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FAQs

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Content Licence Agreement

Photographers' Supply Agreement

Property Release

Model Release

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pipistock FAQs

How do I buy pipistock photos?    

1.   Join up
First of all you need to be a pipistock Member to Buy Credits and Download our photos. Joining pipistock is free and fast so Join Up now.

2.    Buy Credits
Once you’ve logged in as a Member, purchase some pipistock Credits using your Credit Card or PayPal account (see “Buy Credits” in the main gallery), then use your Credits anytime you want to buy our photos. pipistock downloads start at 1 Credit.

3.    Search & Download
Type your search term into the Search space at the top of the screen and hit the “Search” button.  Use Advanced Search for more Search options. (If you can’t find what you’re looking for Contact Us at pipistock and we’ll source it for you.)

Once you’ve found the image you want, choose the Content Licence option and file size you’re after – Standard Licence: Small, Medium, Large or XLarge, or an Expanded Licence – and add it to your Shopping Cart. Hit “Check Out” to use your pipistock Credits to purchase it, then hit the Download icon   –  it’s all yours!

NB: You must be logged in as a pipistock Member to purchase Credits and Download pipistock photos.


How do Credits work?
Like many other stock photo sites, pipistock operates using Credits. Instead of using cash every time you purchase a photo, you pre-purchase some pipistock Credits using your Credit Card or PayPal account and spend them whenever you want to download an image. Credits help reduce our costs which means we can provide you with great New Zealand photos at very affordable prices.

One credit is $30 (including GST). The credit cost of a photo depends on the size of the file you choose. You can also purchase an Expanded Licence which allows for an extended range of uses. The Expanded Licence always includes the largest file size for that image. All pipistock’s images are Royalty-free and exclusive to pipistock.

*These are approximate dimensions only. Although actual dimensions will be close to these, it will depend on the size and aspect ratio of the original uploaded file. The actual dimensions available (pixel x pixel) are noted beneath each photo on the photo detail page on the Site.

NB:You must be logged in as a pipistock Member to purchase Credits and Download pipistock photos.

How long are my Credits valid?
pipistock Credits expire one year from the date of purchase. Once logged in as a pipistock Member, you can check your Credit Balance in the “My Account” area accessed from the menu bar at the top of every page.

Where did my Download go?
After completing your order you should immediately be directed to the “My Account” area where you will see a list of your recent transactions (“Purchase History”) with the Instant Download icon beside each of your current photo purchases. You can also access the “My Account” area from the menu bar at the top of every page when you are logged in as a pipistock Member. 

The Instant Download is in a zip format. If you don't have a zip program you can download it here for [Windows] or here for [Mac]

If you can’t see the Download icon beside your order, check the “Status” of your order. If it is "Pending”, “Processing” or “Incomplete", it means that your order was not completed.  You could try again by clicking on the “Continue to Checkout” icon . If you are still unable to complete the transaction, please Contact Us and we’ll help you.

Please note: different Browsers will save your download files in different places:

• Internet Explorer: typically lets you choose where to save a file. If you do not select a folder, it will default to the last place you saved a file.
• Firefox: saves files to your desktop unless you set your own preferences under Tools>Options.
• Safari: will generally send images to your downloads folder or your desktop. This can also be set in the preferences.

I didn’t complete a Download but have still had Credits deducted!?!
If you’re having problems downloading, please Contact Us with the image filename. We can email you the file or may be able to refund your Credits.

What do I do if my Member Login won’t work?
If you are re-directed to a login error page, make sure your Caps Lock is off since your Password and Member Username are case sensitive.

If you think you may have forgotten your Password or Username, you could try resetting them by clicking on the “Forgot your Password?” link on the login page.  Fill in the requested information and we’ll then send you an email with your Username and a link to reset your Password.

If you are still re-directed, check your browser cookie settings to ensure they’re on a medium privacy level and clear all cookies and cache files in your browser. Also check your system clock (date/time/year) is correct as this will affect cookies.

If none of these tips resolve the issue, please Contact Us


Where are my Invoices and Purchase History?
To access your Member Account information please:
a.    Login as a Member using your pipistock Username and Password.
b.    Access the “My Account” area from the main menu bar at the top of every page. You will immediately be directed to your “Purchase History” where you can “View Invoices”, check your “Credit Balance” and make changes to your profile using “Edit Profile”.
c.    You can also print your invoices here and re-download a recently purchased file.

How many Credits do I have left?
Login as a pipistock Member and access the “My Account” area from the main menu bar at the top of every page. You will be immediately directed to your “Purchase History” where you can view your recent transactions, “View Invoices”, check your “Credit Balance” and make changes to your profile using “Edit Profile”.

Click on Credit Balance . The table will show your Purchased Credits and your Credits Used. Your remaining Credit Balance is the difference between these two. 

Where did my Credits go?
pipistock Credits expire 1 year from the date of purchase. If you find you are unable to use them within the year, please Contact Us and one of our representatives will be more than happy to extend them for you.

Can I re-download an image file?
pipistock allows you 24 hours to re-download a file you’ve already purchased at no additional Credit cost. To re-download a file, login as a pipistock Member and return to the “My Account” area where you will see your transaction list with the Instant Download icon beside each of your current downloads. Just click on the download link to re-download the file. You can access the “My Account” area from the menu bar at the top of every page when you are logged in as a pipistock Member. 

How do I search by file number?
Type the file number without its prefix directly into the Search bar at the top of the screen e.g. if the filename is Jacobs_IMG_9087, just type 9087 into the Search space and hit the “Search” button.

How can I change my Password?
To change your password, login as a Member then go to the “My Account” area which can be accessed from the main menu bar at the top of every page. Click on the Edit Profile link. You will be asked to enter your current password and confirm your new password. If you have forgotten your Password or Username, you can reset them by clicking on the “Forgot your Password?” link on the login page. Fill in the requested information and we’ll then send you an email with your Username and a link to reset your Password.

Help! I’ve forgotten my Username or Password
Keep calm – we can help. If you think you may have forgotten your Password or Username, you can reset them by clicking on the “Forgot your Password?” link on the main login page.  Fill in the requested information and we’ll then send you an email with your Username and a link to reset your Password.

Are pipistock images Royalty-Free?
All of the images on our site are royalty-free, shot in New Zealand, and provided exclusive to pipistock.

What does 'Royalty-Free' mean?
“Royalty-free” refers to the type of agreement being used to license an image. Once you have accepted a royalty-free licensing agreement you are able to use that image in a wide range of ways as defined in the licence terms. “Royalty-free” is the opposite of “rights-managed”. A Rights-managed image needs a specific licensing agreement stating exactly when, where, how and for how long you are going to use an image. Compared to rights-managed, the use of royalty-free images is very flexible.

All pipistock images are royalty-free which means less hassle and more freedom for our Members.

What about Exclusive Rights to an image?
It may be possible to purchase exclusive rights for the image you’re after, but we’ll have to check first. Contact Us with the image reference, the length of time you require (e.g. 1 year, 2 years, indefinitely), and the territory (e.g. New Zealand, Australasia, worldwide), and we'll see what we can do. If we can provide exclusivity, we will remove the image from our site to prevent other pipistock Members from downloading it.

How can I use pipistock images?
You can use pipistock images for all your creative projects – websites, brochures, advertising, marketing, presentations and more. All our photos are royalty-free. Our Standard Content Licence is for one user, non-resale items, and reproduction/print runs of up to 100,000. We also offer an Expanded Content Licence (where available) for even more usage options including multiple users, larger print runs and re-sale items.
The following is a summary of licensed uses. To see a full list of licensed uses and the terms and conditions relating to image use, please read the pipistock Content Licence Agreement in full.

Standard Content Licence:

• one individual user;
• reproduction/print runs of up to 100,000;
• editorial purposes (unlimited reproduction/print runs);
• web pages and electronic newsletters;
• décor in your office, lobby, public area, restaurant, or retail store;
• background props in video, film, or television broadcasts;
• print advertising and promotional projects, including business cards, pamphlets, brochures, catalogues, product packaging and panel displays (but not for resale or licence);
• personal, non-commercial use but not for resale, licence or other distribution.

• 20 individual users;
• unlimited reproduction/print runs for non-resale items;
• unlimited reproduction for electronic items for resale e.g. e-greeting or similar cards, electronic templates and screensavers;
• limited reproduction/print runs for hardcopy items for resale e.g. book covers, postcards, greeting cards, posters, calendars, mugs and apparel.
• How can I use pipistock Complimentary Images?
• pipistock provides watermarked Complimentary Images for free download from our website. Complimentary Images may ONLY be used for your internal evaluation purposes such as mock-ups or layouts, to help you decide whether you want to buy a licence for that Content. You cannot use Complimentary Images in any final work product or end work and you do not have any rights to copy, publish or distribute them. It’d also be embarrassing to publish a Complimentary Image with our pipistock watermark emblazoned on it!
  
  
  

• Are shot with a minimum 10MP DSLR camera.
• Comply with the requirements of the pipistock Submission Guide.
• Showcase your talent – consider variety, composition, angles, depth of field.
• Capture New Zealand people, places or lifestyles – these could be Kiwi icons or a part of everyday life in NZ.
• Are good quality – consider focus, lighting, noise, composition.
• Are less than 2MB each – we’ll only be using them for assessment purposes.
• Are emailed to newtalent@pipistock.co.nz  (please include your pipistock Username).

Are there any costs or fees involved in being a pipistock Photographer?
No, we do not charge storage fees, processing fees, member fees or any hidden fees at all.

How long will it take for my application to be reviewed?
You should get an email confirming we’ve received your application within 24 hours. We’ll then do our best to review your images and let you know if you’ve been approved as quickly as possible – two to three days max.

How much do pipistock Photographers earn?
pipistock Photographers earn a massive 40% every time one of their images is licensed. If you are GST registered, your earnings will include GST (40% of the GST-inclusive credit value of the licence). If you aren’t GST registered, your earnings will be GST exclusive (40% of the GST-exclusive credit value of the licence).  The more images you upload to pipistock and the more popular your images are, the more money you earn!

	Camera specs: Minimum 10MP DSLR camera. Preferably with RAW capability.
	Images must be JPEG file format and RGB colour space only.
	Minimum image size (pixel x pixel): The bigger, the better. All images need to be at least 2560 x 1700 pixels. Anything smaller will be automatically rejected. By meeting this minimum requirement we will be able to sell your images in large, medium and small sizes.
	No uprezzing/upsampling please: Just send us your largest native file.
	Quality images: We only accept high quality images. Before submitting them, check your own images at 100% for poor exposure and focus, colour cast, lens dust and scratches, noise and compression artifacts.
	Pure NZ and Exclusive: All images supplied to pipistock are to be shot in New Zealand and provided exclusive to our Site.
	You must own the full copyright to any image you upload.
	Model/Property Releases: It is your responsibility to obtain and retain valid and binding Model/Property Release(s) to permit the uses described under the pipistock Content Licence Agreement. For more info please see pipistock’s Submission Guide.
	Remove trademarks, logos and brands: This includes any trademarks, logos, brand names, company names, or other entities with trademarked or copyrighted elements. This extends to identifiable modern toys, computers, MP3 players and other licensed products.
	No images of other artwork: Includes paintings, sculptures, any object in an art gallery or museum, advertisements or other photos.
	Description and Keywords: Make sure your keywords relate directly to your image and try to think like a customer: what words would you use to search for the image? Images with careful, descriptive and accurate keywording get downloaded more often = more $$ for you!
	Kiwi! Kiwi! Kiwi! Capture New Zealand people, places or lifestyles – these could be Kiwi icons or a part of everyday life in NZ.

When do I need a Model Release?
If your image contains an identifiable person(s) then you will need a signed Model Release. A pipistock Model Release form is available for download from our Site or you may use your own alternative. Children can’t sign a model release form so a legal guardian or parent must sign for all models under the age of 18 years. It is your responsibility to obtain a valid and binding Model Release(s) to permit the uses described under the pipistock Content Licence Agreement. During the upload process you will be asked to confirm whether you have obtained a Model Release, and you are required to store all Model Releases and produce them on request. If you falsely declare that you have obtained a model release then you may be suspended.

If I am the only identifiable person in an image, do I still need a Model Release?
Yes. You need a Model Release for any identifiable person in an image - this includes yourself.

When do I need a Property Release?
Law relating to photographing property in NZ has quite a few grey areas. For images of private property, and particularly for private property that can be closely associated with specific people, you’re much better off getting a Property Release. pipistock requires a Property Release for images of private property that might sensibly lead to the identification of the owner. The more recognisable and unique the property and/or the higher the profile of the owner, the greater the need for a Property Release. Remember that property can include pets and cars for example. A pipistock Property Release form is available for download from the Site or you may use your own alternative. A Property Release needs to be signed by the legal and beneficial owner(s) of the property or their authorised agent.  It is your responsibility to obtain a valid and binding Property Release to permit the uses described under the pipistock Content Licence Agreement. During the upload process you will be asked to confirm whether you have obtained a Property Release. You are required to store all Property Releases and to produce them on request. If you falsely declare that you have obtained a Property Release then you may be suspended. For more details, please see pipistock’s Submission Guide.

How long will it take for my uploaded images to be reviewed?
The pipistock team work hard to keep our images relevant, easily searchable and of high quality – it’s good for our customers and for your pocket! So each image is reviewed individually before adding it to our Site. How long it takes to review your images will depend on our workload, but it shouldn’t be more than a couple of days. We’ll then send you an email detailing which of your images have been accepted. Images accepted will immediately be available for customers to download so you can start earning some money straight away.

When and how do I get paid?
You can check your earnings at any time by logging on as a Photographer then accessing your “Earnings” from the main menu in the Photographers’ Section. Here you will see the history of your downloaded images. You can also view more detailed information for each download by clicking on “Order ID”. When you have accumulated $100 of earnings, you can request pipistock to pay you. pipistock will then deposit your earnings into your NZ bank account on the 31st of the month (or thereabouts). All earnings are brought forward into the next pay period until you reach the $100 minimum. Why $100? So we don’t incur additional admin costs for processing loads of small pay outs, and can therefore offer you better earnings!  All payments are in NZ dollars and are paid into NZ bank accounts only.

Where do I find a record of my downloaded images and earnings?
You can check your earnings at any time by logging on as a Photographer then accessing your “Earnings” from the main menu in the Photographers’ Section. Here you will see the history of your downloaded images. You can also view more detailed information for each download by clicking on “Order ID”.

How can I increase my Downloads?
Continue to review your images once you’ve submitted them and improve your keywords. Keywords are the most important information you can provide to help customers find your images. Also, take a look at our hot downloads to see what’s selling, and check out our category listings for areas that are light on images and fill the gaps.

I am currently selling images on other sites, is this OK?
Yes, as long as they are not the same images that you provide to pipistock. All images supplied to pipistock are to be provided exclusive to our Site.

How can my images be used?
Customers can use your images according to either our Standard Content Licence or Expanded Content Licence – depending on which one they purchase prior to download.

The following is a summary of licensed uses. Please refer to the pipistock Content Licence Agreement for a full list of licensed uses, terms and conditions.

Standard Content Licence:

• one individual user;
• reproduction/print runs of up to 100,000;
• editorial purposes (unlimited reproduction/print runs);
• web pages and electronic newsletters;
• décor in your office, lobby, public area, restaurant, or retail store;
• background props in video, film, or television broadcasts;
• print advertising and promotional projects, including business cards, pamphlets, brochures, catalogues, product packaging and panel displays (but not for resale or licence);
• personal, non-commercial use but not for resale, licence or other distribution.

• 20 individual users;
• unlimited reproduction/print runs for non-resale items;
• unlimited reproduction for electronic items for resale e.g. e-greeting or similar cards, electronic templates and screensavers;
• limited reproduction/print runs for hardcopy items for resale e.g. books or book covers, postcards, greeting cards, posters, calendars, mugs and apparel.
• My file was rejected because of “compression artifacts” or “noise”. What are these?

The JPEG file format uses a “lossy” compression method. In order to compress the file (make it smaller), some details are approximated so that information may be discarded. This information cannot be recovered. The compression “quality” settings that digital cameras and image editing programs have for saving JPEGs determine how much information is lost. With lower quality settings, or repeated saves, the removal of information during the compression process can become visible in the form of compression artifacts. These are places in the image where too much detail has been lost which can appear as smooth areas or blurring (general loss of detail), checkerboard-like blocky areas, noticeable colour-banding in large areas of what should be smooth colour transitions (e.g. sky), and jagged “stair-casing” on curved edges in areas of detail.

“Compression artifacts” are introduced either by your camera and/or during editing. If you’re going to shoot JPEGs, check your camera settings to make sure you’re using the highest compression quality possible. As re-sizing, re-sampling, and re-saving can all degrade the quality of a JPEG image, also make sure you’re using dedicated image processing software and that the compression quality is set to “Best” (e.g. in Photoshop, Quality “12”).  We recommend shooting in RAW so that you start with the cleanest possible image, then converting to a lossless format for processing (e.g. 8bit TIFF). Convert to the highest quality JPEG at the last possible moment before uploading. “Noise” (pixels of varying colour where there shouldn’t be any) is most commonly created by digital cameras in darker shadows or under low-light conditions. Noise usually appears as random speckles or graininess on what should be smooth surfaces, and exacerbates the compression issues mentioned above. Check your camera to make sure the ISO/ASA setting is at the lowest possible number (usually 100). Using higher ISO/ASA numbers (200 or 400) will always result in more noise.

Make sure you also review our Submission Guide for more detailed information on image requirements.

Can you remove my images from the Site without asking me?
Yes. pipistock reserves the right to remove any image from the Site, at any time, for any reason and without prior notice.