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We are always interested in finding new photographic material. So if you feel your work will fit in with our type of photography I would like to tell you more about us.
Our client base is both national and international.
How to submit photographs:
To become a submitting photographer you need to provide us with at least 200 images on a cd or the trannies. We check for quality and subject matter, so please choose a variety, we do not need 10 photos of the same thing just taken from different angles; two of your best will be sufficient.
You need to sign a contract, after we accept you as a submitting photographer. In this contract you give us the right to administrate your copyright for a period of at least 2 years. You also undertake not to provide your images to another photo library within South Africa.
How we work:
- Once we choose your pictures, we categorize and then codify it.
- It then gets loaded onto the website and is stored in the database.
- Clients view it either on the website or we send them a lo-res selection of images. (Searches are done via keywords).
- Once they choose a picture, we send them the hi-res scan and the invoice at the same time.
(Please note clients buy the usage of the photograph for a specific usage and not the photograph itself)
- The moment we invoice them, our administrative computer programme, (specially written for us to administrate the sales), splits the amount of commission: 50% to the photographer and 50% to the library programmatically.
- Once we receive the money from the client, the photographer gets paid at the end of that quarter. We send to the photographer a sales report, showing the images that were sold in that specific quarter, to whom it was sold and the amount that it was sold for.
Please note:
We only pay photographers once we receive the money from our clients. We prefer to do this via the internet so if you are serious we require your name, address, telephone number, email address and bank details the moment you submit your first selection. We also require your VAT registration number if you have one.
Other details:
We also send out a weekly email to all photographers telling them what clients have requested, what we had in our archives and what we did not have. This gives the photographers an idea of the type of pictures that sell and what are profitable to shoot. It also gives you an idea of how to caption your pictures, for suitable keywords, etc.
Conditions for the scans:
Please note, if you don’t know how to do colour corrections for digital images we charge R7,00 per scan to do it for you. If you don’t have a digital camera or a scanner we charge R15,00 to digitalize your picture and to do the colour correction.
Please provide images on CD and DO NOT EMAIL THEM.
The scanning of images is really important. If an image is scanned badly, the client doesn't say that is a bad scan, but that it is a bad photo/photographer. Clients do not request original material anymore so they never see your original image.
Scans should be done as follows:
Digital file specifications:
File Size:
Our standard size is 20mb - 50mb at 300dpi, as this is what the majority of our clients require.
Not smaller than A4 size
300 dpi
jpeg compress not higher than 9
The measurements for the different sizes are as follows:
a) A4 - 29.7 cm by 21.1 cm
b) A3 - 42.0cm by 29.7 cm
c) A2 - 59.4 cm by 42.0 cm
d) A5 - 21.0cm by 14.8 cm
File Type:
JPG files only, saved in Mac format. We will resave it if you don’t have a Mac but please understand this takes longer to ready it for sales.
Digital Camera File Size & Type:
Only use professional digital cameras with high quality interchangeable lenses capable of producing 24mb plus (8.0 mega pixel camera or more). Shoot in RAW only. Supply the converted JPG files on a CD and please don’t send anything via mail, only in case of urgent requests.
Colour Space:
We require RGB files to be saved in the working profile Adobe RGB 1998.
Highlights / shadows:
We do not want to see highlights blown out, or your shadows filling in (RGB values in Adobe Photoshop should be limited to a white point of less than 248 and a black point no darker than 4).
Scanning:
If images are being scanned, ensure the scanner is high-end (please check with us if you are not sure). If you do not have access to a high-end scanner, or upon checking your scans and they do not meet our requirements, we will scan your images at R15,00 an A4 scan.
Sharpening:
Keep sharpening of your images to a minimum as our clients usually sharpen images before usage.
Re-sizing / up-sizing:
Digital images supplied should be re-sized.
Channels / layers / paths:
Please delete all channels, layers & paths before submission.
Orientation:
Please orient all vertical images the right way up for viewing purposes.
Image quality:
Images need to be viewed at 100% to be cleaned properly and checked for quality. Do this manually using Photoshop cloning or stamp tools with a minimum use of filters applied to the image.
File Names:
We will provide the correct file names after submission, so you can name it anything you like.
File Information:
All caption & keyword information needs to be put into file info, use the caption section/or in Photoshop 7 the image description section. All the info should be captioned here, including the keywords and your name. A framework will look as follows.
1. Description of the picture (including where, what, how, when)
2. Keywords
3. Finally your ©name/iAfrika Photos
-(To create the copyright sign on a mac: Hold in the alt key and type g)
-(To create the copyright sign on a PC: Hold in the alt key and type 0169)
File info:
Caption the image. All images provided MUST be captioned otherwise they will be immediately deleted from our system.
We use Fotostation to search for digital images and this program does keyword searches from File Info, which is the reason why it is so important that you describe the images well. Spelling makes a difference and if a client asks for a TV Antennae and this information is not included in the caption, it will not be picked up in a search and will therefore not be sent to the client. The way the images should be credited should also appear in file info. If a photographer's name is not in the File Info we do not know to whom it belongs and the money will go to the staff's Christmas fund! All of this needs to be done in the caption section of the file info in Photoshop. You do not need to fill in any other sections in the file info.
The web site search engine also searches through the file info, so the public /the client will also type in a word to find a picture on the web site. A good example is in America they talk about a gas station while in South Africa we call the same thing a petrol station. If you don’t have both in your file info, one part of the world will never find that picture if they need it! So put in both.
Some hints:
Captioning of images:
To be able to sell your images on the web, it is very important to have concise information. Here is a brief guide outlining what is required:
- Personalities:
Full names, when the photo was taken, the event, and the persons title.
- Travel/scenic images:
These need as much information as possible eg: square names, official buildings or monuments, city, state or region, country etc and also any relevant physical characteristics including mountains, rivers, lakes etc. Please make sure the information is correct (check spelling with local documentation).
- Animals and Botanical:
Please provide the Latin & Common names of the animal in addition to the specific location in which the image was taken.
- Agriculture:
Name the crop types and specific location.
- Industry:
It is essential we have the right information on what type of industry, manufacturing processes, location etc. We also will need a property release if you are taking the image on the site.
These conditions are also included on the submittal form given to the client when we provide your pictures
to them.
When we send out lo-res scans via email we include the following information:
Our conditions:
- All pictures are for one time use only.
- No electronic publication without permission.
- Pictures must be credited 'Photographers Name/iAfrika Photos.
- Payment due within 30 days at agreed rate.
- Pictures are supplied for editorial use only, any other usage must be agreed by iAfrika Photos.
- Use of our material constitutes acceptance of our terms.
- IT IS THE USER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK THIS HEADING FOR MODEL/PROPERTY RELEASE INFORMATION. Non-released images are available for editorial usage only. They are not to be used in Advertising or Promotional materials
If you are interested in becoming a submitting photographer don't hesitate to
contact us or if you need more information please feel free to ask.
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