Contents
- Viewing Featured Images
- Viewing Image Details
- Browsing Imagery Collections
- Using Quick Search
- Conducting an Advanced Search
- Searching for Motion Imagery
Viewing Featured Images
The DefenseImagery home page contains a section called Featured Images that showcases a rotating collection of images. The current featured image is displayed, along with its VIRIN, an excerpt of its caption, the photographer, the date shot, and the location. You can click the More Details link to view the full metadata for the image.
An icon bar provides actions for working with the image. See the Site Features page in the Site Help section for a description of the icons and their function.
Along the bottom of the Featured Images section is a collection of thumbnails of other featured images. You can click the thumbnails to change the current featured image.
Browsing Imagery Collections
DefenseImagery.mil provides a variety of predefined collections of imagery to explore. To access imagery collections, visit the Find Imagery section.
On the Find Imagery page, a list of collections appears on the left. Click the title of a collection to view its contents. The name of the collection currently selected appears above the results with the number of images in the collection in parentheses.
You can choose the number of images displayed on each page by selecting a value from the Results Per Page dropdown. Use the blue arrows or the page number dropdown to navigate between pages of imagery.
Using Quick Search
Quick Search allows you to conduct a simple search of one or more result types (Still Images, Products, or Site Content). The Quick Search box appears on the home page to the right of Featured Images. Abbreviated Quick Search bars can be found near the top of content pages.
When multiple Search Terms are entered into the Quick Search, results matching any of the terms are returned (analogous to an OR search). You can further tailor your search with many additional options (for example, search for results matching all the terms, analogous to an AND search) by clicking the Advanced Search link.
When Still Images are searched using Quick Search, results matching information in any of the available metadata fields are returned. Advanced Search to limit which fields are searched.
Visit the Working with Search Results page for more information on using the results of your quick search.
Conducting an Advanced Search
Advanced Search provides many options for tailoring your search. The following sections explain the possible search options.
Visit the Working with Search Results page for more information on using the results of your advanced search.
Search Terms
Enter the terms with which to conduct the search in the text field. You can specify the number of results to return on each page using the Results Per Page dropdown.
Selecting Any Terms returns results matching ONE OR MORE of the terms you specify, regardless of whether other terms are matched. For example, searching for "iraq tank" would return results matching "iraq", results matching "tank", and results matching both "iraq" and "tank". This is analogous to an OR search.
Selecting All Terms returns results matching ALL of the terms you specify. For example, searching for "iraq tank" would return results matching both "iraq" and "tank". This is analogous to an AND search.
Result Type
Checking Still Images returns still imagery results matching your search criteria, respecting the options selected for Search Terms, Search Imagery By, and Date Shot.
Checking Site Content returns pages on the DefenseImagery.mil website with content that matches the Search Terms. Note that the values for Search Imagery By and Date Shot have no effect on this option.
Checking Products returns audiovisual productions and IMI products that match the Search Terms. If you check Only products cleared for public use, only those products that have been cleared will be returned. Note that the values for Search Imagery By and Date Shot have no effect on this option.
Search Imagery By
These options only apply to Still Images.
Selecting All Fields returns results for which any of the available imagery metadata fields match the Search Terms.
Selecting Only These Fields returns results for which only the metadata fields you select match the Search Terms. The list of metadata fields you can select appears below:
- ID/VIRIN
- Caption
- Keywords
- Location
- Photographer
Date Shot
This option only applies to Still Images.
Check the Date Shot box to enable searching imagery by the date images were taken. Date Shot searches for imagery that was shot within the specified date range. Entering a date in the On or After field limits results to imagery shot in a range starting with the specified date. Conversely, entering a date in the On or Before field limits results to imagery shot in a range ending with the specified date. For example, to search for imagery shot between October 5, 1997 and January 20, 2004, enter 10/5/1997 in the On or Before field and 1/20/2004 in the On or After field.
You can search for imagery shot on a single, specific date by entering the same date in both the On or After and the On or Before fields.
Note that you can click the calendar icon to the right of the date fields to select the dates from a calendar.
Date Received
This option only applies to Still Images.
Check the Date Received box to enable searching imagery by the date images were received and added to the Defense Imagery Server. This enables, for example, searching for new imagery added within the last week. Entering a date in the On or After field limits results to imagery added in a range starting with the specified date. Conversely, entering a date in the On or Before field limits results to imagery added in a range ending with the specified date. For example, to search for imagery added between October 5, 1997 and January 20, 2004, enter 10/5/1997 in the On or Before field and 1/20/2004 in the On or After field.
You can search for imagery added on a single, specific date by entering the same date in both the On or After and the On or Before fields.
Note that you can click the calendar icon to the right of the date fields to select the dates from a calendar.
Popular Searches
The list of popular searches comprises sets of predefined search criteria. When you click the name of one of the popular searches in the list, the options on the Advanced Search form change to reflect the selected popular search. You can then conduct the search immediately or alter the search criteria as desired.
Searching for Motion Imagery
To search for motion imagery, visit the Motion Imagery page in the Imagery Products section. Enter your search terms in the Search Terms field. You can check the box labeled Search Related Terms to include imagery matching additional similar terms in the results.
Click the Search button to conduct your search. The results will appear in the box below the search field.
You can click View Entire Recordset to see the full details of the motion imagery result. Click the Back button in your browser to return to the motion imagery results.
See the Obtaining Imagery page in the Imagery Products section for information on obtaining motion imagery.