Fairstock - all you need to know before starting
The following messages contain important information about the Fairstock. It's crucial that you read them before you upload any of your pictures to the stock. We're excited to see your contributions!
What is FairStock and what are the goals?
- Fairstock is a library of images and videos that allows users to find visual material for telling truthful, respectful, and interesting stories.
- The pictures and videos depict challenges and problems as well as the joy and fun of life, without stereotypes, clichés or devaluation.
- They show people as rights-holders, communities as capable of action, and societies as future-oriented.
- We do not want to provide millions of pictures and videos. We offer the best ones.
Requirements for Existing Imagery
In order to launch Fairstock with a sufficient volume of pictures in June 2023, Visual Creators can also post existing imagery that does not fully comply with the Stock image requirements (see below). However, it is important to exercise caution when selecting which images to upload, and ensure that they do not put anyone at risk [link risk assessment]. If you are uncertain whether someone in your image would be comfortable having their picture on the stock, do not upload it. Whenever possible, obtain retroactive consent for publication on the stock.
Pictures that do not meet the Fairstock image criteria will be labeled as such.
Requirements of new Stock images
ALL images uploaded to FairStock…
- must meet Fairpicture's metadata criteria. It’s important to know when and where a picture was taken, who is in the picture, what is happening and, giving more context, why the scene is significant.
- Whenever possible, we do not want to show single images, but image series of 3-5 images. This allows to show people and contexts in their complexity and gives the end-users confidence and the possibility to use the images selectively.
Images with identifiable people…
- need consent. Get your consent forms here or use the Fairpicture consent app [Link]. Stock images require very careful handling of consent. The images are potentially used in different contexts and depicted persons have a right to decide whether they want this. In the future, it is desirable that depicted persons can also be compensated for their cooperation. A withdrawal by the persons photographed is possible at any time.
- Must not be older than four years. People change - and the world around them with them. What's right for me today may not be right in a few years. Maybe the context changes in such a way that a picture can suddenly be dangerous for the person depicted. Fairpicture's sunset policy reacts to this. Pictures are removed from the stock if they are older than 4 years.
- require the visual creator to do a risk assessment (see Fairpicture tool). Does the image production process create situations that can fuel social reprisal, anger or emotional stress for the people depicted? Having the story publication in mind: do you see security issues for the people photographed or yourself? If yes: consider not uploading the images or find ways to make people not identifiable.
Images with identifiable children…
- require consent by the children and their legal guardians.
- Since children are a specially sensitive group and their life changes fast, these images will only be online on the FairStock for three years after their creation.
Consent Policy
When is consent needed?
- Identifiable people.
Exceptions:
- Public figures
- Pictures in public spaces with great public interest. Sometimes, the duty to inform becomes the right to capture. We’ll discuss pictures on the boundaries (e.g. to what degree is depicting violence a public interest) of this exception in the section «Rejected images» on Fairstock.
- Pictures with large crowds where no person is in focus.
[Note: if one person is in focus or the picture is about a certain person in the images, consent is needed even if the scene is happening in the middle of a crowd.]
When is NO consent needed?
- No identifiable people in the picture e.g. for landscape shots, details, food, but also for pictures with e.g. only one hand on it (agriculture). Metadata requirements are however crucial for this kind of pictures, too: the end-user must get exact data about where, when and in which context a certain picture was taken.
Caution:
- if the metadata enables the identification of a person and this person can be put at risk, a risk assessment is required.
Special Category for Historical Images
This category is an exception to the "Sunset Policy," which means that pictures uploaded in this category will remain online indefinitely, without a time limit. However, uploads in this category will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
The historical images category serves as a library of significant moments in various histories. Although consent for these images is desirable, it is not required since there is public interest in them.
When uploading to this category, it is preferable to include a series of 3-5 pictures.
Additionally, you must answer the following mandatory accompanying question: "Why is this historical moment significant to the world?"
FAQs
What kind of images do we want to show?
We aim to avoid stereotypical portrayals and instead showcase individuals from a variety of social groups and positions of power. We believe in representing people holistically, highlighting their past, present, and future, as well as their dreams and fears. Our focus is on portraying individuals as actors, emphasizing their agency and dignity in all aspects of life.
Which images and videos do we not want to post on Fairstock?
We are committed to avoiding images and videos that misuse people as symbols or stereotypes, depict individuals without agency or dignity, romanticize or exoticize poverty, hide or distort the context of problems stemming from structural inequality, or blame victims for their situations.
Why is there a "Sunset Policy" on the Fairpicture Stock?
The "Sunset Policy" is in place to comply with the European data protection law (GDPR), which restricts the use of data that requires consent (such as images with identifiable persons) to a maximum of four years. We believe this is particularly important in the stock industry and we aim to lead by example.
Exceptions:
- Historical images with public interest and appropriate context are allowed to remain online indefinitely.
- Pictures that do not feature identifiable people, such as landscapes, can remain online for longer than four years, provided that comprehensive metadata is included.
What happens if you upload a picture that does not fit?
You upload your picture. We’ll review and if it fulfils all criteria, we’ll greenlight it.
→ If your picture is incomplete / doesn’t fulfil criterias regarding metadata, consent, we’ll send it back to you in order to complete it. Images must be re-uploaded each time - we ask you to carefully check that your images are complete.
→ If we think a certain picture doesn’t belong on Fairstock for ethical reasons, we’ll make that transparent. The section «Rejected Images» serves as a place of discussion about rejected pictures. It’s important to have public discourse about these. It’ll help Fairstock get a clearer idea what its boundaries are and enable constructive dialogue for more ethical storytelling. So don’t play it safe: your pictures will make us think!
How does Fairstock lead to assignments for you?
If customers do not find what they are looking for on Fairstock, they are suggested to do an assignment (custom content) with Fairpicture.
How do we make sure we’re on the right track with the Fairpicture stock as a community?
Running a stock ethically is a big challenge. Therefore we will have a voluntary monthly meeting with all contributors. We will discuss five images that have been uploaded to the stock and ask ourselves where the problems are and how we want to deal with them.
What is Fairstock's initial pricing model?
Fairstock's initial pricing model is a unit price of 254 euros per picture, with 170 euros going to the image creators. This pricing model was based on a survey and is expected to meet the expectations of most customers and image creators.
Future options:
In the future, Fairstock is considering different prices for different image uses and different prices for customized pictures. It is also desirable to find a technical solution to remunerate the people depicted in the images.
When we start - Timing
From June 2023 images can be uploaded.
From July 2023 the stock will be live and images can be bought. We learn from the experience and develop the stock further (including video, pricing etc.).
Who is able to upload?
We hope that as many visual creators from the Fairpicture network as possible will enrich Fairstock with their images.
Additional visual creators can be invited to contribute their images.
How can I prepare pictures to upload, what can I do already?
Review existing images, check metadata, check consent
→ Image material should not be older than 3 years
→ Prepare for upload
Take new images according to the FP standard including consent – in writing, until connection to Fairpicture consent app. Orientation to topics collection
→ Orientation to topics collection
→ Prepare for upload
You will be able to upload from June 2023 and there will be a “Greenlighting-Process” before images go online
What are the Topics and Categories on Fairstock?
- Age
- aging
- care institutions
- elderly in the family
- dying
- Agriculture
- farming & farmers
- smallholders
- large-scale farming
- Arts and Culture
- informal labour
- informal labour
- Business and Industry
- industrial production
- workspaces
- people at work
- research & development
- mining
- clothing
- Construction
- buildings
- infrastructure
- streets
- Democracy
- voting
- peacebuilding
- institutions
- human rights
- politics
- demonstrations
- Digitalisation
- infrastructure
- technology
- education
- providers
- everyday use
- Disasters
- humanitarian aid
- disaster preparedness
- Drugs
- consumption, safe use
- prevention
- Education
- schooling
- nursery
- childcare
- higher education
- children & youth
- Energy
- production
- consumption
- Environment
- climate change
- drought, heat
- floods
- environmental protection
- sustainability
- flora & fauna
- Everyday life
- street life
- household
- cooking & eating
- leisure
- community
- Food
- food security
- food production
- food market
- Gender
- gender relations
- gender representation
- women’s movements
- LGBTIQ+
- Health
- hospital, care centre
- pharmacy
- medical doctor
- nurse
- disease, prevention
- maternal care
- Historical images
- Pictures from important moments from manifold histories
- Pictures from important moments from manifold histories
- Labour
- labour rights
- working conditions
- Migration
- flight
- refugee camp
- Immigration
- living situation
- perspectives
- News
- stories of global interest
- stories of global interest
- Poverty
- life situation
- needs
- Rejected images
- Collection of problematic images with possibility to discuss (chat)
- Collection of problematic images with possibility to discuss (chat)
- Religion
- worship services
- houses of worship
- religious customs, rituals
- religious events
- Security
- Military and Police
- Surveillance
- Prevention
- Social Inclusion
- people with disabilities
- accessibility
- Sports
- professional
- recreation
- sporting events
- Trade
- market
- supermarket
- trade centres
- Transport
- public transport
- railway
- marine transportation
- taxi
- transport of commodities
- Urbanization
- urban life
- informal settlements
- Water
- water supply
- usage of water
- water management
- Wealth
- money
- consumption
- housing
How can I upload images on Fairstock?
How often are images billed/paid for?
We always check all sold images at the end of the month. Once you have sold images, you will receive a billing and payment within 10 days. We strive to make the process as fast and efficient as possible.
How can I upload consents?
You can upload consents in the same way as you upload images. Please give the consent the same name as the corresponding photo. After uploading, drag the consent image into the "Consents" collection. You can learn how to do this in this video.
What size/resolution should the images be when uploading?
The size should be 300ppi and 2125 x 1417 px.
Can images created for Fairpicture assignments be sold on stock?
No, we do not have the rights to do so. It may change in the future.
Where can I log in to my Fairpicture Photodeck account?
Please log in on my.photodeck.com.
Ready to start?
Enough reading, now let's go! Create your profile and start uploading your pictures.
