( + ) term to be sure to include a tag in the search.

Examples:

Illinois -chicago would return photos tagged with Illinois but could not have the chicago tag

Illinois +chicago would return a search that must include the chicago tag

NOTE: you may also use including and excluding terms with full text search

 

MULTIPLE TAG SEARCH

Simply type in your tags in any order

Example: chicago illinois cubs baseball whitesox

NOTE: whitesox tag is one word, multiple words that represent something are generally combined into one word.

 

MOST RELEVANT | MOST RECENT | MOST INTERESTING

In any search return, you have 3 options for sorting, relevant, recent, and most interesting. Most interesting generally displays the most unique photography. I have NO idea how that is determined.

 

ADVANCED SEARCH

You can access an advanced search here. You can simulate all Boolean searches here. The advantage with the advanced search form is that you can search Creative Commons photo pools, as well as perform phrase searches.

 

PHOTOS | GROUPS | PEOPLE

Any search will also return links to groups ( a group in Flickr is a group of Flickr users that photographs certain specific places or things), which can be useful, and also to people, which I do not find that useful.