Photos
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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 the objects which they depict so that they help describe places in Wikimapia.
As per the neutral point of view philosophy of Wikimapia (NPOV), photos which are compatible with our principles are essential to describe them. Therefore, Wikimapia favors photos which are geographic in nature, that is, photos which explicitly depict a real place externally and internally. These photos are called primary images because there is no better way to describe a place than an actual photo of it.
Secondary Images
Wikimapia understands the interpretation of photos and how they depict places (eg. subject matter, themes, compositions etc.) can be very broad indeed. While priority is given to primary photos, Wikimapia accepts photos which do not explicitly depict a marked object, as long as they share a direct connection. These photos are called secondary photos and can be uploaded to objects which lack photos or have free slots available.
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. You must have explicit permission to use copyrighted images.
- 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.
| Secondary photo types | Comment |
|---|---|
| Company logos; emblems, official coat of arms & flags belonging to administrative localities, municipalities, provinces, counties & states (not countries); armed forces & emergency services insignias etc. | For legal reasons, you cannot use copyrighted images unless you have explicit permission to do so. |
| Unique products originating or sold from businesses e.g. restaurant dishes, clothes displayed by mannequins/models, products packaging etc. | These must 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 Restrictions Policy
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 an authentic source of information if challenged, may be deleted.
- Obscene photos. Explicit/shocking photos of death, blood, gore etc.
- Nudity & Pornographic photos. Tasteless examples of vulgarity. This includes suggestive photos that exhibit blatant innuendos.
- Politically-charged, racist or anti-religious photos. Hateful or slanderous photos with intent to offend.
- 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).
- Spamming and Duplication. Photos used repeatedly in one or several objects. Repetition of photos taken with the same/similar camera angle.
- Miscellaneous photos. Irrelevant images used as "posters" to "decorate" or "celebrate" an object and photos uploaded for storage/hosting purposes. These include but are not limited to:
- Personal photos, portraits, passport photos, Xeroxes/photocopies etc.
- Generic stock photos & royalty free image files.
- 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:
| Immediate ban | Repeat infringement ban | |
| 1. Obscene, Shocking, Gore | 4. Copyright Infringement | |
| 2. Pornography | 5. Spamming & Duplication | |
| 3. Hateful, Racist, Offensive | 6. Miscellaneous | |
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.
