Wikipedia:WikiProject Scouting/Images

These processes are designed to improve the quality of the images used in the Scouting project and to ensure they meet the Wikipedia standards of fair use. In the past, images have had no common format as to name, size or quality. They have suffered from background artifacts, skewing, licensing and other problems that detract from the overall article quality.

Wikipedia is not a place to store images of a patch collection. "Gallery" articles of non-free images are not allowable.

Standards and information

 * Policies
 * Non-free content criteria
 * Image use policy


 * Guidelines
 * Non-free content
 * Non-free use rationale guideline


 * Content guidelines
 * Image file names
 * Logos


 * Templates
 * Category:Image copyright tags
 * Category:Image maintenance templates


 * Tutorials
 * User:B/Image copyrights and fair use
 * Ten things you may not know about images on Wikipedia
 * Picture tutorial
 * Extended image syntax


 * Wikimedia Commons
 * Commons:Derivative works
 * Commons:Licensing

Image team
These editors are available to aid in image issues:


 * Editing and converting: Gadget850 ( Ed)
 * Copyrights and licensing: B

Image reuse
When uploading images, each editor must understand that images may be re-used by other editors for other purposes. Images released as free or uploaded to Wikimedia Commons may be used by anyone on any web site; there is no way to limit such reuse.

Youth protection
When uploading images of youth, each editor must understand the laws of their locality and country and the rules of their national Scouting organization. Such rules and laws may not specifically cover images released in this manner. Editors must keep in mind that freely released images may be reused in ways they did not intend.

Guide to Safe Scouting: Youth Protection in Scouting does not cover photos. Per Resources for Council Webmasters, each council is supposed to develop guidelines for publishing images on council, district and unit websites; the only National recommendation is to not post the names of youth with their photo.
 * Boy Scouts of America

Recommendations

 * Do not identify youth by name; the definition of youth may vary by country and locality.
 * On Commons, tag images with and consider a statement similar to . Samples of how to use these can be seen here: Image:ScoutFun.png
 * If an editor is uncomfortable with possible image reuse, do not upload the image.

Quality

 * Active: Where appropriate, photos should be active.  A photo of Scouts at work or play has more impact than the a simple photo of a building with no people or a posed photo.
 * Size:
 * Normally, non-free images being used under a claim of fair use should be 140px or 280px wide - this fits with the default image size of Infobox WorldScouting; note that large images may violate the low resolution requirement of the fair use policy;
 * Freely licensed image files can and should be as large as possible or stored as SVG files - MediaWiki can convert the image to be any size and having large images facilitates reuse
 * If the image is a group of multiple images, then the largest image should be 140px wide with the other images sized proportionally
 * When a series of multiple images are to be used together, the sizes should vary from this standard so that the images are proportional, but the smallest image should not exceed 140px wide
 * Related insignia should be presented in a single image; an award that is presented as a medal and a patch should be one image; an award that is presented in various types should be one image
 * See Image:Eagle Scout BSA.png and Image:William T. Hornaday Awards.png
 * BSA knot insignia are 115px wide; any related medal or other emblem is proportional
 * Backgrounds should be white— any background artifacts from a scan should be removed
 * Images should be straight— the most horizontal or vertical line should be parallel to the image window
 * Preferred formats are PNG and SVG with a transparent background

Naming

 * The image name should be a plain name that matches the image to the event, organization or award; abbreviations not commonly known should be avoided.  Example: Instead of "Ccb.png", the name should be "Cole Canoe Base.png"
 * Images in a series should use a common name format. Example: "Eagle Scout badge (type 1).png", "Eagle Scout badge (type 2).png", "Eagle Scout badge (type 3).png"
 * Images should normally illustrate the current version of an emblem. Older versions should be used only where needed to illustrate a section on the subject history; when so used, the name should reflect the date or other version.  Example:  Image:BSA 2002-2005 Strategic Plan.png

Non-free logos

 * A current logo inherently illustrates the organization, award or the like and does not require any commentary, although such commentary may certainly be included.


 * Non-free logos must have content related to the organization and may not be used in list articles, lists within articles, navigational boxes, or galleries in articles or categories.


 * Historical logos should not be used simply to show that an organization was active at a certain period; there must be explicit content on the logo.


 * Rule of thumb: If the organization does not have an article or a paragraph in an article, don't upload related logos.

Other non-free images

 * Images such as stamps, magazine covers or movie posters must include content that discusses the image in itself.

Non-free logos
Fair use should be claimed only when the image is non-replaceable. This generally applies to logos, badges, emblems, awards and similar that are copyrighted and any derivative thereof would still be copyrighted.


 * When uploading, use the Non-free Scout logo tag- this places the image in the proper category
 * BSA images should use the proper tag extension to place them in the proper sub-category
 * All non-replaceable free use images must have a fair use rationale

Non-free other

 * For images other than logos, see Category:Wikipedia non-free file copyright templates for a list of templates that may be used
 * Example: An image of a handbook cover would use the Non-free book cover template.
 * Since templates other than Non-free Scout logo will not place the image in a category, the proper category must be added to the image description

Free or public domain

 * Photos and similar images should be uploaded to Commons with the appropriate tags

Non-free media rationale
All non-free images require a rationale stating why they can be used under the fair use rules.

Examples are at WikiProject Scouting/Examples of media rationales; shortcut WP:S-RAT.


 * For non-free logos, use Non-free use rationale logo
 * For other non-free images, use non-free use rationale; when an image is used in multiple articles, non-free media data and non-free media rationale) may be used

Information for free images
Free images do not need a rationale, but should include information on the media.


 * The preference is to use the Information template. This template has fields that will help the editor add the information needed to ensure this is a free image

Non-free logos
The following non-free template will automatically add the appropriate category:
 * for all Scouting logos that do not fall into specific categories
 * Category:Scouting logos


 * for all BSA-related logos
 * Category:Boy Scouts of America logos


 * for logos of Boy Scouts of America used at the council/lodge level or lower
 * Category:Boy Scouts of America council logos


 * for Boy Scouts of America merit badge related logos
 * Category:Boy Scouts of America merit badges


 * for logos of Boy Scouts of America used at Philmont Scout Ranch
 * Category:Non free Philmont Scout Ranch images

Non-free other
Use the appropriate copyright tag and add one of the following categories:
 * Category:Non-free Boy Scouts of America images
 * Category:Non-free Scouting images

Free (public domain)
Add one of the following categories (or create an appropriate sub-category):
 * Category:Boy Scouts of America images
 * Category:Scouting images

Updating and obsoleting images
If an image is superseded by an improved version, the old image should be obsoleted:
 * If the new image uses the same name as the old, simply open the old image and select "Upload a new version of this file". The image will retain the description and licensing information of the original- update as needed.  All use of the image will be automatically updated.
 * If the new image does not display as expected, then bypass your cache.
 * If the new image uses a different filename, obsolete the old:
 * Upload the new image
 * Replace all instances of the old image with the new
 * Tag free images with where image name is the name of the new image
 * Tag fair use images with where image name is the name of the new image.  This uses the template ; by using subst you do not have to enter the date.

Talk page
After uploading an image, rate the talk page by adding:

Brand guides
Many national Scout organizations have guides for the use of their logos:


 * Boy Scouts of America: Organizational Identity
 * Girl Scouts of the USA: Copyrights and Trademarks
 * The Scout Association: Branding and Logos
 * SpiralScouts International: Trademarks
 * World Organization of the Scout Movement: Brand Manual
 * Scouts Canada Brand Center

Thumbnail
The classic method of using images is with thumbnails. This will show the image to the right:
 * Example.png

Multiple image
Often, it is desired to group a number of images. In the past, tables were used to perform such grouping. Tables require repetitive wikicode and may be esoteric to some editors. They also require the use of breaks to keep them in proper alignment. Multiple image has been developed to resolve these issues and to ease the inclusion of images in this manner. The box on the right is coded as: 