 | This help page is ahow-to guide. It explains concepts or processes used by the Wikipedia community. It is not one ofWikipedia's policies or guidelines, and may reflect varying levels ofconsensus. |
This page explains how to requestimages from otherWikipedians forWikipedia articles. To request an image from a specific Wikipedian photographer, seeWikipedia:Wikipedians/Photographers andCategory:Wikipedian photographers.
For an object that has a location, you should ensure that it hasWikidata geocoordinates so it will appear on maps such asWiki Shoot Me.
Note that the wordsimage,diagram,photograph andpicture are sometimes interchangeable, and when making a request you should not take the wording too literally. You may want an image of something from a time before cameras were invented but the request can be fulfilled via a photograph of a picture or scanning or creating a diagram or a screenshot of a computer image.
Before posting, please perform the following steps:
There are two methods for requesting an image:
Note: Either or both methods together can be used for a request; however, using the{{photo requested}} template is the preferred method, as that is better monitored and managed.
You may add one of the image request templates, such as:{{photo requested}} -{{map requested}} -{{diagram requested}} -{{video requested}} or{{audio requested}} to the article's talk page. This will automatically place the article intoCategory:Wikipedia requested photographs. Additional templates are available atCategory:Image request templates.
Please note that the main template to request an image is{{photo requested}}.
To add articles to subcategories ofCategory:Wikipedia requested photographs, use{{photo requested}}with the following format:{{photo requested|subject|in=location}} .
Although it is possible to add just the template{{photo requested}} to a talk page, it isstrongly advised that you add at least one category parameter. If you don't categorize your request, it will not receive attention from subject/regional photographers, and it is more likely to be deleted by other editors.
For example, if a picture of a specific car is required, then the following should be added to the talk page:{{photo requested|cars}} - this will place the page intoCategory:Wikipedia requested images of cars. Pictures of places should be sorted by location, for example:{{photo requested|in=Norway}} .
Adding more than one subject to the list of parameters will bring it to the attention of more people. For example, if the subject is found in a location (or predominantly is in one country), then you can add an additional category, like so:{{photo requested|computer equipment|in=Russia}} .
If you want a specific image of the article subject, it is possible to add detailed text. For example, on the talk page of a specific building:{{photo requested|architecture|in=London|of=main entrance hall}} .
For a full list of categories being used, go toWikipedia:List of image request categories. Alternatively you can manually search for categories atCategory:Wikipedia requested photographs. When selecting a category, please click down to the most relevant subcategory, and select the most appropriate to the topic of the article requiring a photograph.Adding more than onesubject category in the template is recommended.
If the subject matter isn't perfectly obvious, such as an article about a physical object, please explain your request on the talk page. It is very helpful to give photographers your ideas, particularly for abstract items, such as legal and philosophical concepts.
If you have a specific idea for another image, then use the|of= parameter to name the specific picture that you would like. This is particularly helpful if there are already images in the article.
Unexplained and uncategorized templates may be deleted by any editor.
The following templates may be used on article talk pages to request the addition of particular types of media files. See the individual templates for usage notes. Specific templates are indented under the more general templates, and wherever possible, the most specific template should be used.
|needs-image=yes|needs-image=yes|needs-image=yes|screenshot=yes|needs-image=yes|reason=If you want to contribute an image you have taken yourself, either on film or with a digital camera, please make sure it looks optimal. Consider using graphics software such as theGIMP to enhance saturation, contrast, and sharpness (sample tutorial). You do not need to provide a thumbnail image. Please see theimage use policy for more advice on working with images. You can also contribute pictures not taken by yourself, if they are in the public domain or available under a free license likeCreative Commons Attribution or Attribution-ShareAlike. Requested images can be found by viewingCategory:Wikipedia requested images, and add images to articles that link to these pages.
Wikipedia can only accept photographs and pictures that are freely licensed or in thepublic domain. The most common free licenses areCreative Commons Attribution and Attribution-ShareAlike (BY and BY-SA) andCC0. TheGNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) is less common and in many instances not allowed onWikimedia Commons since 2018. Licenses that are compatible with both Wikipedia and Commons are preferred.Non-free content (fair use) images are sometimes also acceptable, but only locally on Wikipedia (not on Commons). A complete guideline of what is acceptable can be found atimage use policy.
Use{{photo requested}} template to add articles to these subcategories to post requests for images that you would like to be used on a Wikipedia article. Others can then upload the image(s).