Searching Image Gallery

Hi, I have searched for a solution to my problem on here and cannot find anything, though it may be possible I’m not looking hard enough, total noob here.

Basically, we run a pot for profit history organisation and have thousands of artefacts that we are documenting, with each photograph being uploaded to our site to create a database. Upon first few uploads and me running a test to search for said items, I have realised this is not happening. I am using the generic media library for uploads, but have also tried doing this with the NextGen plugin and still no joy.

Please can anybody help save my sanity!!

Kind Regards in advance,