Commons talk:Wiki Loves Monuments 2017 in the United States

Welcome! Feel free to leave any questions or comments regarding Wiki Loves Monuments 2017 in the United States here. New messages go at the bottom.

Other links:

• General Wiki Loves Monuments FAQ
• General Wiki Loves Monuments Help Desk

what about DC?

washington dc isnt on the list — Preceding unsigned comment added by ROBN (talk • contribs) 05:29, 6 September 2017 (UTC)

@ROBN: Ah! Thanks for pointing that out. We do, of course, accept DC sites (there are plenty!), and it is listed on our upload form. We did miss making the guide for it, though. I have put one up here. Right now it just links to NRHP and NHL lists, so there's room for expansion :) ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 05:57, 6 September 2017 (UTC)

is it just me, or does "The world's largest photography competition" seem lacking in prizes?

the few prizes available seem pretty measly:
1st: $200
2nd: $125
3rd: $75
and t-shirts for the top 10
any random, non-profit in the US could round up something more impressive, but i expect more from wiki — Preceding unsigned comment added by SPYDR (talk • contribs) 16:05, 6 September 2017 (UTC) / 205.145.107.53 20:11, 6 September 2017 (UTC)

Hi @SPYDR: Thanks for your feedback! Regarding prizes, the event is entirely volunteer run, so it becomes a question of how to utilize donor dollars, while noting that the vast majority of contributions to Wikipedia, the Commons, and other Wikimedia projects are done gratis. The event also takes place in 50+ countries this year, so prizes in each nation add up. We hope that participating in Wiki Loves Monuments is rewarding in and of itself, in being able to help illustrate and preserve local history - but of course, rewarding quality contributions is important as well, especially as the event grows and becomes more notable :) We'll certainly look our prizes over, for both this year and following ones, so we appreciate your feedback.

For record's sake, note that the top-ten places also get forwarded to the international jury, which awards the following prizes:

• First prize: A Canon DSLR EOS 5D Mark IV camera + Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens.
• Second through tenth: Prizes ranging from to €100 to €1500, to be used for buying equipment or other materials related to photography or building cultural heritage.

Thanks, ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 21:22, 6 September 2017 (UTC)

"Wiki"?

What ever happened to File:Don't_abbreviate_as_Wiki_(English_version).png? 59.37.8.134 14:56, 8 September 2017 (UTC)

@59.37.8.134: Hah, good question :) That'd be something to ask the international organizers from 2010. I can't speak for them, but I figure it's because the images are for multiple wikis (Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia, etc.), and, well, just keeping the name simpler. ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 08:18, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

Cannot submit my photo to the competition

@Kevin Payravi: or whomever can help. I uploaded this file to Commons: File:Adam Thoroughgood House - South LR.jpg but I cannot submit it to the WLM USA competition. The instructions seem geared towards files not yet on Commons. When I use the submit to WLM db wizard it always fails. Can anyone help? Thank you. PumpkinSky talk 00:46, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

Hi @PumpkinSky: great pic! You can tag images for WLM 2017 with Template:Wiki Loves Monuments 2017; in this case, {{Wiki Loves Monuments 2017|us-va}} to denote that it's for the US competition (and VA just for categorization purposes). I've gone ahead and tagged the image. Thanks, ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 08:15, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

Thank you PumpkinSky talk 09:30, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

@Kevin Payravi: I'm guessing that "own work" means I took the photo, which I did. Is it ok if after I upload it another Commons user does some Lightroom processing on it? PumpkinSky talk 19:57, 13 September 2017 (UTC)

@PumpkinSky: Yes, and yes :) Typical touchups (crops, lighting, color adjustments, etc.) are fine. ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 20:43, 13 September 2017 (UTC)

@Kevin Payravi: , FYI, this is now a Featured Picture, just waiting for the final bot run: Commons:Featured picture candidates/File:Adam Thoroughgood House - South LR.jpg PumpkinSky talk 18:01, 18 September 2017 (UTC)

@PumpkinSky: This is great! Congrats and thanks for sharing. ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 03:01, 19 September 2017 (UTC)

Watermarking Photos

Can't find anything on it so I apologize in advanced if already been explained. Is it okay to watermark our photos when submitting to the contest or is that not permitted? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ishlaos (talk • contribs) 21:25, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

I'm not sure about WLM, but for Quality Images and Featured Pictures that's not allowed. PumpkinSky talk 21:50, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

@Ishlaos: Good question - while it's not explicitly disallowed, they are discouraged on the Wikimedia Commons (and by extension, the contest). When you upload images to the Commons, you select a free license that allows others to use and modify your work, as long as you are attributed. See Commons:Licensing and Commons:Enforcing license terms. There are actually editors who will go through watermarked Commons photos and re-upload them without watermarks, so adding them is rather moot. Thanks, ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 00:44, 12 September 2017 (UTC)

San Diego event

@Kevin Payravi: San Diego Wikimedians will be holding a photo scavenger hunt which may attempt to contribute digital media which can be utilized for your event. More information regarding that event can be found at the meetup page.--RightCowLeftCoast (talk) 00:02, 16 September 2017 (UTC)

@RightCowLeftCoast: This is great, thanks for the heads up! There are quite a few sites on the List of San Diego Historic Landmarks that could use photos (see Google Map of all locations) if that's something that might interest your group. ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 05:38, 16 September 2017 (UTC)

@RightCowLeftCoast: Like There are also some unillustrated historic buildings here (I realize these may not be NRHP sites), and additional categorization is needed at Category:Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego, if you're interested. Have a good hunt! -Another Believer (talk) 16:02, 16 September 2017 (UTC)

I am largely culling a list form w:Category:Wikipedia requested photographs in San Diego County, California, some of the landmarks and buildings within the Gaslamp Quarter already have photographs, where there are over 100 articles, some of which are historical sites, that do not have photographs. I have put a Geonotice request, but it never appeared to be responded to, It's a little more than 24 hours out, so getting that out now IMHO wouldn't be worth the effort. But thanks for these links. This won't be the last time our [proposed] user group, does this.--RightCowLeftCoast (talk) 18:39, 16 September 2017 (UTC)

monument photo competition

I took a lot of pics of civil war monuments but they have torn them all down and confinscated my pics................. — Preceding unsigned comment was added by 68.116.114.217 (talk) 16:12, 17 September 2017 (UTC)

Monument Contest

Why isn't the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument on the Montana list? — Preceding unsigned comment was added by 184.166.102.161 (talk) 04:30, 19 September 2017 (UTC)

If you're referring to our Montana guide, we simply haven't gotten around to listing National Monuments on all state pages. These are collaborative guides that people are welcome to help expand for their states. National Monuments are certainly welcome! ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 14:32, 20 September 2017 (UTC)

Question

can I upload a new Statue of Liberty New York photo or does it have to be a new monument without picture on commons — Preceding unsigned comment was added by 24.97.253.174 (talk) 16:06, 19 September 2017 (UTC)

@24.97.253.174: Photos of already-captured sites are welcome, especially if they provide new perspectives or a higher quality. ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 14:32, 20 September 2017 (UTC)

Photo question

Mostly unrelated question: what is the building shown in the tiny picture at top right of this page? Thanks. — Preceding unsigned comment was added by 67.183.132.197 (talk) 04:03, 20 September 2017 (UTC)

@67.183.132.197: Are you referring to this photo in the Wiki Loves Monuments announcement banner? That's the Örebro Castle in Örebro, Sweden. It's the default photo for all Wiki Loves Monuments banners, which is why you see it for the US contest - perhaps we'll change it next year :) ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 14:32, 20 September 2017 (UTC)

Yes, that's the one I was asking about. I thought it might have been Suscinio in Brittany but the pic was too small to determine. Thanks! — Preceding unsigned comment was added by 2601:600:A27F:F6BD:E929:5523:1FE1:17AF (talk) 20:59, 26 September 2017 (UTC)

How do I know my photo has been added to the competition?

I see it was uploaded, however how do I verify it is a part of the competition? Also, is there a way to view other's submissions? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Zipp Rider (talk • contribs) 16:29, 21 September 2017 (UTC)

Hi @Zipp Rider: Thanks for your upload! It's good to go, since it has the {{Wiki Loves Monuments 2017|us}} template on it. As long as you upload through this link, or otherwise add the previously mentioned template to the file page, it will be submitted.

All of this year's uploads can be viewed at Category:Images_from_Wiki_Loves_Monuments_2017_in_the_United_States. ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 16:40, 21 September 2017 (UTC)

Are Confederate Civil War monuments banned from this competition?

People might get triggered by images of Confederate monuments. — Preceding unsigned comment was added by 184.196.111.1 (talk) 18:31, 27 September 2017 (UTC)

As long as the site is on an authoritative list of historical sites (such as the National Register of Historical Places, or a state historical society's site list), then they're allowed in the competition. One thing for participants to note is the copyrightability of statues and other 3D works of art after 1923.

Wiki Loves Monuments is a way for people to share their local history as well as to explore and think about the meaning behind monuments, what makes a monument a monument, and so on - and so it is interesting timing for Wiki Loves Monuments with the recent events in the US, whether you're on one side or the other. In the end we're here to capture photos of historical sites, new and old, controversial or not, bad or good in peoples' eyes - as ultimately the Commons is an educational resource, documenting places and history as we go along. ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 05:24, 28 September 2017 (UTC)

Minor error(s) in Opening Advertisement

"Wiki Loves Monuments: The world's largest photography competition is now open! Photograph a historic site, learn more about our history, and win prizes."

Should read: The world's largest Photography Competition (comma) is now open! Photograph an historic site (Capital letters are acceptable on subjects, when listed, but not required.

I'm 72. Maybe the Rules-of-Grammar have changed since the 1950s. If so, just ignore me!

The RymRytr (Rhyme Writer)  :) — Preceding unsigned comment added by RymRytr (talk • contribs) 22:43, 27 September 2017 (UTC)

Hi @RymRytr: Thanks for the feedback! I don't think "photography competition" needs to be capitalized. Regarding "a(n) historic", we base the use of "a" and "an" on whether the leading "h" is pronounced. Historic is an interesting word, because some people do pronounce the leading "h"" while others (especially the further back we go) pronounce it like 'istoric. Might depend on location, but modern usage does usually pronounce the leading "h" so we do say "a historic" - but it could also be considered acceptable to say "an historic" if that's how you pronounce it. Cheers, ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 05:09, 28 September 2017 (UTC)

@RymRytr: For the record, and speaking as an English tutor, I completely agree with Kevin. Also, if the complete sentence is as you write, no comma is needed between "competition" and "is now open". --Auntof6 (talk) 05:33, 28 September 2017 (UTC)

Limit question

HI I want to askif I can submit photos of more than two cultural sites? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Abeerhafiz (talk • contribs) 14:56, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Hi @Abeerhafiz: You may upload as many photos as of many sites as you'd like :) ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 15:10, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

Thanks — Preceding unsigned comment added by Abeerhafiz (talk • contribs) 15:11, 29 September 2017 (UTC) I uploaded. But how can I confirm that it is submitted — Preceding unsigned comment added by Abeerhafiz (talk • contribs) 20:32, 29 September 2017 (UTC) How do I know that it is submitted? I just uploaded. Abeer — Preceding unsigned comment added by Abeerhafiz (talk • contribs) 20:35, 29 September 2017 (UTC)

@Abeerhafiz: Looks good to go! ~Kevin Payravi (talk) 23:53, 30 September 2017 (UTC)

Comment

Moved here from project page—Odysseus1479 (talk) 07:04, 5 January 2018 (UTC)

Oh yeah, Wiki Loves Monuments but it hates people. Any evidence of people (even if a small photo if it includes the face) and the photo goes poof. Doesn't matter how good it is otherwise, how unique a perspective it gives or if there's nothing similar already on the site. I don't recall seeing that in the fine print Jessejess (talk) 05:48, 5 January 2018 (UTC)