FAQ
What is PurePhoto?
PurePhoto is a fully curated site for buying the best photographic prints from established and emerging fine art photographers from around the globe. The top Interior designers, architecture firms and hotels in the world use PurePhoto to source work for projects. We are also open to the general public and individual collectors to find unique pieces for their home or collection.
Sign Up
Why should I create an account?
- You do not need to login to buy prints, but creating a free account allows you to easily organize selections for projects. Looking for a new print for your living room? Have 3 clients who want to see some options for their home or offices? Creating an account allows you to organize possible options in collections, share those choices with others for their feedback, and easily make purchases.
How do I create an account?
- It’s simple: use the Join button at the top right of every page and create an account in just a few steps.
Why should I use Facebook Connect or Twitter to Join?
- They use your credentials from each network to create an account. Also when you return to PurePhoto, you can log in again without having to remember your password.
I forgot my password, How do I retrieve it?
- Simply go to the log in page and press the “forgot my password” button. You'll receive a link to reset it sent to the email assigned to your account.
Completing Your Profile
How do I change my profile image?
- Just click on the “Edit Profile” button, pick a new snazzy picture of you, and hit submit. Please upload a square image of at least 250x250 pixels.
Why should I choose a profile type? (Photographer, Collector, etc.)
- This label helps everybody understand who is on PurePhoto and helps you discover others with similar interests. We also have special news, featured artists and discounts that are delivered to specific groups.
Is my Bio really necessary?
- Of course, we want you to interact with the community so you have a meaningful experience here. Writing about yourself helps others know who you are. If you are an artist, you should include awards, exhibits and other important info that reinforces the value of your work.
Why did I start with a few followers?
- Everyone needs friends but since you are new and don’t have any yet, we are your friends. We completely understand if you don’t want us. Remove us, socialize, make new friends... we’ll be ok.. with some therapy, red wine, and a large vat of chocolate.
Creating a Gallery
What types of images can I upload?
- The highest resolution JPEG you have please. We print directly from the file and don’t want to have to track you down when a sale is made.
How much storage space do I get?
- Unlimited – within reason ;-)
Do I need to use tags?
- Yes, Yes and Yes! It’s good for everyone. Tags help people search for work, Google likes them very much and since every page on PurePhoto is optimized for SEO and crawled your work will be seen more! DO NOT ADD tags that don’t belong. You will muddy the viewing experience for all users.
What are good tags?
- Tags are used behind the scenes to help label your work for search features. Be descriptive, add as many as you like, the more the better, however, make sure they are relevant! Names of people, places, items in the image, single words that describe the image are all great. Think about search words that people might use to find this type of image and those are your best bet.
Why am I forced to pick a theme and can I pick more than one?
- You must pick a genre so we know what section to put your lovely art in so the world can discover it. No, you can only choose one. Themes appear in search, so please think hard and make sure you put it in the right spot. If someone searches for food but finds your war-torn photojournalist image, that’s not a good fit. Be thoughtful.
Viewing images
How do I discover new art?
- Click the Browse button in the top navigation from any screen to search by keyword, color, theme, or price. We have also included some featured work by preferred partners.
How do I follow or stop following an artist?
- Press the follow button on an artists profile to follow them. Do the same to un-follow. Following them will post their activity to your feed so you can easily keep track of any updates from them like when they post new work.
How do I "Like" an Image?
- On each image there is a little heart button. Click it to express your love of someone’s work. (Note, you cannot like your own image.) Next to each image, you’ll also see well- known icons for Facebook, Twitter and other sharing options. We encourage you to share the work you love with others!
Why only photography?
- We love art and are experts in photography. We are all hardcore photographers, collectors, analysts, tech geeks and curators who have a passion for it. We know you do, too, and wanted to share the love.
Buying & Collecting
How do I become a collector?
- Easy: just buy your first piece! Collecting doesn’t have to be something unobtainable.
With access to thousands of great pieces of art you can find something you love. That is
what art is by definition:
art1 | art | noun
Which means you should buy a piece first and foremost because you love it, no matter what anyone says. That is the true joy of collecting. Once you get the collecting bug you will know what we mean. You may even take it a step further, which we fully support, and start collecting for its investment value. Regardless, be passionate about your purchases and you can’t lose.
1 the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
Is the art in the store curated?
- Our store is curated to ensure that you are buying valuable works of art that should increase in value over time. While there is no guarantee of that, our art is selected by an Art Advisory Board made of leading Industry professionals who help the odds of that happening.
Why buy original art?
- First and foremost, you are supporting artists. We share the profits evenly with the artist so you are giving someone an opportunity to spend their life creating wonderful work to be shared with the world. Original art means you have a unique piece that you won’t find at your neighbor’s house. You have a story about the artist, where it was created, and why it was created. It makes life more interesting. We do not sell reproductions, which are mass-produced. We only sell professionally printed original art C- Prints.
How do I know if I am buying a great piece?
- If you like it, it’s great. You don’t need someone telling you it’s great to love something. If you are buying it as an investment, read the ‘Why do you curate?’ Q&A above. We always recommend first and foremost having a love for what you’re buying. As you start collecting and reading our posts from industry leaders, you will gain a better understanding of what appreciates and why. Regardless, just enjoy it!
Should I only buy well-known artists?
- Absolutely not! Every artist has their humble beginnings and we have created a place for you to explore exciting new works from the next generation of artists. It is true, we have some very well-known artists and you can buy the work but you can also start collecting new things. What makes an artist famous is the acceptance of the art community, the public as well as the meaning, controversy, etc. The more people buy a work and the more they pay for it makes it more valuable, you are taking part in that by purchasing work from emerging artists. You could be buying the next great artist!
Why buy online?
- Buying online gives you access to thousands of great artists from across the globe. It enables you to see work you may never have had exposure to unless you have the time and resources to travel the globe and visit galleries. It is quick and easy and buying from a reputable store like PurePhoto ensures that you will be getting authentic original artwork.
How are your prints made?
- All prints are made by PurePhoto’s select partners, which are the top professional labs around the globe. Prints are typically c-type on archival papers using strict guidelines.
When will I receive my order?
- Prints take 5-7 business days to produce. Once your order is ready it will be shipped using your chosen shipping method.
What if I encounter a problem with a print?
- With proper documentation and returning the print, we will replace it. If it happens in shipping we will do our best to resolve the issue but it is your responsibility to take care of the print when it arrives.
Risk Free Art
- We want you to buy something you love and have it on your walls and in your
collections for years to come. So we offer our art with a 100% guarantee. If you don’t
like it, we’ll help you find something you do. Just return it in 100% perfect condition -
the same as you received it - and we’ll take care of it. Yes there is fine print, so please
read on...
- This doesn’t apply to Fine Art or Limited Edition prints. (These are produced with great care at great expense and often shipped from international locations.)
- We will only reimburse the price of the print and applicable sales tax, not including shipping.
- You have 30 days to decide that you love it, are going to keep it, and install a security system in your house because you love it so much you cannot live without it. Even if you don’t love it that much, we hope you’ll keep it. If you have tried, it has been less than 30 days, and you are just not feeling it, send it back. We will cry a little (maybe just on the inside) but it will be okay.
- If the 30 days are up and you haven’t called us to get a Return Authorization number, it’s yours to keep. If you really don’t like it you can give it to your brother-in-law next Christmas.
Selling
What we are looking for in curated work submissions?
- Please look carefully through the store, the editor’s picks and your specific genre before submitting. People are typically buying art for their home or office, so things like wedding and stylized children’s portraits, will not be chosen for sale. We are also not a stock site. If it isn’t something that would look like a showcase piece on someone’s wall, it won’t go for sale on PurePhoto.
How is the work chosen?
- We have an international art advisory board made of gallery owners, artist reps, art market analysts, curators, editors and some of the top photographers in the world. They base the value of the work on a myriad of different criteria and help choose works that fit in with the collection over all. Remember though, we have art that ranges in price from $100 to $20,000 and beyond so your work might fit in anywhere along the way.
What do the Pending, Published, and Archived image statuses mean?
- Images marked pending are in the process of review by our advisory board. They are not displayed in search results or on your profile page, they are only displayed to you when you are logged in.
- Published work is visible throughout the site in search results and on your profile page. Our advisory board will usually select a portion of your work to publish that matches what our buyers are looking for. Maintaining this level of quality in the search results helps us provide the best experience for our buyers!
- Archived work is not displayed in search results or on your profile page, it is only displayed to you when you are logged in. We maintain archived images as a resource to draw on when needed to complete a project, as we often work closely with buyers to meet their specific needs.
How and When Do I get paid?
- You get paid via PayPal within 15 days of the close of each calendar month.
In the unlikely event that we have not
answered every single question you could possibly think of,
please contact our world-class customer service
at .