# Can I illustrate a journal post using older observations? **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Tags:** question\ **Created:** [June 24, 2022, 1:07pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/can-i-illustrate-a-journal-post-using-older-observations/33066 "2022-06-24T13:07:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![susanhewitt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/susanhewitt/32/887_2.png) [@susanhewitt](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/susanhewitt)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2022, 1:07pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/can-i-illustrate-a-journal-post-using-older-observations/33066/1 "2022-06-24T13:07:45Z")
When I create a journal post, the only option seems to be to illustrate it with my recent observations. Can I instead put the Nat numbers of older observations in, so that I can use those older photos to illustrate what I am talking about? If not, then maybe this should become a feature request? ---
**Author:** ![pisum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@pisum](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/pisum)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2022, 1:46pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/can-i-illustrate-a-journal-post-using-older-observations/33066/2 "2022-06-24T13:46:20Z")
> [@susanhewitt](#): > > Can I instead put the Nat numbers of older observations in, so that I can use those older photos to illustrate what I am talking about? as far as i can tell, the best most of us can do is to navigate through older observations one page at a time. so that’s not a great solution if you have a lot of observations. (it might be possible for someone to write a browser extension that will let you go back to a specific page though. not a great solution either, but better than going one page at a time.) > [@susanhewitt](#): > > If not, then maybe this should become a feature request? i think this is already covered in the first part of this request: [https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/better-integration-of-observations-and-journal-posts/1267](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/better-integration-of-observations-and-journal-posts/1267). ---
**Author:** ![susanhewitt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/susanhewitt/32/887_2.png) [@susanhewitt](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/susanhewitt)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2022, 4:38pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/can-i-illustrate-a-journal-post-using-older-observations/33066/3 "2022-06-24T16:38:12Z")
Thanks, I now voted for that. ---
**Author:** ![janetwright](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/janetwright/32/519_2.png) [@janetwright](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/janetwright)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2022, 7:25pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/can-i-illustrate-a-journal-post-using-older-observations/33066/4 "2022-06-24T19:25:47Z")
If you’re just talking about images, you can use any image with a URL by embedding it “\” To get the image address of one of your old observations, go to it and click on “open image in new tab” (or the equivalent on your browser) and use that address. ---
**Author:** ![susanhewitt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/susanhewitt/32/887_2.png) [@susanhewitt](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/susanhewitt)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2022, 11:18pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/can-i-illustrate-a-journal-post-using-older-observations/33066/5 "2022-06-24T23:18:34Z")
Thanks Janet – I will give that a try. ---
**Author:** ![jasonhernandez74](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/jasonhernandez74/32/33615_2.png) [@jasonhernandez74](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jasonhernandez74)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/can-i-illustrate-a-journal-post-using-older-observations/33066/6 "2022-06-25T23:17:01Z")
> [@pisum](#): > > the best most of us can do is to navigate through older observations one page at a time. I can go to the “Your Observations” page, and then search by taxon and/or location within that page. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/6/3/63c59132c41ceda138776afcaa58bde640c0c9f0.jpeg) These are my three earliest-uploaded Reptile observations, which would be on my last page if I was going through all my observations. ---
**Author:** ![pisum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@pisum](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/pisum)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 1:05am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/can-i-illustrate-a-journal-post-using-older-observations/33066/7 "2022-06-26T01:05:14Z")
that comment was in the context of the observation selection box on the journal page, as described in more detail here: [https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/better-integration-of-observations-and-journal-posts/1267/8](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/better-integration-of-observations-and-journal-posts/1267/8). if you’re just looking for observations outside of that context, then of course you can search however you like on the Explore page or any other method you choose. ---
**Author:** ![jasonhernandez74](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/jasonhernandez74/32/33615_2.png) [@jasonhernandez74](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jasonhernandez74)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2022, 2:31am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/can-i-illustrate-a-journal-post-using-older-observations/33066/8 "2022-06-26T02:31:22Z")
> [@pisum](#): > > that comment was in the context of the observation selection box on the journal page Yes, I am aware of that. I was continuing from where @janetwright left off: > [@janetwright](#): > > If you’re just talking about images, you can use any image with a URL by embedding it > “\” What I would do in this situation is have another tab open to “My Observations,” search as I described, and then copy-paste the URL as Janet described. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 2:32am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/can-i-illustrate-a-journal-post-using-older-observations/33066/9 "2022-08-25T02:32:09Z")
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