A method, system, and processor-executable software for processing images or video captured by a smartphone or other digital image capture device for subsequent validation and authentication captures not only the image, but also metadata relevant to the authenticity of validity of the image, such as position, time, camera movement and orientation, image parameters, and so forth. The image is watermarked and both the watermarked image and the metadata, as well as a symmetric key used in the watermarking, are digitally signed and transmitted or uploaded to a web server or authentication centric entity for authentication and storage. When a third party submits an image to the web server or authentication centric entity, the submitted image is compared with the stored watermarked image for authentication and validation of the submitted image, and the metadata is then retrieved to enable analysis of the contents of authenticated and validated image.