Upload Guidelines
Upload Guidelines for Vector Open Stock
Photo Open Stock is part of a major network called Open Stock Network which includes Vector Open Stock, Logo Open Stock, Theme Open Stock and our inspirational blog Open Stock Blog. The main aim of the Network is to provide designers and creatives with high quality, useful and accessible resources for their creations. Each site has different modality in terms of license and accessibility to files.The main goal of Photo Open Stock is to provide low cost-high quality images for creatives, designers, webmasters, etc. in need of solving their image requirements. However, Photo Open Stock is not only a Photo Stock but a Social Network, so we have created a lot of social features to our site like comments, likes, followers, collections, etc. which we would like you to use to make of this site a valuable community.
Downloading and Purchasing Images
Free Donwloads
In Photo Open Stock all images can be downloaded freely in the smallest size as long as you credit the photographer.Check how to credit hereYou can also get a suggested code for publishing on web or print materials in the same page where you download the photo, check for the 'How to credit?' link
Creative Common Licenses can be checked here.
Buying Images
Bigger sizes are available to be purchased on our site. You can purchase photos through your Paypal account in a few simple steps:Add images to your cart, go to your cart and press the checkout button. After payment is done you will be redirected to our site and be able to download the images you’ve purchased one by one or also download a zip with all the images.All downloaded and purchased images will remain available to be downloaded again in the “My Downloads & Purchased” tab in your account. The purchased images can be used commercially, personally, etc. without crediting. However, some restrictions apply to those images. Under no circumstances you are allowed to redistribute, sell, re-sell or give them for free. For more information check our Terms where this issue is covered more deeply.Commenting, Liking and Following
We encourage Photo Open Stock users to be active members and participantsof this adventure. Our goal is to create an active community that create feedback, comments, suggestions and opinions so photographers canget also a warm reward of their work by receiving your feedbackOnly registered users can comment, like or follow users. That way we can keep our community safe of spammers and bad intentioned users.
Commenting a picture might means that you can give appreciation, ideas, suggestions to the photographer. However, destructive, senseless, negative criticism will not be allowed and will be removed from our site. Remember, everything is like a boomerang in the Universe, as The Beatles says “...and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make”. So act in good faith and contribute your grain of sand and you’ll receive something back.
Give a like to images you like and download, remember, your liking will be care in the relevance a specific picture will take in our site. Also liking them in Facebook will be appreciated.
The following feature is useful when you want to be updated about activity of a user you are interested in.
Being a Contributor, Uploading and Getting Paid
There are some relevant reasons why you should consider be part of this amazing community as a contributor and cameaboard with us in this great adventure.To summarise somepoints:1) we are paying highest contributor rates in the Photo Stock market (check them in User Categories chart below)
2) Our site is in an early stage, so the sooner you became a contributor the more chances you have to grow with us and be one of the top photographers of our community. We think is better to be a distinguished photographer in Photo Open Stock that be at the bottom in other bigger photo stocks. You’ll also have better chance of earning more money.
3) You’ll be part of an active and growing community
4) Our hybrid model “free/paid” downloads might sounds strange at first and you might be wondering “Why?”. The fact to the matter is, sharing your pictures freely in small size will spread the word, having your material rolling out there always linking to your profile and empowering your whole profile and your sell potential. Then, because some dudes have published your stuff under Creative Commons License, you’ll get a link back to your profile, users who like your work will visit your profile and there you have a great amount of prospects.
Uploading Photos
First thing in order to upload photos is to register as a user inour site. To do so, go to “Sign up” at the top right. It’s fast, easy and free. You can also use your Facebook or Google account to register even faster. Then click on the share link placed on the main menu. You’ll be redirected to the upload page.You can also upload by Ftp and then fill the title, description and tags in your account! So easy!! (In case of photos with models you have to upload the model release to the FTP too)To activate this option you have to write us a message through the site and we will create your FTP account for you.Uploading is pretty easy but requires attention to some details:General Considerations
The following explanation is a brief version for the purpose of explaining how the site works, please for more extended information about uploading check the Uploading guidelines.
- Make sure that the photo you are uploading do not infringe on any copyright, property right, trademark or any other applicable right. Make sure to read the Upload guidelines
- Upload only your own work.
- For photos that include models you must upload the Model Release contract. Otherwise, photo won’t be accepted.
- You can upload a photo only for free share, meaning you image won’t be for sale. Doing this from time to time will lead traffic to your profile and might maximize your sales.
Image type: Upload only RGB JPG photos. PNGs, RAWs, TIFs, and PSDs will be rejected. CMYK images won’t be approved.
Image size: if you are going just for a free share, a minimum of a 700 x 500 pixels is needed. Images uploaded to be sold has to be at least of 2500 x 2500 pixels.Take into account that the bigger the image dimension, the better, so do not downsize your files when uploading and try to upload always your best quality.
Image quality: Please, save us and yourself time. Do not upload photos that are out of focus, blury, noisy, bad lightened, poor executed. Make your best when shuting and if needed make the required corrections on your preferred photo editing software.
Image series: A serie is a bunch of images that are mainly the same scene, object, landscape, model, situation or composition but shot from a different angle, changing position of objects, changing model position or any other modification to the shot that make it maybe suitable for different purposes. Image series will share same information between them and it’ll be automatically added to the title a number to distinguish them. They will be also marked with an S icon so users can differentiate them.
Introducing image details
TitleMake sure to use a descriptive and short title. The more precise your title is, the more likely it’ll drive users interested in your image, the more sells you have.Good ideas for naming:
- Mention the main object/thing/person in the picture (eg. 'musician','smoothie','beach')
- Be descriptive (eg. 'Kid playing football with his father in the park')
Bad ideas for naming that won’t be accepted
- Word repetition
- Names that are by default in the camera like 'IMG_3534.jpg'
- Personal name’s (eg. 'Alicia playing cards')
- Foreign languages characters
Description
Description should add more information than what is written in the title and the keywords. You may include the location, time and details of how image was shot. Think as if you were describing the image to someone who hasn’t seen it.Do not include model’s name or links to other sites. You can use the additional credit in case you want to credit someone else in the photo.
Category
You can pick more than one category. Be sure to pick categories that really match your photo, some users use categories to do their search, so it’s important that you look for the best fitting category.
Additional Credit
This field is optional and aimed to recognize collaborators in in the photo. May apply for location providers, people that helped us to take the picture or any other people/organization you want to credit for the creative process.
Licences
We have to make 2 distinctions concerning to licenses, when you choose a license here you are making a selection of the license for Free Download, as forthe purchased images will prevail the Photo Open Stock license. More details about the license can be checked here.
Tags
Tags are maybe the most relevant information you will include along with your photo, so try to be as accurate and descriptive as possible. Also, the order of your tags matters, so make sure to introduce first the tags that you consider more crucial. A minimum of 4 keywords will be required per picture.Some ideas to tagging are:
- name all the elements that are on the scene
- use some synonyms, people might search the same with different words
- introduce also feelings, emotions and moods that the photo conveys
- don’t write your name or other personal information
Model Release contract
For those images that includes models (adults or kids), you have to upload a Model Release Contract. The contract templates can be downloaded here.This is mandatory for all pictures that have identifiable face on them and we will automatically reject photos that do not fulfill this requirement.
Editing Photo details
To edit the information you previously introduced to a photo you should go to your account and click on the “My Photos” tab, there you can access to all the photos you uploaded, by going over any of them an “Edit” will appear, click and an editing window will pop up where you’ll be able to make the changes to your photo data.
Collections
Collections are a bunch of photos related by any theme, concept, preference, etc. that are gathered together in that collection. It could be called lightboxes, favorites, wishlist.. we call them collections. Collections can be public or private. Public collections can be seen by any user of the site, while private collections are more like my favorites and can be seen only by you. You can subscribe to public collections and receive updates in the recent wall of your profile. Also in your profile you’ll find a My Collections Tab where you will be able to access to your collections and the collections you are subscribed.To create a new collection you can go to the “My Collections” tab in your account and click on “Create a New Collection”.
You can easlily add a photo to a collection when you are browsing or searching, a + with a circle will appear at the top right of each thumbnail, you can add that photo to a collection by clicking on that symbol. Also, when you are in the preview page of photo, below the preview image you have an “Add to a Collection” button there. After clicking that you’ll be asked to add it to an existing collection or you can also create a new collection.
Getting Paid
In your account, the last tab in the right side is “My Earnings”, there you can check stats of what you’ve sold and the balance of your account. You can request a cash out of your earnings whenever you want, as long as you have at least 50 USD in your balance and with a maximum of 500 USD. Right now, we are only paying earnings through PayPal but we will implement other means in the near future. Once you request your payment it’ll be done within 5 business days (usually in 2 days).The cash out History can be seen in My Earnings “Cash out History”, there you’ll find all the transactions you’ve done in the past.
Managing your profile
To access to your account click on your user name on the top right of the screen. You’ll be redirected to my account page where you can edit and see your information. All the information on your profile can be edited easily by mousing over the field you want to edit, when you go over that zone an “edit” will appear at the right bottom part, click on it to open the editing window of that particular zone.You can access to fast stats of your account activity that is under the title of “Stats”. Also, your private messages can be seen here.
At the right side you’ll find a “My Preferences” button, which will open a window where you can manage several options as privacy options and social network interactivity.
There you can also see followers and following. To edit the followed users click on “View All” in the following box, a window will open, go over the picture of a specific user and a circle with a cross will appear at the top right corner, click on it to stop following that user.
You can add or remove social network profiles in “Social Network” box by clicking on edit.
Your account Tabs
Recent: Recent is your feed of the site activity. Is like a private wall where you will receive updates from the users you are following, updates of your accounts like sales, comments, etc. You’ll also be notified of general updates of the site and other relevant stuff for you.My Photos: Here you can edit your photo details, check your downloads and likes and more.
My Collection: You can here create new collections, check the collections you are subscribed to or the ones that you created and edit their details.
My Downloads & Purchased: Here you’ll be able to download again those photos you have downloaded and/or Purchased in the past. An easy way of keeping track of the material you’ve used.
My Earnings: Check your balance, get paid, check your activity and cash out history.
