Commons:UPISU Photo Challenge/FAQ

FAQ

I am not the world’s best photographer. Do you still want my images?

Yes please! Even if you may not be entering in the expectation of winning one of the prizes, your entry can still give you the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped to document local built environment, cultural heritage and other topics in Kosovo, and that you have made your images freely available for future generations. That you have contributed to or even become part of a growing community that believes in making knowledge freely available to all.

I’ve got some photos that would be great for Wikipedia, but they aren’t eligible for this competition. Do you still want them?

Yes please. This particular contest is targeted at topics from Kosovo but there are many other subjects which Wikimedia Commons would welcome photographs of. You can upload them via this link.

Is there a limit on the number of photos I can submit?

No, you can submit as many as you like.

Can I use Photoshop or a similar program to post-process my photos before submitting them?

Yes of course. Images can often be improved by judicious cropping, rotating, colour correction and so on. In some cases correction of converging verticals can also improve an image. But please avoid the temptation to over-process: this is a photographic and not a computer art contest.

What are the guidelines on image size?

Please submit images that are as large as possible and do not “downsize for the web”. Wikimedia Commons is a media repository that values high resolution images for many purposes including print. As a guide, images below 5 megapixels are less likely to be considered for the prize as they lack usability at larger sizes, especially in print.

I’ve taken a much better photo than the one in the Wikipedia article. Can I replace the image in the article with mine?

If yours is quite clearly much better in all respects, then yes. But if there is any doubt at all it’s polite to post a message to the article’s talkpage and say something to like “I think this photo is better than the current one. Does anyone mind if I replace the one in the article?” Add a link so that people can see your suggested image. Then come back a week later and make the change if no-one has objected.

Can I edit Wikipedia myself to add my photo to an article that doesn’t have images?

Yes, we’d be delighted! If you are not already a Wikipedia editor, see [here] to get started. Don’t forget to log in – see the very top right corner of your browser screen.

As your competition entry is already on Wikimedia Commons, it can easily be re-used on Wikipedia just by adding a link to the page in the format [[File:NameOfYourFile.jpg|thumb|Some text to appear below the image.]]

Other questions

Questions? If you have a question that is not covered by the FAQ, please email us at wikipedia.sq@gmail.com.