Descriptions of editing options

Turnaround time

You can choose to have your images delivered within 8, 12, 24 or 48 hours. With the 8, 12 and 24-hour options, there is an extra charge. In case the delivery is needed even faster, e.g. in up to 4 hours, please feel free to contact us and we will immediately check whether an express delivery is possible. This depends on the quantity and complexity of the images. 

Ordering Process

As soon as we receive an order, our team carries out an individual inspection to assess the images. As soon as we have checked and accepted the order, the processing time starts, you will then receive an email informing you the order has been accepted.

Business Hours

Our business hours, order acceptance and delivery times are from Mon – Fri 09:00 – 18:00 (CET). In non-business hours, your images will not be checked or processed without prior consultation, nor will they be sent out to you. 

Delivery Times

In the order form, an indication of the possible delivery time is shown. Depending on the complexity and order volume, we need up to an hour to review your order before the processing starts. Delivery time is calculated from the time of accepting the order and not when the order is placed.

Weekends

Our company policy does not count the weekend towards the order time calculation. For example, if you send us the order on Friday at 13:00 with the processing time of 24 hours, you will receive a system email informing you that the order has been accepted and processing will start at around 13:30. The images will then be delivered to you on Monday at 13:30 and not on Saturday 13:30. If you need the images to be delivered to you on the weekend or on Monday morning, please contact us during business hours.

Format

After you have selected your editing options, you are able to add an additional format with different editing options for the same order. Simply press the “+” sign next to “1. FORMAT” tab. If you would like to remove these additional formats, click on the “X” symbol in the upper right corner of the tab. The additional format is charged extra per image. and all additional options selected that are not included in the first format are calculated in the second format. Please note that editing options are not calculated twice. You can find more about our pricing here. 

Example

If you send us 50 images, which you requested to have saved in their original size on a white background as a JPG file, you also have the option of receiving the same images in a different size on a transparent background as a PSD file. As a result, you will receive 100 images – 50 images requesting two desired formats. You can select the processing requests for the second format separately and if both formats share processing requests only one will be calculated.

Default settings for marketplaces

Marketplaces like Amazon or eBay have strict image guidelines to comply with and ignoring them can cause your product listing to be rejected. We edit your images according to their strict guidelines. Here you can select which marketplace you would like your images to be optimised for.

Amazon-Ready – Gallery images

As an official Amazon partner, we edit 1000’s of images daily to meet the specific requirements set by Amazon. If you select the “Amazon-Ready – Gallery images” option, the following settings are preselected.

  Clipping to JPEG on a white background colour 

  Image size (at least): 1000px x 500px

  72 DPI resolution

  Colour space adjustment to sRGB

  The product is presented in such a way that it takes up 85% of the image

You can then add the remaining options yourself using the other choices in the order form.

Amazon-Ready – Other views

The product image guidelines for other views are not as strict as for the gallery images. The products can also be displayed differently here, for example with size information, or on a different background. If you select the “Amazon-Ready – Other views” option, the following settings are preselected.

  Clipping to JPEG with the a (pure) white background colour 

  Image size (at least): 1000px x 500px

  72 DPI resolution

  Colour space adjustment to sRGB

You can then add the remaining options yourself using the other choices in the order form.

eBay-Ready

We process your images so that you can easily place them on eBay. If you choose the “eBay-Ready” option, the following settings are preselected.

  Image size (at least) 500px x 500px

  72 DPI resolution

  Colour space adjustment to sRGB

  Clipping to JPEG with the background colour (pure) white

  No text, no graphics, no frame

  No standard or catalogue image as a gallery image for used items

  Watermark must not cover articles, max. 5% of the image, max. Opacity 50%

Further settings for an eBay-ready picture can be found here:

Clipping

Clipping is the process of removing specific image information from an image.

Example

Removing an object from an image and placing it on a coloured or transparent background. This is mainly used online for product images to create a uniform look. Clipping your images also help to put the focus on the product by removing the potentially distracting background. There is also the possibility to insert additional image information – such as paths or layer masks – in order to continue working on the image later.

Background colour

When selecting “clipping“ you have the option to put your clipped object on either a white, coloured, transparent, or your own background. If you want a specific background colour can send us a reference picture of the desired background colour or your own background.

Attention

When products or people are photographed in front of a coloured background, e.g. a green wall, the colour reflects onto the objects. This is usually seen when the object is isolated and positioned on a white or black background. The same applies to shadows and/or flashes of light on the products or people. In these cases, you would have to choose “colour optimisation“ or “general retouch“ so that the reflective areas of the original background are removed.

*Products made of translucent material, such as glass or plastic bottles, create another problem. To optimally clip these products please check “Edit semi-transparencies within the product” within the option “Background colour”.

With path

Paths are added if an image needs to be processed further after we have processed the image. Paths precisely trace the contours of an object so that you can separate the object from the rest of the image for further processing.

By creating a path around an object, the object and its surroundings can be separated. Paths can also be saved within the file for cross-software processing. Depending on how many paths you need, please use the “Remark” tab to describe which parts or elements of the image/product needs paths to be added (if it’s not clearly recognisable on the image/product). You are also able to name the paths to make it easier to recognise.

 With mask

Clipping/layer mask

If you would like to process the images further, we advise selecting the option “clipping/layer mask”. When clipping with a layer mask, only the desired image content is shown, and the rest of the image is invisible. These “layer masks” can be adjusted later and the original image remains behind the mask. In this way, no image information is permanently removed.

Alpha channel mask

If you have finer details like hair then you need to select “Alpha channels mask”. To clip delicate structures such as hair, fur or fibres, a soft transition from the background to the object must be created. With such fine details, the method of alpha channel masking is used to preserve the natural look of these objects during clipping.

Layers

Select “Layers” if you would like to process the images later on. This way, we can place the object, the background and other elements (e.g. shadows/reflections) on different layers. If you select “Layers”, you can use the “Remark” tab at the bottom of the order form to specify what we should save on which layer.

Attention

Layers can only be used with a PSD or Tiff file. Different layers can contain various characteristics that you can specify to us. For example, the edited object can be added on one layer, the background on another layer and the path, shading or retouching on different layers. Layers are generally not required for the conventional processing of product images.

Retouch

With the “Retouch” option you can instruct us to remove unwanted dirt, scratches, dust, reflections, wrinkles, scars, pimples, moles, tattoos etc… from your products or objects. If you need more complicated image retouching you can make use of our internal graphics service “Graafix”.

General Retouch

In addition to the general retouch options like removing dirt, scratches, dust, reflections and wrinkles from your images, you can also select “Other” and describe your individual request in the “Remark” section. For example, if there are elements such as a sticker that should be removed, you can select “Other” and explain the special request in the “Remark” section at the bottom of the order form.

Skin Retouch

In addition to the general skin retouch options like removing scars, pimples, moles, tattoos and wrinkles from your images, you can also select “Other” and describe your individual request in the “Remark” section. This could be used to retouch for instance “pierced ears”, “freckles” or “grey hair”.

Resize, Resolution & Positioning

By changing the image size, image resolution and positioning, you can give your images an external uniformity or set the appropriate guidelines for the web or printing.

Image size

Here you can change the size of your images with your specific requirements so that you can use them online or in print. Please note that the width by height information applies to all images in your order, regardless of whether your input images are in portrait or landscape format.

Example

If you have portrait and landscape pictures, you must upload them in two separate orders, so that the input of the picture sizes of e.g. 1200px x 900px (width x height) are the same for all the images in the order. 

If you have large images that you only want to use online, we advise you to select a smaller image size than the original size. By optimising your images for online you will make your website faster and thus make the experience better for your customer.

Resolution

When it comes to resolution Dpi (dots per inch) plays an important role when files need to be printed. Generally, when images are used on the web, 72 dpi or 96 dpi is recommended because of the reduced file size. If you want to print your files, you should select 300 dpi. However, it should be noted that the image size and the dpi specification are always interdependent.

Attention

If you have a file that already has a resolution of 72dpi, we can change the image to 300dpi for printing, but this will reduce the actual size of the image during print. However, if we keep the size of your image but change the dpi from 72dpi to 300dpi, there will be a significant loss in quality.

Positioning

Tell us how we should position the object within the image. Depending on how and where you want to use your images, we advise that the products are centred, aligned with the top or bottom of the image. It should be noted that you must select the “Margin” option when you have specific requirements.

Center: The distance to all sides is the same
Fill image: There is no distance on the outer edges of the object
Upper edge: The product /object is aligned with the upper edge of the image
Bottom edge: The product /object is aligned with the bottom edge of the image

Margin

Margin is selected to specify how much space must be left from the edges of the frame to your product or object.

Example

If you enter 50px at the top and bottom (px stands for pixels), and 100px on the left and right, we will place your object within the frame and leave the requested space free around the object.

Use case

The “margin” option is selected when all products need to be presented exactly in the same way on your online store. Showing your products in a uniform manner makes your website more inviting and your products more appealing. In order to achieve this, we advise you to always have the same position and always select the same distance. This is the only way we can ensure that your images are delivered to you with uniform results regardless of the image size or product positioning.

Colours

Depending on the output medium (print or web), special settings are required for optimal colouring of your images. We are able to change the colour profile so that your pictures look good on all mediums.

Poor environmental conditions during a photoshoot can cause the objects or products within the images to look too bright, washed out or even a different colour. In cases like these, we will correct the colour and contrast of the images to bring them closer to reality. Often, the desired atmosphere of photos is only created by post-processing.

Colour optimisation

Due to the poor conditions during a photoshoot, e.g. Inadequate exposure to light or the wrong camera settings, you might need to make use of colour optimisation. With colour optimisation, we correct the colour and contrast and improve the colouring of your images by adjusting the brightness and contrast. We don’t change to the original colours of your picture.

Colouration

If you offer one or more of your products in various colours then you can select “Colouration” to recolour your product in various colours. We need one or more reference images where the colours in which your product should be recoloured to are shown. These reference pictures are of course not billed, but only used for reference. 

Colour matching

When colour matching, we adjust the actual colours in your pictures to better reflect the true colour of the object or product. Bad lighting during a photoshoot or incorrectly selected white balance can lead to colour casts and further colour errors in the image. We will correct these colour distortions for you as part of the colour adjustment so that your products or objects are displayed as realistically as possible.

Colour space

Depending on whether you want to use the files online or in print, there is a suitable colour space. CMYK is generally used for print and sRGB for web. To ensure that your files are optimally presented digitally or physically, select the correct colour profile.

Shadow

Shadows give the viewer an indication of the spatial relationships between the product, light source, and the surface. If objects are separated from their background, they lose their natural location in space. This should be avoided whenever possible, here you can choose whether we should create a new shadow for your product/object or whether the original shadow is kept.

Original Shadow

Select “original shadow” if your object already has a shadow and you want to keep it for your product. Here we maintain the existing shadow and only change your other requests.

New Shadow

By selecting a “new shadow”, your image receives the desired depth effect, which got lost during clipping. We make sure that the shadow is created according to the lighting conditions of your shoot so that the finished product looks natural. Under the “Remark” tab, please not your specific requirements for your new shadow. 

Mirroring

The mirroring of an image contributes significantly to the setting of your products scene. A reflection can anchor an isolated product instead of making it seem like its floating in space. This corresponds to the natural visual experience making your products look more natural.

Rename

You have the option to rename your images according to your requirements. To rename your images please provide us with details in the “Remark” tab.

Example

If you have 100 pictures with a front and back view and would like all front views to end with “_1” and all back views with “_2”, please note this in the “Remark” tab.

File format:

Here you can select the required file format.

Save Template

Here you can save your order as a template if you would like to proceed with the order at a later stage. You can also save as template if all your orders have the same processing requirements. 

Semi Transparency

In the case of products that are made of glass, transparent plastic or similar materials, the background often shines through the product. If you would like to have your products clipped, these semi-transparent areas are often problematic when placing them on a new background. For this, we advise you to choose the option “Edit semi-transparencies within the product’’. The images are then clipped in such a way that your products retain their natural structure, but the special shape or features of the semi transparent object become clear.