The NYCAviation photo database operates by reviewing portfolios instead of individual images.

New photographers are welcome to submit up to 25 photos, upon which they will qualify for a portfolio review. Images uploaded prior to review will be hosted but not publicly viewable.

Once a new photographer has reached the 25-image mark, our dispatch team will receive a notification that a portfolio is ready for review. If the portfolio receives a thumbs up from our team, the batch of uploaded images becomes publicly visible, and the photographer can upload without further review from our dispatch team.

Though approved photographers can upload without review or restrictions, images will be reviewed from time to time to ensure quality on a broad level. Any images that fall short may be removed and kicked back to the photographer to fix up.

Time sensitive, news worthy images may be approved and made public by Dispatchers ahead of portfolio review, at their discretion.

Abuse of our process and/or rules can result in an upload freeze, revocation of status, and temporary or permanent ban.

What We’re Looking For

We’re pretty simple. If we see the airplane before we see the edit, you’re probably good. If we see the edit before the airplane, maybe not so much.

Baseline Composition: The photo follows, in some way, the rule of thirds or other obvious compositional choice. It has a clear subject and/or scene with direction and intentionality.
Baseline Editing: If the viewer notices the quality of the editing before they notice what is actually in the photo, it probably isn’t good editing.

Signs of Poor Editing: Halos, dust-spots, artifacts from over-sharpen and/or file compression, edit-caused discolorations, cloning/healing fails, edges so soft you could sleep on them, white balance/hue way off, horizon leveling lacks intention (see composition).

Exceptions: We’re realistic. Exceptions can be made on the condition that it is something extremely rare or extremely newsworthy. For example, TWA was resurrected from the dead for one night and one flight only – and you only had a cell phone camera and it looks crappy and you know it but holy smokes we all know that won’t happen again: we’re in the exception zone.

We’re here to help! Didn’t make the cut on the first try or two? Getting a spate of after-submission kick-backs?

We don’t like having to take a pass any more than you like getting passed on, so we’re here to help get everything on track. Each kick-back should receive a set of reasons it got the boot, but you’re also welcome to follow-up with us and we’ll do our best to give you additional thoughts, suggestions, and pointers.

Our photography forum is also an excellent place for you to learn from other experienced shooters.

Requirements/Rules

Ownership: By uploading the image to our database you are asserting that you have the sole, full legal ownership of the image.

Images owned by an organization must have their own account, and be able to demonstrate ownership of the image. Photographer credit must be given in comments.

Violations will result in an immediate, permanent ban.

Size: Minimum dimension accepted is 400 pixels. Maximum dimension accepted is 1920 pixels. Maximum file size is 2MB.

Data: Submitted information (location, airline, aircraft, etc.) is expected to be accurate. Information that is wrong will result in the photo being kicked back to the photographer. Repeated careless submissions may result in punitive action. Please use search engines and our forums if you are not sure on various data!

Promotion: Neither username nor caption may imply an advertisement for any business, goods or services without permission from NYCAviation.

If you have any more questons about the NYCAviation Photo Hangar, please email us at [email protected].