Photos

Revision as of 14:08, 29 November 2012

Photo Guide

Photos are an integral part of describing a geographic location and this is apparent in sites like Flickr and Panoramio and applications such as Google Earth and Picasa. Wikimapia enables you to enjoy photos of places by allowing you to upload them to their respective objects so that they will help describe places and make Wikimapia tags even more worthwhile and interesting.

As per the neutral point of view philosophy of Wikimapia (NPOV), photos which are compatible with our principles and relevant to marked objects are essential to describe them. Therefore, Wikimapia gives priority to primary photos which show objects explicitly both externally and internally because there is no better way to describe a place than a definitive photo.

Secondary Images

The interpretation of photos in general can be a tricky business because the depiction of subjects, themes and compositions can be very broad indeed. With this in mind, Wikimapia welcomes the addition of secondary photos in objects where there are no photos or there are free slots available to add more. Secondary photos are not as significant as primary photos because they do not explicitly depict a marked object. However, they are still acceptable as long as the imagery is relevant to validate their connection.

Examples of secondary photos:

• Company logos; emblems, official coat of arms & flags belonging to administrative localities, municipalities, provinces, counties & states (not countries); armed forces & emergency services insignias etc.
• Unique products originating or sold from businesses e.g. restaurant dishes, clothes displayed by mannequins/models, products packaging etc. These should be unique to the object.
• Workers (photographed at the object) performing their roles to describe the function of the object e.g. craftsmen/women showing a unique/rare skill, teachers & students in a classroom or assembly, tourists outside a popular point of interest etc. The object must be clearly visible.

It is important to remember that secondary photos are better than no photos, so they should not be removed unless they are replaced with primary photos. You should not remove a photo if you are uncertain about its validity. Instead, you should always seek advice in the forum.

Photo Upload Restrictions

If a photo does not accurately represent a place, then its portrayal is false and violates the tenets of Wikimapia. Photos that are not neutral, inaccurately depicted and do not provide a neutral or authentic source of information if challenged, may be deleted.

There are restrictions on the type of photos you can add. You cannot add photos to an object if they do not represent it, this also applies to photos which are too vague or negligible. In addition, you cannot add photos as a means to illustrate or demonstrate the function of a place if there is no direct association whatsoever.

The following types of imagery are forbidden:

1. Obscene photos. Explicit/shocking photos of death, blood, gore etc.
2. Nudity & Pornographic photos. Tasteless examples of vulgarity. This includes suggestive photos that exhibit blatant innuendos.
3. Politically-charged, racist or anti-religious photos. Hateful or slanderous photos with intent to offend.
4. Copyright photos. Licensed photos which have been used from other websites, publications, documents etc. without permission or required attribution. (If you have permission, see Copyrighted Photos, Attribution & Watermarking).
5. Spamming and Duplication. Photos used repeatedly in one or several objects. Repetition of photos taken with the same/similar camera angle.
6. Miscellaneous photos. Irrelevant images used as "posters" to "decorate" an object. These include but are not limited to:
   • Personal photos, portraits, passport photos, Xeroxes/photocopies etc.
   • Generic stock photos & royalty free image files which do not represent an object faithfully.
   • Cartoons, clip arts, gifs etc.
   • Celebrities, sport personalities, models etc.
   • Religious symbols and pictures used to bless, adorn or revere an object or its religious significance.
   • National flags to celebrate national pride

Please note that users who upload images that fall under 1 to 3 will be restricted or banned immediately. Users who repeatedly upload images which fall under 4 to 6 will be restricted or banned depending on the case. This is shown in the table below:

Copyrighted Photos, Attribution & Watermarking

If you have permission to use an photo or its license permits you to use it in Wikimapia, you should adhere to its conditions for redistribution. If you need to provide attribution or any other associated copyright information, you can enter the necessary details in the comments section of the photo in question. This procedure is especially necessary for copyrighted photos with watermarks. Please note, if you are a registered user then your name will be displayed beside the photo when it is enlarged (click on it), so that makes it a little easier to associate a photo with a comment.

You can also provide your own personal photos with or without watermarks. However, you should be aware that by uploading photos you agree to the requirements of Wikimapia's Terms of Reference.