Author Topic: Keyword: Christmas lights (Read 5187 times)

ShadySue · « **on:** October 18, 2012, 06:02 »

I've just uploaded to iStock a photo relating to outdoor city Christmas Lights. However, 'Christmas Lights' DAs only to 'Fairy Lights'. As I often seem to get keywording Godzilla (who removes e.g. 'horizontal' from horizontal photos and 'growth' from a plantation photo), they are sure to remove 'fairy lights', even though I've put a note in the description, and as I'm banned I can't post to the keywords forum or SM Ducksandwich.

Anyone know a different term for city centre outdoors municipal Christmas Lights?
TIA

rubyroo · « **Reply #1 on:** October 18, 2012, 06:09 »

I'd just put 'Christmas' and 'lights' as separate words if I were you.

ruxpriencdiam · « **Reply #2 on:** October 18, 2012, 06:13 »

We have all kinds of lighting displays around here as well and yes we also have a city center they light up in just about all of the major Cities and most of them are called the celebration in lights if that helps any.

ShadySue · « **Reply #3 on:** October 18, 2012, 06:25 »

Quote from: rubyroo on October 18, 2012, 06:09

I'd just put 'Christmas' and 'lights' as separate words if I were you.

I bet Keywords Godzilla would take out Christmas as it was taken in October and maybe lights as they are not lit (they're just being put up, or checked, by a bloke in a cherry picker).
It's really the idea of getting ready for Christmas.
I don't think I can keyword 'Shine on, Glasgow' as the lights aren't lit (relating to ruxpriencdiam's suggestion). Honestly, I think Keywords Godzilla snatches my files, and never looks at certain keywording recividists.

rubyroo · « **Reply #4 on:** October 18, 2012, 06:37 »

I haven't seen the pic, obviously, but given what you've described I'd have thought:

Christmas, lights, festive, municipal, city, town, preparation, preparing, assembling, street, council worker, municipal worker, public.... etc. would work.

It's a while since I had any keyword issues with them, but don't they just put a note on the acceptance notice, saying they've removed the words they didn't like? I can't remember...

ShadySue · « **Reply #5 on:** October 18, 2012, 06:42 »

Quote from: rubyroo on October 18, 2012, 06:37

I haven't seen the pic, obviously, but given what you've described I'd have thought:

Christmas, lights, festive, municipal, city, town, preparation, preparing, assembling, street, council worker, municipal worker, public.... etc. would work.

It's a while since I had any keyword issues with them, but don't they just put a note on the acceptance notice, saying they've removed the words they didn't like? I can't remember...

Yes, if you're exclusive. You get a rejection otherwise, though that's not always strictly enforced.
I have most of the words you suggested,and will add the others (thanks). It's just that if a picture is about putting up Christmas Lights, it's awkward if I can't use "Christmas lights". I should have sent to Alamy, but as he was on top of a cherry picker and I was on the ground with a short zoom, I had to crop in too much. Messy background, so the 'wide shot' didn't work.
I'll try to do better next year!

Added: 'lighting equipment' is a DA for lights, so I plumped for that. Tx again.

rubyroo · « **Reply #6 on:** October 18, 2012, 07:01 »

Not just awkward, but weird too. It seems such an obvious term to accept. Shame about Alamy.

Glad to have helped. Good luck with it. Hope it all works out well.

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #7 on:** October 18, 2012, 07:16 »

"Christmas lights (decoration)" is a CV term on my end.

gostwyck · « **Reply #8 on:** October 18, 2012, 07:26 »

Quote from: sjlocke on October 18, 2012, 07:16

"Christmas lights (decoration)" is a CV term on my end.

Same here. Whenever you have an issue like this I'd suggest searching IS for similar images to find out what CV terms exist. It's often quite 'illuminating' if you'll forgive the pun (wha-hay!).

'Christmas market' is another CV term which might be appropriate. Don't forget that the CV gives buyers the same difficulty as us so sometimes you just have to use CV terms that exist even if they are not exactly accurate.

ShadySue · « **Reply #9 on:** October 18, 2012, 07:40 »

Quote from: sjlocke on October 18, 2012, 07:16

"Christmas lights (decoration)" is a CV term on my end.

That's strange. I tried again, and could only get Fairy Lights, so I typed in Christmas Lights (decoration) and that DA'd only to Fairy Lights (decoration) with no option.

And in case you think it's an English US vs English UK issue, here's where I just put Christmas Lights originally:

Grrrr.

I doubt it would be a big seller anyway.

ShadySue · « **Reply #10 on:** October 18, 2012, 08:16 »

Quote from: gostwyck on October 18, 2012, 07:26

'Christmas market' is another CV term which might be appropriate. Don't forget that the CV gives buyers the same difficulty as us so sometimes you just have to use CV terms that exist even if they are not exactly accurate.

Christmas market is a very specific thing, originating in Germany, but now quite popular in big cities over here in late November. This is just a bloke erecting of checking christmas lights on Monday last, nothing else except buildings in the background (as it's a city square, no option).

I'm actually pretty much a keywording fundamentallist.

Gannet77 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 18, 2012, 09:45 »

I would just put "Christmas Lights" anyway, since they are, and the worst that can happen is it would be removed - after all, a buyer could well put that and wouldn't care if it disambiguated to "Fairy Lights".

But, there is also an entry "Christmas Decoration" under the top level tag "Decoration"; how about that? Does that satisfy your fundamentalist tendencies any better?

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #12 on:** October 18, 2012, 10:23 »

Quote from: ShadySue on October 18, 2012, 06:25

Quote from: rubyroo on October 18, 2012, 06:09
I'd just put 'Christmas' and 'lights' as separate words if I were you.
I bet Keywords Godzilla would take out Christmas as it was taken in October and maybe lights as they are not lit (they're just being put up, or checked, by a bloke in a cherry picker).
It's really the idea of getting ready for Christmas.

Many of my best selling Christmas pictures were taken in October - when the image is taken has no bearing on whether the keyword is appropriate for the picture. And lights are lights, whether they're turned on or not.

And I think you're getting UK disambiguation even though your screen shot says it's English (US). If I type in christmas lights while editing keywords (I just tried it) I get Christmas Lights (Decoration) as the result. Typing in fairy lights also DAs to Christmas Lights (Decoration)

I would get Christmas and Lights (the liighting equipment meaning sounds just fine) separately and Christmas Lights even if on your site it DA's to fairy lights. If they take it out, so be it, but give it a shot and scout it if they remove it.

Sadstock · « **Reply #13 on:** October 18, 2012, 12:02 »

On the issue of keyword Godzilla, I submit with 5 keywords then add in all the others after acceptance. Given your concerns about the quality of keywords on Istock, I suspect this approch does not appeal to you, but it sure keeps Godzilla off my back. :-)

Since istock has taken away or ability to alert them to this keywording issue, I would certainly include 'fairy lights' as a keyword since I'm guessing customers seaching for 'christmas lights' in british english will only be shown the results for 'fairy lights'.

ShadySue · « **Reply #14 on:** October 18, 2012, 12:09 »

Oh, it's just in (editorial is so fast!) and it couldn't have been KG who inspected it as 'fairy lights' is in, though making me feel a bit uncomfortable.
Tx all.

ShadySue · « **Reply #15 on:** October 18, 2012, 12:16 »

Example of keywording Godzilla:
This file accepted, but with 'business' removed:
http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-21770802-square-cropped-skyscraper-reflections.php
Admittedly, that is a much greyer keyword than I'd usually use, but look at these,all of which have 'business':
http://www.istockphoto.com/search/text/business%20windows%20abstract/source/basic#f080560

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Author Topic: Keyword: Christmas lights (Read 5187 times)

ShadySue

rubyroo

ruxpriencdiam

ShadySue

rubyroo

ShadySue

rubyroo

Sean Locke Photography

gostwyck

ShadySue

ShadySue

Gannet77

Jo Ann Snover

Sadstock

ShadySue

ShadySue

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