Crediting other members in images

The terms "credit" and "tag" are sometimes used interchangeably.  This article is about crediting members who helped make a particular image, rather than image tags.  For more information about that, see A Brief Guide to Image Tagging.

How to credit someone in your image

Just for one image

Edit the image, click in the appropriate People box, and start typing the person's name.  You can type either their name as it's displayed (e.g. Russ Freeman) or their username (in that case russjfreeman).  The site will show a list of users whose names match what you've typed, along with their avatar so you can be sure that you've got the right person.

Click on the name to select it, and repeat for anyone else you want to credit.  You can credit multiple people in each box, though obviously each person only once in any one box.

For multiple images (VIP members only)

From the purple cog, go to your Image manager.  Select one or more images, then click the People button above them.  You can choose whether to replace all existing credits, whether to add to the existing credits, or whether to remove selected credits.  This will apply to all of the images you have selected.

Choose the roles, add the people as above, and click Save.

Why it benefits you to credit them

By crediting someone else in your images, someone who goes to their portfolio and clicks on their Credited Images page will find your pictures, opening a path to your portfolio and bringing traffic to you.

Images you're both (or all) credited in will also appears in your "Images between" (accessible from the grey cog on each image).  This page is also accessed from the View Images link next to each reference you leave each other.

Why it benefits them

In a similar way, anyone who visits your portfolio and looks at one of your images will be able to see the link to the other members who contributed to it, and can go to see their portfolios.  This networking aspect of the site is key to its success, as it builds the community.

It also improves the reputations of the people you've credited, as their "Images between" page fills up as an extension to their own portfolio.

How to control which images you're credited in

Require approval (VIP members only)

If you want to exercise a degree of control over which images other people can credit you in, the site can be set so anyone can credit you, but it's only visible to them until you approve it.

From the purple cog, choose Manage your portfolio, then General site settings, and tick the option "Review image tags before showing them".

Remove a tag (VIP members only)

If someone credits you by mistake, or if you don't want it to appear in your "Credited Images" page, you can remove yourself from it.  From the image, click the [x] next to your name.

Request a tag

If by some omission someone hasn't credited you in an image - perhaps they couldn't find your name, didn't know you were on the site, or you've only recently joined - then you can request that they tag you.  From the grey cog on the image page, click "Request to be tagged".  The other person will get an in-site notification of your request, and can choose to Accept it or Decline it (this guards against accidentally requesting).

Why do some images not have anyone credited

Sometimes you'll come across images without anyone else credited.  This is such a frequently asked question in the groups that it's worth covering here.  The reasons for this happening cover quite a range:

• The other contributors simply aren't on PurplePort.  For example, photographers will take pictures of friends or family, or other "non-model" subjects.  Similarly, models will sometimes have a friend take some pictures of them for various reasons, such as to show off a new hair style.
• The other contributors used to be on PurplePort but aren't any more.  Either they've allowed their account to lapse, or they've actively deactivated.  Of course, anyone who has been removed from the site also falls into this category.
• The other contributors didn't approve the tag (see the sections above and below).
• The other contributors removed their tag (see the sections above and below).
• The member posting it didn't know that the other contributors were on PurplePort.
• The other contributors joined PurplePort after the image was posted.
• The member posting the image couldn't find the other contributors.
• And forgetfulness and laziness quite possibly feature here for a very small number of pictures, too!

The general consensus is that the one thing it's normally not is any sort of "protection", i.e. one person wanting to limit who gets to work with "their" favoured collaborator.  It might happen, of course, but it's generally considered to be very rare.

Why some people choose not to be credited

This section is a distilled summary of reasons which people have given when the subject has been discussed.

The image is not up to their standard.

This might sound snobbish, but a model has to protect their "brand", and images which show them in a less than favourable light, caught at an awkward angle, or with unflattering lighting could detract from their overall image.  Similarly, a model might use a photographer's image which is below the photographer's normal level, or which the model has edited but not in a way that the photographer wants to be associated with.

It's not a style they do any more.

More commonly of a model who used to work to higher levels but no longer does, though other equivalent scenarios also exist.

The two parties have fallen out.

It's sad but true, people who have worked together can find that their relationship sours to the extent that one of them no longer wish to be associated with the other person.