3 min read OSINT

Tracelabs Challenge #2

Tracelabs Challenge #2

Hey everyone — 404 Yeti here, warming up the snow boots for another Trace Labs OSINT challenge! ❄️

Today’s task: Identify the location in the given photo.
Answer format: Site Name, State, Country

Let’s break down how to analyze, verify, and confirm — Yeti style. 🧊

Tools we will use:

  • Google Image Search — for reverse-image recognition
  • Google Earth + Street View — for photo replication and terrain validation

Image:

Go to images.google.com and upload the challenge image.

Now scroll through the visual matches and look for clues — remember, the goal isn’t just to find the same picture, but to identify where it was taken.

Observation: One of the top results shows “Bled Island (Slovenia)”. That’s a strong clue — especially since it features the same iconic island with a church and surrounding mountains.

Step 2: Use google earth

Open Google Earth and type in Lake Bled, Slovenia.

Instantly, you’ll see a view of a shimmering blue lake, surrounded by mountains — and right in the center, the Church of the Assumption on Bled Island.

Use the 3D view to orbit around and line up the same vantage point as the challenge photo. You’ll notice:
- The same five distinct structures on the island.
- The same mountain ridges in the background.
- The same curvature of the lake edge and tree lines.

Everything checks out perfectly.

Step 3: Recreate the photo

Grab the Pegman (our trusty yellow agent) and drop him near the lakeside — ideally near the boardwalk or castle side.

Tilt, pan, and zoom until you match the original perspective.
When your image lines up… BOOM! That’s the shot.

Even though the angle is slightly higher, we can confirm the visual alignment — the buildings, ridgeline, and perspective all match.

Final Answer: Lake Bled, Slovenia

There we go, we can confirm that this was the answer!

Why this matters:

Using Google Earth instead of just Maps allows for precision verification:

  • The 3D terrain helps confirm elevation and perspective.
  • You can check seasonal lighting and shadows, often critical for time-of-day or month analysis.
  • The bird’s-eye view gives a spatial relationship that flat satellite images can’t convey.

In real-world OSINT work, this method is powerful for:

  • Verifying travel photos or propaganda images
  • Locating missing person sightings
  • Authenticating viral or news media claims
“When your gut says ‘That mountain looks familiar,’ — trust it. Then verify it with Earth.” — 404 Yeti 🐾

Final Thoughts:

This challenge highlights the perfect trio for geolocation:
Reverse Search → Terrain Verification → Perspective Matching.

Simple, visual, and powerful.

That’s all for this one, agents — another cold case cracked!
Stay sharp, stay curious, and keep your eyes frosty.

Yeti out. 🧊