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FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions about Library of Images From the Environment

Why was LIFE created and what is its purpose?
Why LIFE, instead of the old Digital Image Library?
Why is there so much detailed information with each photograph?
Where do the photographs in the library come from?
If I contribute photographs to your library, can you post a link to my site?
If I contribute photographs to your library, can I also sell these same photographs through a stock photography agency?
How can I send detailed information, or "metadata," to you with my photographs?
Can I link the LIFE photographs or web pages to my personal Web site?
How often is the LIFE updated with new photographs?
How can I acquire a higher resolution (or larger) photograph?
How can I contribute my photographs to the LIFE ?
Can you help me identify the animal or plant in my photograph?

1. Why was LIFE created and what is its purpose?
LIFE was created to help scientists, conservationists, decision-makers, students, educators, and the general public to understand our environment by providing high-quality biological photographs with detailed information about each photograph.

2. Why LIFE, instead of the old Digital Image Library?
The Digital Image Library is now the LIFE. A new database and Web site system allows us to serve many more images, and allows the user to sort the thousands of pictures within a category, search within the results, see related images, and find locations where images were obtained on a map. The improved database also can support much more information with images, including coordinates, the sex of the subject, information about any specimens featured in images, etc.

LIFE is more than another digital image library: it is a gateway to many contributors images and does not focus on a particular species or topic. Instead, LIFE emphasizes images from the environment in all its wonderful, biological breadth.

3. Why is there so much detailed information with each photograph?
Detailed information, or "metadata," greatly enhance the value of a photograph to a greater variety of users. Information such as scientific name, common name, description, location, date, etc., utilized with a photograph can help identify (1) species for scientific identification, (2) new locations where rare or invasive species have been spotted, (3) the impacts of fire, pollution, or other forces of nature over specific periods of time, (4) examples of courtship, predation, dominance, grooming or other behaviors, and more.

4. Where do the photographs in the library come from?
The photographs in our library are contributed by scientists, conservations, and/or enthusiastic nature photographers from all around the world. If you are interested in submitting your own photographs, please contact life@nbii.gov for more information.

5. If I contribute photographs to your library, can you post a link to my site?
We will not post a link to your Web site if it has commercial aspects. (Any links on this site to other commercial or to non-commercial sites with services or products does not imply our endorsement of those services or products - please see our policy.) However, contributors will have their names listed with their photographs in the appropriate credit area, and we can post your email address as contact information. We are also developing a Contributor's Page to give an additional spotlight credit and details about the many different people who are contributing photographs to the library in order to support environmental education.

6. If I contribute photographs to your library, can I also sell these same photographs through a stock photography agency?
Yes, you may sell the photographs that you contribute to LIFE through a stock agency. However, we require that you provide your highest resolution versions free to those users who locate your photograph on LIFE. As a government entity, by law we cannot provide support for commercial photographers. The contributors to LIFE experience a variety of useful and unique benefits, not the least of which is recognition. LIFE provides long-term archival storage of your photographs, along with tools for organizing and cataloging your photographs. Contributors are also provided with free training in cataloging concepts, feedback from users to assist in species identification, and helpful photographic tips, tricks and advice.

7. How can I send detailed information, or "metadata," to you with my photographs?
You can either email or mail a simple completed form that we will provide to you, or if you have many photographs, we can provide you with our template Excel spreadsheet so you can provide as much information about your photographs as possible. Please contact life@nbii.gov or write us at: LIFE, MS 302, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192, for more information on how to contribute photographs to the LIFE.

8. Can I link the LIFE photographs or web pages to my personal Web site?
Yes, please feel free to link to our "preview" pages, content pages, or to the Library of Images From the Environment home page itself <http://life.nbii.gov>. Please do not link directly to the images without listing the proper credit information displayed under the image located on the detailed preview page and listed under "Credit." Please see the Help section for more information on linking, especially on linking to images in bulk.

9. How often is the LIFE updated with new photographs?
We are continuously adding photographs as we process them. As with any web site, regular maintenance, updates, and holidays will sometimes slightly affect our production pace. Contributed photographs go through a rigorous review process to ensure photographic excellence and the accuracy of the detailed information or metadata. You can see our latest images in the What's New section (under Home).

10. How can I acquire a higher resolution (or larger) photograph?
First, look for a "High" resolution button with each image. When available, please verify the copyright usage for that image, and if you meet the usage requirements, you may download and use that photograph. To download the photograph, click the appropriate size Download button. See the Help section for more information on image sizes and on downloading.

If a "High" resolution button is not present, that means that either the original image was taken before photographs met our definition of "high resolution," (see the Media Sizes table) or the photographer has provided us with only the lower resolutions. We do encourage all of our contributors to offer us the highest resolution of a photograph available, but some wish to be contacted before the high resolution of a rare or a yet unpublished photograph is used. The majority of our contributors (except for some very early ones) have signed an agreement, however, that any higher resolutions that they keep will follow the same terms of use given on our web site (for those parties who find that image through LIFE). Terms of use are stated with each image, and contact information for the Responsible Party is given under the "More Credit Info" tab.

11. How can I contribute my photographs to the LIFE ?
Please begin by reading the Contributors section. If you require more information, please contact us at life@nbii.gov.

12. Can you help me identify the animal or plant in my photograph?
Although we have many biologists on staff to help with quality control, we do not have the staff available to help identify species that you have photographed. You can check under our Resources section for some useful identification guides.

Disclaimers

Individual contributors set their level of usage and permissions, so look for the "Rights" statement accompanying each image. For information on how to credit contributors, see under Media Usage.

Model Release - unless noted specifically with an image under the "More Credit Info" tab or in the Description, no person featured in a photograph in LIFE has signed a model release statement or has in any other way agreed to have their photograph used for publicity campaigns or for commercial uses.

Disclaimer, Attribution & Privacy Statement