Geograph Knowledgebase / FAQ
More Help Pages
Topics: (show all)
· 8mb
· accessibility · account x 2 · accuracy x 2 · add credit · add link · advertising · aerial x 3 · annotated photo · anonymou x 2 · answer · api · archive picture x 2 · article x 3 · artist · auto-rotate
· bloat x 2 · blurred · bng · botanical name · british national grid x 2 · broken image · broken thumbnail · browse · browse page · bucket x 2 · bug
· cache · camera · camera phone · camera position · camera setting · categorie x 2 · category · cave · cc licence x 4 · centisquare x 3 · change credit · channel isle · citation · classification x 6 · clear search list · clone · close account · close look x 2 · close look. · collection x 3 · community showcase · complaint · contact a member · contact contributor · contact photographer · contribute · cookie · coordinate conversion · copyright x 6 · correct · coverage map · creative commons x 9 · credit x 7 · credit source · cross grid x 3 · cross-grid x 2 · cross-linking · crosslink · csv
· daily photo · date x 3 · delete x 4 · delete shared description · delete photo · delete sd · delete search x 2 · depth · description · detail x 4 · developer · discus x 2 · discussion x 3 · discussion topic · distribution · download x 2 · download image · downloading · drag-and-drop · draggable · draggable map x 2 · drop-down search list
· easting · edit x 3 · edit detail · edit image · edit photo · edit profile · edit submission · email x 2 · error · etiquette x 2 · excel · exif · export · external link · external website · extra x 2
· facebook · family · family archive · faq · favourite x 2 · featured · featured content · featured photo x 3 · featured photograph · fee · feedback · fewest photo · file size · find · find place on map · first geograph · font size · forget · forget location · forgotten · forgotten location · formatting text · forum x 9 · fourth · from bu · from car · from moving vehicle · from train · front page · front page picture x 2
· gallery x 3 · geograph x 2 · geograph point · geographical context x 2 · geographism x 3 · germany · google earth · google fusion table · google image search · google map · goty · gps x 2 · gr · grid reference x 2 · grid square x 2 · grid square discussion
· hamster · hectad · hi-res image · high resolution · higher resolution · hit counter · home page · home page image · home page photo x 2 · home page pic · home-page image · hyperlink
· id x 2 · id number x 2 · identification · image id · image number · image quality · image search · image size x 2 · image type · image type tag x 3 · improve image · improve quality · index · inside x 2 · interior shot · ipad · iphone · irish grid · italic · itt x 4
· kml
· labelling · landscape · larger image · larger size x 2 · lat/lon · law · leaderboard x 3 · legal · licence x 12 · lighting condition x 2 · limited · link x 5 · link description · link photo · link style · linking · linking a photo · location map grid square · lost image · lost photo · lost picture
· map x 5 · map marker · marked list · media repository · media upload x 2 · mine · mislocated image · missing image · missing photo · missing thumbnail · mistake x 4 · mobile · mobile phone · moderation x 3 · more · more size · most photo · multi · multi submit · multi-submit · multi-upload · multiple account · my featured image · my image · my photo x 3 · my picture · my searche · my shared description · my square · my thumbed · myriad x 2
· national grid · new faq answer · new faq question · ngr · night · northing · not yet allocated · notification
· old photo x 2 · old photograph · old postcard · old submission · open source · ordnance survey · orientation · os · osgb36 · other countrie · out of copyright · out-of-copyright photo
· page · painting · partial date · password · pending · people x 2 · personal map x 2 · personal point x 3 · personalisation · photo editing · photo id x 4 · photo information · photo number · photo of the day x 3 · photo of the week x 3 · photo of the year x 3 · photo quality · photo-shop · photograph of the day · photographer name · photography x 2 · picture of the day x 2 · point x 8 · poor image · poor photo · popular · popular image · popular photo · popular picture · portrait · posed photo · post x 2 · postcard · potd · potw x 3 · poty x 3 · precision · prefix · print · privacy · private email · profile x 9 · profile extra · pseudonym · public acces · public domain
· question · quoting
· rating · re-use · recent · red/green map x 2 · reject · remove x 4 · remove larger size · remove photo x 2 · remove sd · remove search x 2 · repeat visitor point · replace image · result · retrieve image · retrieve photo · retrieve picture · reuse · right way up · rights of way · rotation · rss
· save change · save search x 2 · search x 8 · search history · second · select multiple file · selected image · selection · shadow x 2 · shared description x 3 · showcase · showcase gallery · sideway · sitemap · snippet · speculative upload x 2 · spreadsheet · squirrel · statistic x 2 · style · subject · subject tag · submission x 8 · submitting · suggestion x 2 · supplemental x 7 · support · supporting information
· t point · t-point · tag x 4 · tagging · team · text size · themed topic · third · this day in past year · this day in the past · thumb x 3 · thumbed · thumbed description · thumbed photo · thumbs up x 2 · thumbs-up x 2 · ticket x 2 · tile · time · time point · time serie · tinap · today · today's photo · top tag x 2 · tpoint x 5 · tunnel · turn around. 90 degree
· underground · unknown · unknown date · unsave search · update · url x 5 · use of my photos around the site · use of photo · user guide · user-generated map · using geograph material x 4
· v2 submit x 2 · vaulting · video · view direction · viewbag · viewpoint · visitor counter · visitor point x 2 · voting x 3
· walk-through · wgs84 · whats it all about · where · where is it? · who · wikimedia · wikipedia · window reflection · worldwide · wrong way up
(show all questions)
(show all questions)
- Open source? Creative Commons? What's that all about? Close
- Keeping the Geograph website operational requires many people to donate their time or resources, and we want to be sure that the website is a resource free from commercial exploitation in future. To that end, the site software is available for re-use under the terms of the GNU Public Licence (GPL).
Also, we require all submitters to adopt a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licence on their photographic submissions.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
Under this licence the photographer keeps the copyright on their images but grants the right to anyone to copy and/or distribute and/or modify the image and its attached metadata, provided they give credit. This right to reuse the image may include someone printing and selling the image on Ebay or elsewhere.
On submission, contributors licence their images at one or more specific sizes. Once a licence is granted it is irrevocable, as that image and licence may legally have been downloaded and used elsewhere.
In a nutshell, we wanted to build a true community project that won't leave a nasty taste in the mouth by getting sold for shedloads of cash and taken away from the people who contributed. These licence terms ensure that the site and content can never be "taken away" from you. See Freedom - The Geograph Manifesto http://www.geograph.org.uk/help/freedom
(Developer? http://www.geograph.org.uk/article/Geograph-for-Developers )· Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - Who built this marvellous site? Close
- Please see the Credits Page for information on all the people who make this site possible.
http://www.geograph.org.uk/help/credits
http://www.geograph.org.uk/team.php· Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - What makes a good Geograph? Close
- The answers given by Barry have been on the site for a long time, and they form the basis of what the site is about. Yet many good Geographs do not fulfil any of those criteria, and two are almost contradictory (at close up and being useful in interpreting a map).
It is important to realise that the site has grown way beyond what was first envisaged, and so the site's definition of Geography is now very wide, incorporating a lot of social history, ecology, geology and other allied subjects. This is encouraged but it means that the definition of a Geograph has become broader.
So a Geograph is any photograph, accurately geoloacted, that depicts the Geography of a square, or any aspect of the Geography of the square, shown in some form of context. A description is useful and encouraged, especially for photographs in which the geography is not obvious, but it is not essential.
Some other photographs are still extremely welcome and contain useful geographical information but may not be classified as Geographs*, and listed below:
Firstly, it was felt that it was very important that every square should be actually visited and not just 'view-bagged' from a distance. So, Geographs must be taken within the square. Nevertheless, certain views can only be seen from outside a square. These cross-grid shots are classified as "Cross Grid".
Secondly, some photographs don't have much context. These are usually details of large objects, but they may just be very small objects or they could be large objects that are not shown completely. Most mods would agree that the smaller the object the more context that is needed to make it a Geograph. These close-ups are classified as "Close Look"*. The largest objects that tend to be classed as shown in close-up or incompletely are buildings. Most mods believe that to be a Geograph a building photograph should the whole building or some context, although some mods would prefer both.
Thirdly, indoor shots are classified as "Inside". They can add useful information, but indoors, being an entirely human environment, is on the fringe of the site's definition. Only public indoor areas are acceptable.
Fourthly, shots taken from the air are classified as "Aerial". They are often useful, but they approach the subject of Geography in a different way than was originally envisaged.
Finally some shots are classified as "Extra" these include:
Silhouettes
Sunsets and sunrises
Cloudscapes, sky, auroras, celestial bodies etc
Things in the sky such as birds, aircraft, balloons etc.
Things on the sea that are not permanently fixed to the sea bed for extended periods of time such as boats, windsurfers, inflatables
*(From 11 May 2016 the Supplemental Classification is replaced by Image Type Tags:
see http://www.geograph.org.uk/article/Image-Type-Tags-update ).· contributed by Mike Pennington, Jun 2011 · Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - I've seen little thumbs-up symbols around the site, what are they? Close
- Simply click them if you like the image and/or description (separate entries in the thumb pop-up for each).
We don't know what use we will make of the data, but note that there are number of things we won't do. We won't disclose who is voting (all anonymous), we won't be using it to produce leaderboards, and we won't be disclosing which images that have few/no votes. The general idea is to simply find great content worth showcasing.
See this page for a bit more information, and the general principles behind voting on Geograph.
http://www.geograph.org.uk/help/voting - What are those little thumbs to the right of the images about? Close
- If you find a picture or its description particularly good or useful, you'll find links to heap praise on either in the thumbs pop-up menu which shows when hovering over the thumb symbol to the right of the main picture. Just click the appropriate link(s).
Contributors can see which of their pictures others found useful at http://www.geograph.org.uk/thumbed.php?type=&who=others .
You can also 'thumb' your own images to keep track of your own favourites. This is counted separately from feedback by others.
While you're at it, you can use the thumb pop-up to throw the image in one or several 'image buckets' - categories which classify the type of image, e.g. whether it is a close-up or a panorama, or if it shows people or landscapes. By doing this, you can help Geograph to narrow down searches and add value for other site users.· Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - Who decides which photos go in the "Gallery" section and on what basis ? Close
- Anyone can suggest images for inclusion in the Gallery. See link top right on any Gallery page. The gallery is also fed from 'thumbs up' clicks and from forum threads.
Please take the time to vote on images.· More information on this topic... · contributed by Penny Mayes, Oct 2016 · Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - Why must I agree to allow commercial use of my image? Close
- Running this site costs money, particularly over time as the storage requirements are quite large. Whilst those costs were initially met by generous sponsorship from the Ordnance Survey, more recently the site has been dependent upon donations. Granting commercial use allows anyone who runs the archive in the distant future to explore other options for generating funds, such as sales of montage posters.
Granting everyone those same rights actually protects the site community from exploitation), but do bear in mind that we only retain a screen-quality version of your image, and that under the terms of the Creative Commons Licence, you must be credited for any use of your image.
http://www.geograph.org.uk/help/freedom· Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - I've had a complaint about one of my pictures. What should I do? Close
- It probably depends on the nature and tone of the complaint you've received, and on where you've taken the picture from. You've got three options: respond to the complainant, pass it on to Geograph, or ignore it. In any case, remember that there's nothing wrong with taking pictures from places with public access as long as it doesn't infringe someone's privacy in a very specific manner.
If the complaint is a reasonable request, you may wish to discuss the matter with the complainant directly - they may well be happy with your picture and text once they get to know you a little and realise you're a friendly if slightly excentric square bagger rather than a horse-rustling paedophile terrorist.
If the complaint is irate or makes unreasonable claims for privacy, you may prefer not to let the complainant have your email address. If you don't respond, they can always complain to Geograph. Alternatively, you can forward the complaint to support@geograph.org.uk , who will deal with it on your behalf. It helps if you present your side of the story and say whether you've taken the picture from a public space, a Public Right of Way or from private property without statutory access. Please make sure that the email address of the complainant shows in the body of the forwarded message.
On the other hand, if you do want to deal with an irate complaint by replying directly, it is usually a good idea to wait a couple of days to diffuse the heat of the moment.
If the complaint is about the text rather than the image, it is often possible to find a wording which will pacify the complainant without distorting the meaning of your text.
(Based on a question asked on the forum by Roger Jones http://www.geograph.org.uk/discuss/index.php?&action=vthread&forum=14&topic=14020&dontcount=1&page=0#1 and answered by Evelyn Simak.)· More information on this topic... · Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - Any rule about cloning out? Should one blurr out faces of people in the photo? What about ugly wires, aerials? Close
- Short answer - please don't!
Editing out what is there by stamping another part of the image over in order to produce a 'prettier' picture is not what Geograph is about. We aim to record what is there, not a prettified version of it.
If people happen to be in your photo and you think they may object to the image appearing on the internet, consider if you are prepared to deal with any objections they may raise. If not, best not to submit. That said, I can only recall 2-3 images being removed from view because of objections raised by people (known to the photographer) who appeared in them - in the 11 years since the site started.
Some submitters do blur out legible vehicle registration plates. Opinions vary as to whether this is necessary or desirable but it is not a reason for rejection if subtly done.· More information on this topic... · contributed by Penny Mayes, Feb 2016 · Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - Can I use someone else's text in my description? Close
- It's usually best to paraphrase information from other sources and then add a reference (or hyperlink) to those sources. If you want to quote something verbatim, you need to ask the author for permission to use it and to re-licence it under the Creative Commons licence - which essentially means they not only allow you but the whole world to use their text, provided credit is given. If you have their permission to re-use their text, you should still acknowledge that it's theirs.
It doesn't matter if the text you wish to quote is from a commercial printed work, a website or just a handwritten note the original author wrote just for your information.
(Inspired by a question asked by Jon2 and answered by barryhunter on the forum http://www.geograph.org.uk/discuss/index.php?&action=vthread&forum=18&topic=13068&dontcount=1&page=0#6 .)· More information on this topic... · Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - Can I find out which of my images have been re-used on other websites? Close
- Geograph itself hasn't got any data on re-use of images downloaded from here. It wouldn't even be possible to determine who downloaded it in most cases. Google image search https://www.google.co.uk/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi is quite good at finding copies of an image elsewhere on the web. Just drag and drop the image onto the search bar. But of course there's no guarantee that it'll find all other instances of each photo.
If you find an interesting website re-using your or other Geograph photos, consider posting it on the forum thread http://www.geograph.org.uk/discuss/index.php?&action=vthread&forum=2&topic=3179
(from a support request sent to http://www.geograph.org.uk/contact.php )· Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - One of my shots was supplemental, I think should be a geograph. Close
- (From 11 May 2016 the Supplemental Classification is replaced by Image Type Tags:
see http://www.geograph.org.uk/article/Image-Type-Tags ).
A. Click on your image to open it.
B. Look for the yellow framed exclamation mark under the photo frame (right side)
- "Change image details" and click on here
C. Scroll down until you come to the last blank text box. It has the words "Please describe what's
wrong..." above it.
D. write your thoughts in the box, the more detail the better
E. select the second tick box underneath "Bring the issue to the ..."
F. Click on Submit Changes.
This will raise what is known as a ticket which other moderators in addition to the original moderator who gave the classification you are unsure of, can read. They are likely to comment (some with more detail than others) and you will receive email notification of this. A decision is usually reached within a week. The time frame is to allow as many moderators as possible to read your comments and add their own. Some moderators only volunteer their time at weekends or may just be away.· More information on this topic... · contributed by Mr Ignavy, Dec 2015 · Provide an alternative answer! - How do I drag multiple images into the multi-upload tool? Close
- Open the folder containing the images you want to upload but resize it so it doesn't cover the whole of your screen, you need to be able to see the box on the page below you are going to drag-and-drop into. Select* the images you wish to upload then click on one of them and, keeping the mouse button pressed, drag it to the box on the webpage. Then click ["Start Upload"].
* If you want to upload all images in the folder Ctrl+a will select them all. To select a group of adjacent images click the first and, while holding down the Shift key, click the last. To select by individual image highlight each by clicking on it while holding down the Ctrl key.
NOTE: there is a limit of 100 files in any one upload and each file must be smaller than 8MB.
· More information on this topic... · contributed by Penny Mayes, Jan 2016 · Provide an alternative answer! - What are shared descriptions, and how can I add them? Close
- Shared descriptions are blocks of text that you can apply to a number of images. You can also use shared descriptions written by others.
This may be useful if you have taken a number of photos at one location, and want to write a paragraph about that location. Also if you make a change to the shared description (e.g. correct a typo) it will be updated on all the images it is attached to.
For example I wrote a shared description for a number of images featuring Epping Long Green, which I can re-use if I take any more images of that location. It also enables a viewer to access a page where all images using that description are displayed.
If someone else has already written a helpful description of a feature, you can re-use this. It also allows a way of grouping images from different contributors together. For example Ian Capper had written a description of Coal Tax Posts, which I was able to attach to one of my images: Anyone searching for "Coal Tax Posts" would be able to access a page where images from all contributors who had used that description are displayed.
You can find a detailed article on the topic written by Barry Hunter here: http://www.geograph.org.uk/article/Shared-Descriptions
You can search for shared descriptions already written here: http://www.geograph.org.uk/snippets.php· More information on this topic... · contributed by Roger Jones, Oct 2011 · Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - Is there a table of how many new points I acquire per month? Close
- Yes, there is! And also for many other sorts of time series analysis you may be interested in: http://www.geograph.org.uk/statistics/overtime.php .
You've got the choice of analysing data for Geograph as a whole or just for yourself.
You can download the table in comma-separated value format for further analysis and plotting in external programs.
(Inspired by a question asked on the forum http://www.geograph.org.uk/discuss/index.php?&action=vthread&forum=18&topic=13062&dontcount=1&page=0#1 by Anthony V and answered by barryhunter.)· More information on this topic... · Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - family snap Close
- I am guessing this is a question as to the suitability of family snaps. The general rule is the people should be the secondary element of the photo rather than the main feature, and posed shots (it can be worked out in most cases) are more suitable to other photo sites as not related to the area they are in. Having said that a discussion thread has refined this recently, and the general conclusion was if there are local events or occupations which are taken spontaneously then a person featuring as the main subject can be included although without a reasonable amount of background would normally be added as a supplemental*. But for straightforward posed family snaps then the only circumstance they would be suitable is if they were a small part of the whole scene, and as with most the older the photo the more flexible the criteria.
*From 11 May 2016 the Supplemental classification will be replaced by Image Type Tags: see http://www.geograph.org.uk/article/Image-Type-Tags-update· contributed by David Howard, Apr 2012 · Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - How are contributions scored in the Photo of the Week \ Year competitions? Close
- It isn't a matter of scoring, and there are no hard and fast rules, except that the photographs must be taken within the qualifying week, and submitted by midnight on the Tuesday after the end of the qualifying week.
There is a rota of volunteer selectors, who look through all the eligible images, and whittle down to a shortlist of about 50. Individual selectors select according to whatever criteria they decide, and post the short list to the discussion forum.
They also notify the previous week's winner, whose privilege it is to pick the winner the next week.
The weekly winners eventually go forward to a selector who picks the image of the year from among the weekly winners.
Any member can volunteer to pick a week's selection. To volunteer, send a message to the Photo of the Year Co-ordinator.· contributed by Anne Burgess, Dec 2011 · Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer! - What is a limited company member? Close
- A limited company member is a member of Geograph Project Limited
Geograph Project Limited was formed in December 2010 to sustain and grow the Geograph project. It is a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee, whose objects are educational in the broadest sense, registered in England and Wales: number 7473967. The registered office is Dept 1706, 43 Owston Road, Carcroft, Doncaster, South Yorkshire. DN6 8DA. Geograph Project Limited is a charity registered in England and Wales: number 1145621.· contributed by Geographer, Sep 2017 · Edit this answer (Open for editing by anyone) · Provide an alternative answer!
General
Viewing Images
Photo Contributors
Photo Contributors :: Contributing
Points and Moderation
Finding way in the forum
Moderators
· 18 of 164 questions shown. View All
· Can't find the answer you looking for? Ask a question now! ·
the content of this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence.
the content of this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence.