FAQs

FAQ's

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Contributing Images

How can I close my account?

Get in touch and tell us that you’d like to close your account and we’ll close it for you.
What format should the photos be in?

Images can either be in JPEG or raw file formats. The file should be a minimum of 2MB and a maximum of 50MB, and the image itself should be a minimum of 72 dpi. Please send us the least compressed version of the file. For more information have a look at our image guidelines.
How long will it take for my photos to appear on photofoundation?

We try to review all the images uploaded to photofoundation within 48 hours. However, please bear in mind that we’re only a small team, so please be patient if this takes slightly longer on some occasions.
Why were my images not accepted?

This could be due to one or more of the following reasons:

-It’s too blurred

-It’s too dark or too light

-Its size or resolution is too small

-It has a watermark or looks like an advert

-It features people who haven’t given their permission for us to use the photo

-It breaks copyright laws, such as featuring protected brand logos or protected spaces

-It could be a copy of an image that you don’t own

-It doesn’t fit with the ethos of photofoundation and the charities and partners we represent

Please see our image guidelines for a full list of uploading criteria.
Can I donate an image I previously submitted to a commercial photo library?

Yes you can, as long as the library you’ve already submitted it to has not set any restrictions of its own on multiple sharing across different sites.
Can I see if my images have been used or sold?

Yes – we’ll let you know whenever one of your images is downloaded for free by a charity, or sold commercially.
Will I be credited if one of my images is used?

We can’t promise you’ll be credited when your images are used by charities or commercial image buyers, but we do ask them to do this if at all possible.
How do you make sure you’re getting the right kinds of images?

We work closely with our charity partners to make sure we have a good understanding of their image needs. All our images are reviewed before we allow charities to use them; take a look at our image guidelines to find out more about our approval process.
What kinds of images are you looking for?

We review all the images that are donated to photofoundation to make sure they’re suitable for charities and commercial image buyers to use. Please help us by making sure all the photos you donate are: -in focus, clear and well-lit -taken with an SLR camera, although we can use images from point and shoot cameras or camera phones if they’re very high quality -of an interesting composition. We’re on the lookout for striking images. -not of someone other than yourself, unless the other person has given their permission for the photo to be used. (This is only the case if the person’s face is identifiable – if it’s hidden, obscured or they have their back to the camera, we don’t need their permission.) For our more information have a look at our image guidelines .

Buying Images

How do I buy images?

To buy an image, all you need to do is click Add to Basket on the image detail page, and follow the instructions to complete your purchase. All the images you buy will be available to view in the My Account section for you to access whenever you like.
Are there any restrictions on the licence I’ll get with the images?

We’ll grant you a non-exclusive, non-sublicensable, royalty-free licence so you can use the image in connection with advertising and promotional projects. This licence is subject to certain restrictions. As part of these restrictions, you aren’t allowed to:

-use the image as part of a trademark, trade-name, business name or logo

-attach the image to any product you intend to sell, or allow others to do this

-use the image in connection with adult content, alcohol or tobacco products

-use the image in anything obscene, defamatory or that breaches the privacy (or other right) of a third party

-sell, sub-license or allow a third party to use the image

-use the image in any other way other than those set out in our terms and conditions

For more detail read our terms and conditions.
I’m having problems with downloading an image – how do I get help?

All the images you buy are available in the My Account section, where you can view and download them at any time. If you have trouble downloading an image, please delete the file and try re-downloading it from photofoundation. If you’re still experiencing problems, please get in touch.
I’ve got a specific brief for an image – can you help?

Absolutely! Just drop us a line and we’ll be happy to talk about how we can help you.
How do I pay for images?

Photofoundation uses PayPal for purchasing images. You can either purchase images using your existing PayPal account, or by using a credit or debit card without registering.

Getting Started

How do I upload images?

Go to share images and choose whether you want to donate images from your computer or from your Flickr account. You’ll be asked to log in to photofoundation, or you can register if you haven’t already.

Before you upload, have a read of our image guidelines to check that your images meet our criteria. You can also help make your images easier to find by tagging them (our tagging guidelines give some tips on this).

Once your images have been uploaded, you can share the contribution you’ve made with your friends. When we’ve approved your images, we’ll email you to let you know that other members can now download them.
How can I see my images?

Make sure you’re logged in to photofoundation, head to the My Account section and click on My Images along the navigation bar. Here, you can view and edit all the images you’ve donated to photofoundation.
I can’t access my account – what do I do?

The most common cause of login problems is cookies – please make sure your browser is set to accept these and try again. If you still have issues, please contact us and we’ll do our best to sort the problem for you.
How can I change my account details?

Visit the My Account section and click on Edit Profile along the navigation bar. Here, you can change your username, email address and password. Once you’ve finished, make sure you click Save at the bottom of the page.
I’ve forgotten my password – how can I log in?

All you have to do is click on the Forgot Password? link at the top of the page, enter your email address and we’ll email you a new password right away. Use this new password to log in to photofoundation as normal, then go to Edit Profile to change it to something more memorable.
How do I create an account?

Visit www.photofoundation.org and register as a photographer. Follow the on-screen instructions, enter your details and you’ll be up and running in no time. It’s also helpful to us if you tell us what type of photographer you are – amateur, student or professional.

Charity Image Use

Can I choose to support one specific charity by donating my images?

Currently, you can vote for your favourite charity, which will help us decide which ones to support this year. We’re in the process of building this function into the website, but at the moment it’s not possible to isolate a specific charity.
I’m from a charity – how do I get free access to your images?
All you have to do is click Register at the top of photofoundation.org, and choose the ‘Register as a charity’ option when prompted. When you register you just need to provide your charity number and address, some information about your activities, an image and a logo for your profile page. It's also really valuable if you're able to tell us a bit about the sorts of images you require e.g. the image themes, subject matter and style that is most useful to your organisation.

About photofoundation

What is the legal set up of photofoundation?
We are a for-profit social business, set up as a company limited by shares. Our social mission - supporting charities through imagery - is enshrined in our legal contracts. We provide free imagery to all charities as well as donating 65% of our profits to charities. We currently accept image donations from anywhere in the world, but are only able to support UK charities with image access and donations. We are for-profit because: -We want to achieve social impact at scale. To build a business at scale, we need resources, especially financial. Being for-profit allows us to seek out the right kind of investment and support. Investors, including those specialising in social businesses, will be looking for a return on investment, both social and financial. -We want to be self reliant. We don’t want to be reliant on funding to be able to run photofoundation. Being for-profit pushes us to ensure we develop a sustainable business that can grow and thrive in the long term without ongoing subsidy. -We want to be the best we can be, as efficiently as possible. Being for-profit forces us to focus on efficiency. We care about running our business successfully, because more profits allow us to support more charities.
I want to come and work for you! Are you recruiting?

We post all the job opportunities at photofoundation on our blog, so keep checking back for regular updates. Alternatively, get in touch telling us why you want to work at photofoundation and how your skills would benefit us.

I want to help photofoundation! How can I get involved?

The best way you can help photofoundation is by spreading the word – get on Facebook and Twitter and tell your friends about us. We’d also like to hear from people willing to help us with moderating images and developing great content for us – if you think this is you, then get in touch!
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