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Correct Image Name, Description, Categories and Age of Models.
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Dreamstime offers a variety of methods to identify the important information in an image. The system provides variety and choice by offering four different means of adding information. These are the Image Name, Description, Categories and Keywords.
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Here are some tips to entering information that will give you the best success:
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Overall Impression. First, get a general overall impression of the image and note the words that come first to mind:
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What does the image "say" to you? |
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What is the image about? |
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What is in the foreground? |
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What is the biggest element? |
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Which element has the most impact? |
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What is the major element regardless of how much of the overall image it physically takes up? |
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Ask yourself why would someone want to download the image. This may differ from why you made the picture. |
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Image name: This is the caption or title. It doesn't need to be long and drawn out. Save the details for the Image Description. The caption for the image on the right below is Five barns. The second image is captioned A game of pool. Perhaps a better title would be Man playing pool. Only capitalize the first letter of the image name unless it contains a person or place name. Never use model's names in any of the fields.
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Articles Limit the use of a, an, the especially in the image title.
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Example: The title of the image on the left below should be Woman in backseat of car. Not A woman in the backseat of a car. The second image should be Woman and dog.
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Image description: Enter the details about an image in greater detail. The image description for the barn images is Barns on the top of a hill with a storm cloud in the background. A good description for the pool playing shot would be: A young man aims cue at pool balls in foreground. Only capitalize the first letter of the description unless it contains a person's name or a place name like John F Kennedy airport or Tower of London.
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Category selection: This part of the process seems to be the most challenging of the four major tasks in completing the image information page. If the image doesn't fit into more than one category, just enter it into one category. If you can't find a good fit in the categories, pick the closest one. If you can find three categories that are appropriate that is great. But remember at least one category is mandatory.
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Clarification: A portrait should be an image of a person or an animal that focuses mainly on the face or at the most waist up.
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Example: There are three categories that are appropriate for the image of a teen below on the left. People: teens and not People: women should be selected because the model is a minor. Other possible categories are People: portraits and People: Expressions. People: cosmetic and makeup. Objects: clothing and accessories isn't a good category as the striped top is not prominent. But no need to obsess about making certain everything is in the right slot. Everyone has different approaches; it is difficult to be wrong, especially in the categories.
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Specific categories: The categories under the Abstract list can be difficult to apply. The image of the flower above is certainly abstract in style. It helps to think of the abstract categories as both as a place to identify images with abstract style and/or and to attach a concept word to an image.
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Example: The flower above is abstract in style and would fall into the category of Abstract: color and/or Abstract: background. The two images below are not abstract in style but do show abstract concepts: They are both correctly in the category Abstract:fun.
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Objects: Still life. Another category that can be confusing is Objects: still life. In fine art, a still life is a composition made up of an object or several objects usually against a solid background. Many images of objects will be both in Objects: still life AND Objects:any subcategory that applies. See below.
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Example: The image of a button on a solid background has been correctly categorized in two different Objects categories. It is correctly identified as Objects: Clothing and accessories as well as Objects: Still life. The musical instrument is in Objects:music and sound and could also be in Objects: still life.
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Age of model: If possible find out the age of the model. In some cases it will be possible for you to look at a passport or driver's license to get the correct age. You can indicate both the actual age as well as the age that the person appears to be. Images of minors (under age 18 in some places; under age 21 in others) are limited for certain uses. In the US only people over 25 can be used in ads for alcohol, for example.
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If the model is a minor, don't use the category People:women or People:men. Use People: teens.
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Here some guidelines that aren't rigid but that might help you select more accurate age categories. More information about providing accurate keywords will follow in the next installment.
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Infant/baby: This is a child from birth until four or so. Other good words for this age group include toddler, pre-schooler, child, kiddie,
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Child: four or so to twelve. Other good words are kid, grade-schooler, tween (9-12)
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Teen: age 13-20. For this category be certain to get teen or the actual age into the image data somewhere either in the image title or description. Other good words are adolescent, teenage, teenager, teenaged
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Young adult: 21-40. If you don't have the exact age base the keywords on how young or old the model appears to be. Use young adult or man or woman and add their profession or trade if its obvious: businesswoman, fireman, teacher and/or their relationship: mother, father, etc.
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Middle-aged is reserved for people over 40 and under 60. Many of the same words apply as to the young adults.
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Retired and mature should be used for healthy and active people over 50. When you add ages to images think of why they would be sought. This age group is about to become the largest single consumer group in American and other parts of the world as they reach retirement age. The designation should apply only to healthy and active. Other good keywords for this group are boomer and older.
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Elderly and old should be reserved for the very old depending on their looks from 70 on up. They may be retired but generally that word is reserved for the more active people.
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And remember: Don't SPAM
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To be continued...
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Very usefull article. We must all follow your instructions/recommendations to increase our sales and make dreamstime much better and simpler...
Thanks for sharing.. - posted by
Mpalis
on June 05, 2007 |
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Great post, thanks! I got a few tips that are common sense but was ignorant about them. - posted by
Ichtor
on April 02, 2007 |
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This is very helpful.
Thanks - posted by
Mitarart
on March 30, 2007 |
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Ms Boughn, many thanks for all this job - English isn't my native language and so it is useful very much to read about keywording. Especially when it is so clearly written and explained, it is a pleasure to read! Have a wonderful day. Starblue - posted by
Starblue
on March 28, 2007 |
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Thanks for your helpful tips and explainations. I have to admit that this was something I really didn't pay much attention to in the past. However, I will be more aware of successful keywording in the future. - posted by
Winzworks
on March 27, 2007 |
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you done great job Boughn. Many thanks. And we want more... - posted by
Rcmathiraj
on March 27, 2007 |
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Yes! Very useful explanations! Categories have always been a stickler for me.
And I'm glad to know that I am still a young adult! Now I can seriously use the explanation that I'm just acting my age. :) - posted by
Hkuchera
on March 26, 2007 |
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I have to say that your approach to improving the quality of stock at Dreamstime is a good one. I like that you have chosen to educate and mentor with specific example and tutorials that directly address the major issues that both new and seasoned photographers and contributors face. Good Job Ellen - posted by
LightArt
on March 26, 2007 |
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Extremely useful. Thanks! - posted by
Littlemacproductions
on March 26, 2007 |
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This article has been read 11446 times.
Photo credits: Galina Barskaya, Phil Date, Kelliem, Daniela Spyropoulou, Edyta Pawlowska, Kurhan, Absolut_photos, Dan Bannister, Godfer, Raycan, Mathieu Viennet, Natalia Guseva, Yuri Arcurs, Vallentin Vassileff, Shailesh Nanal, Stephen Strathdee, Petr Gnuskin, Damir Karan, Elena Elisseeva, Yuri Arcurs, Photowitch, Thomas Voss, Michaela Stejskalova, Ron Chapple Studios. |
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| Stock Photography that SELLS! |
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Ellen Boughn, a veteran of the stock photography industry with over 30 years
of experience gives expertise tips on successful stock.
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| Archive |
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2008  |
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 Ellen Boughn
Bainbridge Island, US
I am Dreamstime's Director of Content and Business Development. A long time stock industry professional, I have held executive positions at Corbis and Getty (Stone) as well as at several other large US agencies. Although I was given my first camera when I was six years old by my father, I gave up taking pictures when I became a photo editor. A lifetime of looking at the best work from some of the world's best photographers, made me realize my skills were in editing images, not taking them. My areas of expertise are content and business development.
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