Definitely agree with what Sven says below!

I always refer back to this tutorial when I'm unsure how to best use reference. The simplified version of it is that you should try drawing the thing without reference first, and then when you hit a road block you should go looking for reference. That way, you're more likely to make more original work than if you found the ref first and copied it. Trying to look for the perfect reference can be a daunting task, and you're unlikely to find anything better than "close enough"

A similar approach is called the Shrimp Method which is intended to solidify your visual library for a particular subject.

Of course, if you're unsure how to approach a reference in the first place, I also recommend THIS tutorial which guides you through how to use references of people. Draw a Box helps guide you through looking at other things as well.