Help
Unsure how to go about choosing and purchasing your licence online? Need help in managing your lightboxes? Want to know what online membership gives you? You've come to the right place. Below are some handy tips for getting the most out of the Lonely Planet Images website.
Purchasing Image Licences Online
The entire licencing process can be conducted online - it's quick, easy and gives you total control. The Lonely Planet Images site enables you to create your own licence by selecting from a range of usage parameters and then purchase your licence online. Once purchased, your images will be made available online for you to download.
Creating an Order
To start your order process, add an image, multiple images, or entire lightboxes to the Shopping Cart from the Search Results, Preview Image or the actual Lightbox itself by selecting the 'Add to Shopping Cart' icon. (icon)
To access the shopping cart, click in the ‘Cart’ tab at the top of the page (screen grab). Select the image(s), by clicking on the tick box next to it, that you wish to license and click on the ‘Add/Change Usage’ button. If you have selected multiple images the usage you choose will apply to all of the images.
In the Usage pop up window select how you will use the image(s) and add the detail by choosing from the drop down menus. This will automatically determine the price of the license. Once you have added the usage and generated a price for the license, click the ‘Done’ button to return to the shopping cart.
If you have agreed set rates with Lonely Planet Images, click on the ‘My Rates’ tab in the pop up window and you will be able to choose from the usage and rates you have agreed on. Click the usage you want and click ‘Done’.
If you would like to add an image to the shopping cart whilst you are in there and you know the reference number, enter it into the ‘Add to Cart’ field at the top of the page.
If you want to add another usage to an image already in the shopping cart click on the ‘Add another usage’ button and the pop up window will appear again. That image will now appear twice in the cart with the two usages.
Please note that restricted images cannot be purchased. Please contact your nearest Lonely Planet Images office for assistance
The Shopping Cart
The Shopping Cart displays thumbnails, usage parameters and prices along with a subtotal of all items. If any images in your shopping cart are not already priced, you will be able to obtain a price by identifying the usage parameters. To double check full details of any image, click the thumbnail or image number link.
Once you have finished adding images and their usages to the shopping cart, click on the ‘Proceed to Checkout’ button to continue with your purchase.
If you wish to remove an image from the shopping cart click the ‘Remove from Cart’ button
If you have a promotional code you can enter it into the field below the total price, click ‘Update’ and your total will reflect the discount.
Checkout Step 1 - Preview Order Details
Preview your order and enter your job number, or reference (such as the issue number, book title, or Purchase Order number) in the appropriate field. The job number/customer reference enables easier tracking of your purchases and will appear in your licence history details.
The preview displays the items you have ordered along with the subtotal, any applicable taxes and the grand total. If you wish to change any details, select the 'go back to licensing page' next to the ‘Submit Order’ button at the base of the page.
To complete your order, select the 'Submit Order' button.
Checkout Step 2 - Payment
If your company has an existing account with Lonely Planet Images, when you select the 'Submit Order' button, the transaction will immediately be approved and the invoice added to your company's licence history. You will receive an email with the invoice attached. Please save this email in a safe place and also supply it to your accounts or finance department. Your invoice will also be saved into your ‘My Account’ area on the website, along with the rest of your licence history, should you wish to view or print it in the future.
If you do not have an account with Lonely Planet Images, you will be directed to a credit card payment screen. Enter your credit card details and select the 'Confirm' button to initiate the secure payment process. We accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express.
To cancel the transaction, select the 'Cancel' button.
Checkout Step 3 - Purchase Confirmation
Upon completion of a successful transaction, whether by credit card payment or via an existing account with Lonely Planet Images, your images will be made available via a link. Click on the link for the images to start downloading onto your computer. If you have any problems downloading the images will also be made available in the Downloads section of the site for 7 days.
Downloading Your Purchased, Commissioned and Comping Images
Download immediately from the link, or if there are any problems your images can be downloaded from the Downloads section of the website. Important: Your images will be available to download for ONLY 7 DAYS from date of purchase.
The images will be made available as soon as you've completed a successful transaction. They will be stored in a zipped file. If you've purchased an entire lightbox, all images will be saved in the one zipped file. We recommend you download your images when accessing the website via a broadband connection for speed of download.
To download, simply click on the file size link in the Download Images column. You will need WINZIP for PC or STUFFIT for MAC to decompress the digital file.
All images are 266 dpi - RGB or 300 dpi - RGB. Compressed file sizes are approximately 2 - 4 Mb.
Along with the high resolution image file, a CSV file will be included which contains all associated image information.
Your Licence History
This feature of the Lonely Planet Images website retains a record of all your past purchases, comp requests/downloads and commissioned assignments. Your licence history is available in the ‘My Account’ section of the website.
To view and print any invoice, delivery memo or commission statement, select the reference number. The document will open in a new browser window. You must have Acrobat Reader installed to open the PDF files.
Company administrators will be able to view the entire licence history for the company. General users will be able to view only their own licence history.
All About Lightboxes
Creating Lightboxes
You can create a Lightbox in either the Lightboxes section or after you have found your desired image, by selecting the 'Add to Lightbox' icon on either the thumbnail or enlarged image. You can create as many as 1000 Lightboxes.
Managing Lightboxes
In your secure account area, you'll be able to view a list of all Lightboxes that you've created and that others in your company have created and shared with you. You'll be able to see who created the Lightbox, when it was created, how many images are in it and whether it's shared with others assigned to that project. There are also several options allowing you to Browse, Email or Delete the Lightbox.
Share A Lightbox
Sharing a Lightbox will enable all other staff members of your company to view the lightbox you have created. Tick the ‘Share this lightbox with <Company>’ box at the top of the page for other company account holders to view the lightbox.
Email A Lightbox
This function allows someone else to view the images in your Lightbox. Click on the ‘Email Lightbox’ button and a pop up will appear with a link. Copy and paste the link into an email and send it to the person you would like to share it with. If you have emailed a link and that person has a Lonely Planet Images website account they will be able to save that lightbox in their account.
Delete A Lightbox
Simply select the 'Delete' link. You will be asked whether you wish to delete the Lightbox. Select the 'OK' button if you wish to go ahead and delete, otherwise select the 'Cancel' button. Once the 'OK' button is selected, the Lightbox will be deleted with all the images it contains.
Browse A Lightbox
You can view the Lightbox in order to browse its images or edit it by clicking the Lightbox name. The Lightbox displays a list of the images you have added to your Lightbox. You can re-sort the images or change the number of images that appear per page.
Within the Lightbox, you'll also have access to a range of functions, including the ability to add the Lightbox to the shopping cart, as well as download, delete, email, and share the Lightbox.
Editing Images in a Lightbox
Within each Lightbox, there are a number of functions to allow you to edit the images singly. You'll be able to delete the image from the Lightbox, add it to your shopping cart and view the enlarged version which contains complete image details.
Find That Image
Can't Find What You're Looking For?
Our powerful search engine is designed to help you quickly and easily find the perfect travel image. Search our extensive collection via the keyword search, using either keywords, keyword phrases, locations or the image/batch number. If the search results are too specific, search again by un-ticking ‘exact matches only’. If the search returns too many images refine your search by ticking the ‘Within results’ box. To further refine your search, you can simply click on any of the refinement categories in the left hand navigation or head to the Advanced Search page to filter using word match phrasing, destination, orientation, photographer name, and other preferences. If your search results are broad and the correct set of images can fall within particular categories or locations, use the 'Were you looking for...' selection to help narrow your search.
To further refine your search, head to the Advanced Search page to filter by destination, photographer name, orientation and other preferences.
You can also search for images by category. As you select a top level category, the site will refresh to reveal the sub-categories. There can be a variety of category levels; simply keep selecting from the next category down until you've reached the level of detail you're after.
Step-by-step Guide to Clever Searching
1. Start a Quick Search
- Enter a keyword phrase, keyword/s, location or image number
- Select the 'Search' button
2a. Refine Your Search Results using Within Results
- Enter a new keyword phrase, keyword/s, location or image number
- Click the 'Within Results' radio button
- Select the 'Search' button
2b. Refine Your Search Results using 'Were you looking for...'
- Select the matching category or location that is nearest to your expected search results. The resultant images will be displayed.
2c. Narrow Your Search Results using 'Refine Your Search'
- Select any of the links from the listed groups of Location, Category, Orientation, Model Release and Photographer that will help refine your search results
Search Iips
- Keywords can include nouns, adjectives, verbs and geographic terms
- Geographic terms refers to locations, which include country, city, state and island
- Keywords are NOT case sensitive
- Separate words in a search term with spaces - eg Italy Restaurant Pasta
- If you're not happy where your search has taken you, click on your selected categories to go back one or multiple levels
- If you want to perform a search with exclusions, eg. Italy no Coffee, Italy without Coffee, Italy not Coffee, use the Advanced Search
See our FAQ's for more details on how to search.
Advanced Search
Using the advanced search option gives you the use of multiple fields to narrow your search:
- Search by matching all terms, exact terms or without terms
- Search by photographer name. Use the typeahead feature to expand your selection category
- Search by destination: World Region and Location
- Search by model release and orientation
- Search by image or batch number. Enter multiple image numbers or batch numbers separated with spaces
Changing the Display of Search Results
The default setting for display of research results is 100 thumbnails per page. You will also be able to change the default search results to sort from ‘relevance’ to ‘date added’ to get the most recent images.
View Image Details
Click on an image for an enlarged view of the image and our complete catalogue information.
What Do Those Icons Mean?
Different icons will appear with the enlarged image and in the lightboxes. You may see only a few or all of them with the image. If you place your mouse over the icons, a description of their function will appear. Here's what they mean:
- Add image to shopping cart
- The image has restrictions
- Print lightbox
- Download lightbox
- Add image to lightbox
- Delete
- Email lightbox
Your Online Account
How to Access and What Does it Give Me?
After logging in, visit the My Account section. This area will give you the ability to update your personal details, including changing your password and email address. In addition, you'll be able to view your licence history, a list of all your current and past projects, those project's rate cards and the name and contact details of your company administrator.
What's the Difference Between a Company Administrator and All Other Users?
A company administrator has a greater level of access to your company's details, such as the ability to view the purchase histories of all staff, create new projects, assign and remove staff to and from those projects, edit your company's details and add and edit other users in your company.
The first time someone from your company registers, they will default to being the company administrator. This can be changed at a later date should you wish to assign this role to another member of your company.
Who Should Have an Online Account?
Lonely Planet Images suggests that for security, only those persons authorised to make purchases on behalf of your company is supplied with a membership.
NOTE: Lonely Planet Images reserves the right to deactivate accounts without advance notice and for any reason.
Image Technical Information
General Technical Details
All image files are created on Professional high resolution scanners or captured on Digital SLR cameras therefore image specifications will vary around the following attributes:
- Colour Space:RGB (Profiles vary depending on image source)
- Resolution:300 dpi
- Format:JPEG saved at Max Quality from TIFF original
- Compressed File Size:Average range 5-10MB
- Uncompressed file size:30MB – 50MB depending on the supplied original
- Dimensions:Minimum size will suit A4/Letter up to Double Page Spreads for larger files. Original pixel dimensions and resolution are displayed on the website Image Preview, however all images can be supplied at larger sizes on request
- Sharpening:Minimal Sharpening is applied. Full sharpening should only be applied as the final process prior to print
All images are suitable for high quality reproduction but should be sharpened and colour managed before going to print. For more information about image colour, view the 'Five Steps to Better Colour' information below or contact your printer.
File Information
Lonely Planet Images endeavor to include IPTC metadata in all our image files. This is viewable in your Image Browser or Photoshop File Info. It contains all data relating to the image including file name, content description, photographer credit, capture information and contact details for licensing purposes. If you require any of this information and it is not included with the image, please contact Lonely Planet Images.
Image Sizes
If you require a digital file larger than that supplied on our website, in most cases we can supply you with a customized reproduction to suit your specifications.
Contact your nearest office for more information and price schedule.
Five Steps to Better Colour
Producing Better Colour
Adobe Photoshop provides excellent colour management controls for your RGB images going to print. In Photoshop, go to Edit - Colour Settings. You can select standard CMYK profiles or create a Custom CMYK profile depending on your requirements. This allows you to alter Ink Type, Dot gain plus separation options such as GCR, UCR, Black component and Total Ink Density.
For your job to print with optimum results from your colour images, you must adjust your images depending on how they will be printed: High ink absorption newsprint (newspaper) or high grade glossy magazine stock (books, magazines) will determine how much 'Total Ink Density', 'Dot Gain' and "Under Colour Removal' you allow for.
The most versatile way to store an image is in RGB format so that it can be used for a variety of media, such as internet, CD-Rom or converted to CMYK with the appropriate settings for the printing process.
Total Ink Density
Controlling the maximum amount of ink in any part of an image will determine the quality of detail and colour accuracy of your image. This is Total Ink Density and is determined by adding the Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black values in the most heavily inked area of your image - C=70, M=60, Y= 60, K=75 gives a Total Ink Density of 265. The more absorbent and lower grade paper, the less Total Ink Density you will require. Higher grade papers will allow Total Ink Density of between 300 and 400, with newsprint quality paper Total Ink Density falling between 220 and 300.
Dot Gain
Allowing for dot gain again will play a role in the quality of detail and colour accuracy of your image. A 50% dot, if printed on newsprint with a dot gain of 30%, will print at 80%. A 50% dot, if printed on high grade glossy stock, would only have a dot gain on press of about 10%.
When converting from RGB to CMYK, allowing for a 30% dot gain (newsprint) will make the image appear lighter on screen but a 50% dot will then print at 50% on press. The highest area of gain will be at 50%, tapering to 0% gain at 100%.
Grey Component Replacement
Grey Component Replacement (GCR) replaces similar amounts of cyan, magenta and yellow ink with an amount of black ink. The benefit of GCR is that less overall ink is used, and the ink dries more quickly. The overall effect is a quite marked improvement in print quality.
Getting correct colour results is a specialised field. Contact your pre-press company or printer if unsure. As a rule of thumb you can convert your images in the following way.
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For newsprint CMYK Model - Built-in Ink colours - SWOP Newsprint Dot Gain - Standard 30% GCR Black Generation - Medium Black Ink Limit - 85% Total Ink Limit - 230% UCA Amount - 0 |
For high grade glossy stock CMYK Model - Built-in Ink colours - SWOP Coated Dot Gain - Standard 12% UCR Black Generation - Medium Black Ink Limit - 90% Total Ink Limit - 360% UCA Amount - 0 |