1. A method of searching for images comprising the steps of: applying a colour resolution reduction process to at least part of a first image such that a total number of colours in the first image is reduced forming a plurality of colour planes, each colour plane containing only image portions of the same colour from the first image deriving feature data from each of the colour planes corresponding to a property of the image elements creating a feature data representation which is representative of the feature data derived from each of the plurality of colour planes, undertaking a comparison of the feature data representation derived from the at least part of the first image with feature data representations derived from at least part of a plurality of other images, and selecting one of the plurality of other images on the basis of the comparison.