Contributor image submission and review guidelines
Prepare contributor images for Stockphoto.now review with file, metadata, rights, AI disclosure, ranking, storage, commission, and payout guidance.
Submit an original JPG, PNG, or WebP between 2 and 20 MiB, describe what is visibly present, choose the closest category from the dropdown, disclose AI use, and confirm that you have the rights and permissions needed for publication.
Prepare a file the reviewer can inspect
Use a clear source file between 2 and 20 MiB. Review it at full size before upload. Check faces, hands, repeated patterns, text-like marks, object edges, reflections, and background details. Heavy compression, visible generation errors, and near-duplicate submissions reduce the chance of approval.
Write metadata for a person, not a keyword list
| Field | Useful approach | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Name the main subject and visual direction | Keyword strings or unsupported locations |
| Description | Explain visible content, composition, and useful context | Claims about real identities or events |
| Alt text | Describe the important visible information concisely | Marketing phrases and repeated tags |
| Category | Choose the closest primary subject | Several unrelated subjects in one label |
A description must contain at least 50 characters. Use the alt text guide to separate a visual description from sales copy.
Understand rights and prohibited content
You must own the submission or have the rights, consents, and releases needed to upload, display, license, transform, promote, and distribute it. Do not submit adult content, unlawful material, impersonation, infringement, deceptive documentary claims, malware, or work copied from another creator.
Disclose AI-generated or AI-edited material accurately. No model or property release can be assumed from appearance. Read the editorial policy, contributor and affiliate terms, and image license before opting in.
Compare an acceptable and rejected submission
A reviewable submission uses specific visible details and honest context; a weak submission relies on vague praise, unsupported claims, or incomplete metadata.
Example of a suitable image submission
Title: Orange still life beside a cobalt bowl. Description: Warm daylight falls across sliced oranges and a dark blue bowl on a neutral table, leaving open space near the upper left for editorial copy. The file is sharp, the description matches the image, and no real product or location is claimed.
Example of a likely rejected image submission
Title: Best healthy food luxury restaurant real photo. Description: Amazing image. The title stacks vague claims, the description does not explain the visual, and “real photo” would be false for an AI-generated scene. Visible text artifacts or copied branding would add separate problems.
How contributor image review and ranking work
Every submission stays private until approved. Approval does not guarantee placement, views, downloads, or earnings. Search matching, image usefulness, quality, portfolio relevance, member activity, and the published ranking rules can affect visibility. Better work has a better chance of being useful: upload distinct subjects, accurate metadata, clean detail, practical copy space, and formats that designers can place easily.
Storage, commission, and payout expectations
- Free accounts can store up to 500 images; inactive files may be removed after 120 days without a view.
- Premium accounts have unlimited storage while Premium remains active.
- Creator download-pool earnings and affiliate commission are separate programs.
- Cash commission begins only after an eligible referred member makes a successful Premium payment.
- PayPal and crypto requests require at least $30; bank wire requires at least $500.
See the full affiliate commission and payout explanation before enrolling.
Choose image topics from the keyword database
Use the keyword suggestions in your private Dashboard. They are based on the current database list and help show where the library has room, but they do not guarantee approval or demand. Favor a genuinely different image over a small variation of an existing one.
Apply this guide with image tools and collections
Review the public contributor and affiliate program, then open the private contributor tools when you are ready to submit.
Find your image
