BY BILL FERRIS

It’s hard to believe that Google figured out how to search for my house from space before getting around to searching for photos licensed under Creative Commons1. According to the Google Operating System blog (not affiliated with Google), Google Image Search now lets you narrow your results to pics that carry the Creative Commons license. Hey, better late than never.

As of today, Google’s interface doesn’t include Creative Commons options for searching. However, the nice folks behind the GOS blog built one themselves for your searching enjoyment. The article also shows you how to create customized searches so you can search for the specific type of license you need.

Find Creative Commons Images in Google Image Search

1. If you’re unfamiliar with Creative Commons, it’s a way for creators to license their work so others can use it freely — read more in The Educator’s Guide to the Creative Commons.

Related stuff:

The Educator’s Guide to the Creative Commons

Grab photos for free at Compfight

Find a Smorgasbord of Free Photos at flickrCC

Photo credit: PHOTOGRAPHER’S USER ID on Flickr.