The best pictures make an article a work of art!
Good pictures of items help the Wiki better than almost anything. A picture is worth a thousand words--and the better the picture, the easier the words.
No Pic? Problem![]
Articles that don't have pictures aren't fun to look at! Especially of the things Just Play doesn't show clearly, like Rares, Ultra Rares, bio cards, bodysuits, and combs. So help us out and give us pictures. We want them bad. Use {{PictureNeeded}} at the top of a page to alert everyone that there's no picture, and it will drop into a category called "Picture Needed" so editors can know that a good picture is needed.
And don't forget to take it off once a picture has been added.
General Guidelines[]
Filenames should be descriptive and relevant to the contents of the picture, i.e. File:NoahKnows.png.. A randomly-named file or a file with gibberish/checksum/word salad characters, like File:12345.gif, File:Screen Shot 2018-09-15 at 2.16.26 PM.png and File:Image1.jpg (for some examples) makes it too much of a hassle for administrators and other users to locate an image, as it leaves them guessing for what the image looks like and increases the probability of duplicates.
Images need to have minimal .jpg artifacts or blur; they should be as clear and neat as possible. A compressed blurry image is a waste of time and resources.
Pictures need to be large enough so as to be used on articles, which is generally about 300px on the shortest side. Bigger may not always be better; images should not be too large, or they will load slowly on pages.
Pictures should ideally have no watermarks; this is evaluated on a case by case basis, but generally do not put watermarks on images.
Pictures need to be categorized and described; descriptions at minimal need to link to the article for the image. Images without both are subject to deletion.
Don't upload images that aren't yours. So someone took great shots of upcoming Series Three dolls? Lovely! Enjoy them yourself and don't put them here. They're not your pictures to use.
Don't even think of uploading leaked images. We don't want any legal trouble from Just Play for having images of unreleased, beta or prototype items on the wiki, especially if there are images about an upcoming series. The only exceptions are if Just Play decides to release images for upcoming products in any capacity - on their official social media, or attached with a press release - or through online merchants (Amazon, Target, etc.) for any unreleased items and other media.
Give The Official Shots a Shot![]
Brighten up the article!
A website picture is almost always going to trump any other picture around. They're clean, crisp, and with only the data needed. This is a very young product, so nearly every item released will get official photographs. Official images must be large enough to display on pages.
Pictures should have few if any artifacts (messy little bits in the background) and of high quality. A small blurry picture is not better than no picture.
Clear Scans, Clear Skies![]
Scans are a little trickier but the best bet for bio/signature cards, stickers, and flat articles since pictures can be reduced down to just the scan. Don't take photographic pictures of bio cards. They often come out terrible.
Try and clean up the scanned image as much as possible. Remove any background bleed through using photo editors. GIMP and Paint.NET are two open source/freeware photo editing programs that can help in cleaning up scanned images.
Scans need to focus on one product at a time if at all possible. Pictures of white backed pictures--much like a catalog picture--are best.
Pictures should have few if any artifacts (messy little bits) and of high quality. A small blurry picture is not better than no picture.
Personal Touch[]
To get good closeups and information--including full out of the box pictures--we'll need shots from you! This means that the pics have to be very, very on point, and the quality must be almost at the best you can give it.
The main thing is that personal images need to be the Three Cs:
- Clean.
- Clear
- preCise.
Pictures should only be of the item or doll discussed. This means no pictures of yourself (including hands and feet holding dolls) extraneous dolls, dolls holding items or standing near them if not needed, extraneous accessories, etc.
The doll and/or accessories being photographed should not be partially in the box/half unboxed; remove all the plastic packaging. Doll should be facing forward as much as possible for front shots, not in profile or with their head turned too far. The doll should be standing up to show off themselves and/or their outfit in a clean and straight line. Do not take images from extremely high angles ("bird") or extremely low ones ("ant"). Don't take pictures from a far distance.
Dolls should have neat, clean hair--brush, style and comb before you shoot, make them Hairdorable!
Accessories need to be displayed with the doll they initially come with, if with anything at all for detail shots. They should be laying flat or propped in front of non distracting backgrounds--at most, the background in the package. Detail shots for accessories, by nature, are best shown away from the doll. Try to make the item that is getting the detail the focus.
No mix and match. If you are taking pictures of Selfie Noah, only take pictures of her. Dolls should be extremely complete and fully dressed--put them in their clothes, unless you're taking bodysuit shots! If you don't have all the randomized stickers or collector's list, that's fine.
Make sure that images are crisp. No blurry messes. Digital cameras have an auto-focus feature--use it! Also, make sure that they're very well lit, but not washed out.
Make sure backgrounds are clear, non distracting and uncluttered. A solid color wall/drop cloth/lightbox is the best option. Pictures should focus on the item, not on anything else.
Don't remove backgrounds or backdrops with photo editors--in fact, don't digitally edit article personal pictures other than to remove something like personal information or data--which, if you're taking a picture right, shouldn't show up!
Personal images should be labeled as owned/taken by the photographer or sourced in the description, not on the picture itself.
Do not take personal pictures from alternate sources such as eBay Auctions, Instagram, or message board/BST group posts. Pictures must be taken by the uploader or clearly approved for use and sourced. Images found to be sourced to non-personal means or not taken by the uploader will be removed.
Pictures taken of dolls on display (e.g. at toy fairs) are subject to all the same rules.
If a good, well made official image is located for an item, it will be removed as unneeded.
Closeup Shots: The Devil's in the Details[]
Closeups of items not seen in official pictures (linings, the backs of shoes, closures, combs, fabric prints, individual items, unshown angles, fine accessory detail, etc.) are super appreciated.
Make sure shots are clear, non distracting and uncluttered. A solid color wall/drop cloth/lightbox is the best option. Pictures should focus on the details, not on anything else.
Don't remove backgrounds or backdrops with photo editors--in fact, don't digitally edit article personal pictures other than to remove something like personal information or data--which, if you're taking a picture right, shouldn't show up!
Personal images should be labeled as owned/taken by the photographer or sourced in the description, not on the picture itself.
Do not take personal pictures from alternate sources such as eBay Auctions or message board posts. Pictures must be taken by the uploader or clearly approved for use and sourced. Images found to be sourced to non-personal means or not taken by the uploader will be removed.
Inadequate Pictures[]
Improper, blurry, mislabled, or any and other violating images will be removed without warning from any page they're on that's not a personal page. If too many violations are done, uploaders may be blocked for short periods, extending varying on size of offense.