Contributors Information

Image Specifications

Our technical requirements for images to be integrated into our library, are easy to follow. Please read the following carefully.

File type

All images uploaded to Apex Images must be JPEG files (no RAW, TIFF, Bitmap or PSD files).

Images that are uploaded by photographers into the system must follow the same advice and saved as Photoshop level 12 jpeg (or equivelent) before uploading.

File size

Scanned files

The final scanned image minimum file size is 24 MB, 8-bit RGB JPEG in Adobe RGB (1998) - Colour Space (16.7 MB 8 bit gray scale Colour Space 'Dot Gain 20%'). Maximum file size is 30 MB. Images should be fully processed.

Digital camera files

The recommended final image minimum file size is 24 MB, 8-bit RGB JPEG in Adobe RGB 1998 - Colour Space (16.7 MB 8 bit gray scale Colour Space 'Dot Gain 20%'). Maximum file size is 30 MB. Images should be fully processed.

If the original capture/scan is not between 24MB and 30 MB then the file will need to be non-destructively interpolated to between 24MB and 30 MB using Adobe Photoshop bicubic interpolation

The best results for interpolation are obtained from digital SLR cameras with a minimum capture size of 5 megapixels (24 megabytes).

Images must be clean and free from all spots and blemishes. Images with marks on will be rejected.

Do not sharpen the images - this should be done at the printing stage.

Scan to the highest bit depth possible then convert to 8 bit before submittion to Apex Images.

Please upload only 8 bit images, use Adobe RGB 1998 as your colour profile.

Captioning and keywording and other information

We need to know where each image was shot and this needs to be embedded into the meta data for each file eg.

Place:Canterbury, County:Kent, Country: England.

It also helps if you can give an idea of when the image was taken.

This is how clients find your images in the database - without this information your image will not show up in search results.

All captions and keywords should be stored inside the image in the IPTC fields. IPTC is the industry standard method for attaching text to images for digital transmission and identification. This can be done using Photoshop. See under the File menu for File info and enter subject details under Caption and keywords under Keywords.

'File Info' can be entered in Photoshop before you submit your images. We import and use the following information -

'Document Title' - Please put your image reference number in this field.

'Description'- describe in words what the image is.

'Keywords' - are related search words outside the obvious visual content of an image that a client may use to find an image.

'Copyright Status' - This should be set to Copyrighted

'Copyright Notice' - Please include the photographers name only, the copyright © will be added automatically when the image is uploaded into the system.

'Copyright Info URL' - Please enter our web address in this section http://www.apex-images.co.uk

This information can be corrected/altered on a per image basis when the images have been uploaded into the system, but from personal experience we know what a pain this can be, so it will make life easier if the information is added before images are uploaded.

It is up to you to ensure that all caption details are correct, accurate and relevant, as errors in captioning can lead to all sorts of problems for the client. Commas or semi colons should separate keywords.

File naming

Letters and numbers only please. Eight characters or less is ideal, as when burning images to media in ISO 9660 anything above eight characters will be shortened.

Media format

CD - ISO 9660
DVD - ISO 9660 or UDF format

CDs/DVDs should contain JPEG image files only and no sub folders.