Tutorial: How to Add Photos to a Yahoo! Contributor Network Article

Adding an image to an article is one way to enhance the reader's experience. Readers are more drawn to content with photos than without. The photos also lend credence and authority to your article. The photo caption is also an important feature which can attract the reader and draw them into your article.

Finding Appropriate Images

Strong Images

How do you know when a photo is a good choice? The best photos will be at the very least, of a high photographic quality. Pick photos which are clear, not blurry. Photos with good compositions are also good choices. Pick photos which please you, as a reader.

Also select photos which are relevant to the article.

An appropriate image is an image from an approved photo source. These are so far the only approved sources for photos for the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

1. Your own photos

Pictures you take yourself are acceptable, and preferable, if they are of good quality.

2. Online Press Kits

You may also use photos from online press kits, sometimes created by companies to promote brands, or by a local group to promote an event.

3. Photo Databases

There are many free photo databases online, and sources of public domain photos. These are the only ones currently accepted by the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Commons.wikimedia.org

Morguefile.com

Sxc.hu

The above free sources should provide ample options, and it's best to bookmark them if you will be submitting articles frequently. You also still need to read the restrictions and limitations for each site and photo.

Photos from www.istockphoto.com are acceptable; however, you must pay for them.

Appropriate images must also be appropriate for the audience. For provocative article subjects, keep in mind that the article and the photos need to be for a PG-13 audience.

Resizing Photos

If you do not have fancy photo manipulation software, there are still free ways for you to change the size of a photo. Try using the web-based Shrinkpictures.com to enlarge a photo. Or use Picresize.com.

The most powerful images that can be included with any article, and sometimes the most difficult to find, are images with people. Photos with people are dynamic and instantly capture someone's attention.

Adding Photos to Yahoo! Contributor Network Articles

Step four of the article submission process is where you add a photo. After you have selected the photo, click on the box next to "I have read and agree to the image submission guidelines."

Browse your computer for the photo.

Add the photo credit and copyright information. The photo credit should include the the name of the photographer and the source of the photo. Often the copyright information is the same. Licensing information (Creative Commons, public domain, etc.), when known, can also added to the copyright field.

Caption Writing

The caption can be clever, cute or informative. Try to include the main phrase from the article's headline in the caption. This will make it easier for people to find the article related to your topic.

Remember to click on Upload Photo. It can be easy to miss this step and go to Finish and Preview, so don't forget to click Upload.

Lastly, click Finish and Preview to preview your submission before submitting it for publication.