Images

• About Digital Media
• Committed v. Uncommitted Images
• Formatting
• Photographing Tips
• Digital Imaging Tutorials and Resources

About Digital Media

• Traditional slides can be scanned and converted to a digital format at most full-service photo labs. ZAPP™ recommends that you research a local photographer or professional photo lab near you that fits your digital needs. Providing those who assist you with the ZAPP™ image specifications and formatting tutorials can be helpful if they are also going to be formatting your images. A high-resolution (2000 dpi or higher) digital scan or file is greatly recommended. 35mm scanners are also available for commercial purchase.

• A color space is a way in which your computer processes and displays color. ZAPP™ makes use of the sRGB color space. sRGB is an RGB color space that has been accepted as one of the standard ways to view digital media on computers, monitors, and the Internet. While saving your images in the sRGB color space isn't essential, you will have a more consistent result with what the jurors will ultimately view. All show administrators and jurors are encouraged to calibrate their monitors to an sRGB color space.
  
  Although sRGB provides a standard for viewing images, other factors such as ambient light and types of monitors or projectors may affect the way jurors view your work. ZAPP™ and show administrators strive to make the panel viewing process as consistent and fair for all digital submissions but cannot guarantee it because of some factors beyond our control.

• Eastman-Kodak discontinued the production of slide projectors in 2004. As slide presentation becomes obsolete, agencies will need an alternative to this analog process. Digital media, which is very versatile in nature, provides the user and administrator with a more streamlined application process.

Committed vs. Uncommitted Images

• Committed images are images that are currently attached to an active application. Uncommitted images have not yet been attached to an active application.

• Your committed image is currently attached to an active application. Applications will remain active if they exist on the list on your My ZAPPlications page. Once your application is archived the images will be released from that application and uncommitted. Images must be uncommitted before they can be modified or removed from the image bank.

• You can easily duplicate any image that is currently in your image bank. From your Manage Images tab, click the link to "duplicate" the images you wish to use and use these duplicates to apply to a new show.

Formatting

1. Recommended Dimensions: 1920 pixels on the longest side.
• Note: To assist artists who do not have images that are 1920 pixels or larger, the system will also accept images that are at least 1400 pixels on the longest side.
  
2. File Format: Save all images as Baseline Standard JPEG. Do not save as a Progressive JPEG.
3. File Size: JPEGs must be under 2.0 MB.
4. Color space: Save images in RGB color space, preferably sRGB.

• The image-formatting requirements recently changed in two ways:

1. Artists can upload images that are 1920 pixels on the longest side, rather than a square 1920x1920 image. If the images will be reviewed by the event via projection jury, the system will add black bars (also known as masks), as needed, to "square" the image. Because the default in all projected images is horizontally oriented, squaring an image will allow for any image to be displayed equitably in the projected format. Artists that already have 1920x1920 images loaded into their image bank do NOT need to re-upload their images without the black bars. Images that have been uploaded in the original ZAPP™ image format will always be viewed properly for any jury on ZAPP™.
2. Because some artists do not have the ability to upload images that are 1920 pixels on the longest side, ZAPP™ now allows for a smaller image to be uploaded into the system. While we strongly recommend that all artists continue to utilize the 1920 pixel standard, if this is not possible, artists can now upload images that are a minimum of 1400 pixels on the longest side.

• If you have existing 1920x1920 images in your image bank, there is no need to remove and re-upload them to these new specifications.
• If some of your images are not exactly 1920x1920 pixels in size, you are no longer required to add black bars to square your images in order to upload them into the ZAPP™ system successfully. For example, if you have an image that is 1920x1800 pixels, the ZAPP™ system will now accept the image size for upload. If the image will be reviewed in a projected jury setting, the system will add black bars prior to jury review, as needed, to "square" the image to maintain equitable image presentation. Thus, a 1920x1800 pixel image will be brought to 1920x1920 pixels for projection jury display by applying black bars.

• Formatting your images according to ZAPP™ guidelines will give you more control over how images will look and how jurors will view them.
• Photo-editing provides an opportunity for color correction, adjusting the contrast and sharpness of your images, allows you to crop images, and introduces you to the skills involved in digital imaging.

• Like slides, formatting your digital images can be done on your own. You will need photo-editing software that can resize images, change image resolution, create new images, and save images as JPEGs.
• There a variety of products that can help you format your images successfully. Packaged software is available to purchase as well as free downloadable software. Recently various websites are offering online image editing tools as well.
  
• Adobe (http://www.adobe.com) currently provides two photo editing products--Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Elements--that are very popular among today's designers and artists. Adobe Elements, the less-expensive option, provides a free 30-day trial if you would like to try the program before purchasing.
  
• Get Paint (http://www.getpaint.net), a free open-source program for Windows-based computers, can also help to format images successfully. If you are a Mac user, download Gimp (http://www.gimp.org), a userful image editing program.
• Sumo, Aviary, and Pixlr are some of the few websites out there that offer image editing right in the browser.
  
• If purchasing a photo editing program is out of your budget or you are short on time, having a digital professional prepare your images for upload to the ZAPP™ system may be your best option. Please see the Tutorials and Resources section of ZAPP™ Help for a list of digital imaging resources, photographers, and vendors who help artists photograph their work, format their photos, and even upload them for you.

• Yes. Please visit the ZAPP™ Tutorials and Resources page.

• Image resolution, otherwise known as dpi, is the amount of dots per square inch of an image when it is printed. Image size is the dimensions (length and width) of an image in a digital format. The difference between the two is that resolution reflects printer quality and image size designates how large your image will be viewed on monitors.
  

• Black masks are no longer required. Removing the black masks from your current images, while not required, will create a cleaner look when images are viewed by jurors. For jury consistency we recommend not submitting an application with a mix of images that have and do not have black masks.

Photographing Your Artwork: Some tips

• If photographing your own work, use a 3-megapixel camera or better.
• Most photography studios offer services to digitally scan slides.

• Be aware that models can easily take away from your work if not photographed correctly.
• Remember that your work is the focus, not the model.

• Lighting is an important factor when photographing your work.
• Be sure that your camera is set and white-balanced for your lighting conditions.
• Small shifts of light can dramatically bring out the details in your work.
• Play with different angles.
• Avoid hot spots if at all possible.

Poor

Good

• Bracket your photographs and take multiple exposures.
• Depending on your lighting, various exposures can give different effects to your work.
• Make sure that your blacks and whites still retain detail.

Poor

Good

• Your images should be clear and in focus. This is especially critical with artwork that has fine detail.
• The more textures and nuances the jurors can see, the more your craftsmanship will be appreciated and noticed.
• Macro photography can significantly enhance jewelry images.

• Different angles can give off different moods and feelings for the artwork.
• Experiment with various angles.
• Take many photos so you have a variety to chose from.

Poor

Good

• Use up the maximum amount of image space available in the 1920 x 1920 pixel limit.
• Crop the image so there is not any unnecessary negative space in the image.

Poor

Good

• Make sure that all of your images have a consistent feel and look.
• A consistent theme, lighting, background, subject, etc., will make your submission appear professional.

• Steer away from distracting backgrounds.
• If using a background, gradients and neutral colors work best.
• People, pets, banners, etc., can take away from your work.
• Each image is your chance to glorify your work. Remove any distracting elements.

Poor

Good