ARTFreeLife Guidelines
Before you submit a photo, read the guidelines
Before uploading a photograph to ARTFreeLife, you must read the guidelines below, at least the “Photography submission rules” section, which sets out the essential requirements you must follow. Your finest photographs deserve to endure: understanding the rules is the first step towards sharing them with our community. ARTFreeLife is an international space dedicated to quality photography, entirely free of charge and with no commercial purpose. Its sole aim is to recognise and celebrate the most beautiful and deserving images, giving them attention, editorial care and visibility that lasts. We believe that a photograph capable of moving people deserves to be encountered, observed and rediscovered. That is why we also give space to older work: the value of an image does not end at the moment of publication. Share your vision. On ARTFreeLife, photographs continue to live.
- Each author may submit only one photograph per day.
- A second photograph may be submitted solely to correct an upload error.
- The file size must not exceed 3 MB.
- The longest side of the image must not exceed 2000 pixels.
- Photographs must be presented without frames.
- Text or lettering that interferes with the viewing of the image is not permitted.
- Images generated through artificial intelligence prompts are not permitted. To learn about the criteria and provisions adopted by ARTFreeLife, please consult the policy on AI-generated images published in the official forum.
- Nude photography, including artistic nude photography, is not permitted.
- Photographs depicting minors will be carefully assessed by the editorial team.
- Systematically submitting two photographs per day in breach of the limit will result in both images being removed.
- Only real photographs with post-production consistent with the language of photography are permitted.
- Any other violation of the rules will result in the photograph being excluded from publication.
- Before or after uploading a photograph, authors are required to contribute to community life with at least 5 likes and 2 comments. Failing to meet this threshold results in a penalty to the submitted photograph’s score; meeting or exceeding it earns a positive bonus.
- Uploading images constitutes full acceptance of these guidelines. To request the removal of their photographs or deletion of their profile, authors must contact support exclusively by email at artfreelife@icloud.com.
- Submitted photographs are reviewed by the editorial team within approximately 12 hours.
- During preselection, the editorial team assigns each photograph a score from 1 to 5.
- The editorial score is supplemented by a score assigned by ARTFreeLife’s algorithm, which takes into account the author’s active participation in the portal. Publication follows these criteria:
- 5 editorial points: the photograph is always published.
- 4 editorial points: the photograph has a high probability of publication.
- 3 editorial points: publication is reserved for photographs by authors who are active on the portal.
- 1 or 2 editorial points: the photograph is not published.
- Highly rated photographs submitted by active authors also receive an editorial bonus. This bonus is added to voting scores and helps photographs progress through the subsequent Featured and ART Gallery selections.
- When editorial ratings are equal, photographs by active authors have absolute priority for publication.
- Photographs that pass preselection receive Curated status and are published on the Latest Photographs page. For each image, visitors can cast a vote by liking it, leave comments and download a cover to share on social media. The photograph’s statistics can be viewed at the top of its dedicated page.
- A random selection of newly published photographs is highlighted on the homepage. Further visibility on other pages of the portal is assigned according to the interest generated by the images.
- All published photographs marked as “Curated” take part in voting and selection for the Featured category.
- The most recent photographs enter the selection. The latest 24 publications are considered, excluding those already in Featured.
- The community participates through votes and comments. The “VOTE” button adds a like to the photograph. Anyone who has already voted cannot vote for the same image again. Comments also contribute to the score; the author’s replies on their own photograph are excluded from the count when recognised.
- Participation in community life also matters. A member’s activity before publishing their photograph may receive an additional recognition of 3% or 6%.
- The system recognises the rating assigned by the editorial team during preselection. A photograph rated 4 receives a 9% bonus once it reaches at least 8 likes and 3 valid comments; a photograph rated 5 receives a 15% bonus with at least 8 likes and 2 valid comments. The editorial assessment is thus confirmed by community participation: until these requirements are met, the photograph remains below the Featured entry threshold.
- Score reductions also apply. A rating of 3 entails a 5% reduction. This reduction applies after at least 4 likes and 2 valid comments. An AI-assisted editorial intervention may apply a further 10% reduction.
- The editorial team may award special recognition. A bonus of either 10% or 20% is available; these cannot be combined with each other. The system also includes a special 7% bonus and a “launch bonus”, which takes the score directly to 83.5 points.
- Entry into Featured is achieved at 83 points, shown as 83% on the progress indicator. This percentage expresses the photograph’s progress towards selection, not the proportion of users who have voted for it. Once the threshold is reached, the transition takes place automatically at the next update. The threshold may change according to editorial decisions.
- The time available depends on new publications. A photograph participates for as long as it remains among the latest 24 considered. A green dot identifies the most recent images; a red dot indicates those close to leaving the selection.
- Every photograph can reach the threshold. Entry into Featured depends on its overall score, without requiring first place in the ranking. Opening the image information allows you to view votes, comments, score and progress.
- Once the threshold is reached, the photograph enters the Featured category and is displayed on its dedicated page. It receives greater visibility on the homepage and social media and may be chosen for publication in the ARTFreeLife magazine.
- Entry into Featured also opens the path towards ART Gallery, the site’s most prestigious category: the photograph automatically participates in the next selection and voting stage.
- Selection and voting procedures may evolve over time. To find out about the current criteria and any updates, please consult the dedicated forum post.
- This is the final and most demanding step in the selection process, opening the doors to the prestigious ART Gallery category. Selected photographs will be displayed in ARTFreeLife’s art gallery and will appear in random rotation in the magazine. They will also feature in the site’s Virtual Museum at the time of publication and subsequently according to editorial decisions. They will be shared periodically on the homepage, including as cover images, and will receive greater visibility on the portal’s social media channels, with more frequent publication both as dedicated links and as covers.
- The selection involves 15 photographs from Featured. The candidates are updated from photographs in this collection, and the ranking highlights the six images with the highest scores.
- To vote, sign in to the site, visit the voting page and press “VOTE”. Each user may vote only once for each photograph. If you have already left a like on the original page, your vote is recognised and cannot be repeated. You can still contribute a comment, counted according to the rules below.
- Likes and comments contribute to the score. The value of likes increases progressively. For comments, only one contribution per person counts: 0.30 points for Member, 0.40 for Collaborative and 0.70 for Curator. The author’s comments on their own photograph are excluded.
- Participation can generate additional bonuses. Extra points accumulate from the tenth like onwards; reaching at least 17 likes and 7 different commenters earns another 2 points.
- The initial editorial rating also matters: a rating of 4 adds 2 points, while a rating of 5 adds 4. The author’s participation in the community may earn a further 2 points.
- The editorial team may apply bonuses or reductions. Score increases of either 20% or 40% are available, alongside a possible 40% increase applied only to comment points. The code also provides for penalties linked to the editorial rating.
- The entry threshold is 40 points, corresponding to 100%. Reaching it grants access to the final assessment: admission to ART Gallery also requires a favourable assessment of the work’s quality through the selection system, artificial intelligence and the editorial team.
- Voting remains open until the editorial decision. Scores and criteria may be updated during selection.
We believe in photography that endures.
ARTFreeLife was created to give space to the value of photographic art: images capable of raising questions, opening a dialogue and deserving fresh attention over time.
Every author contributes to this vision. A thoughtful comment, a considered like and attention to the work of others bring the community to life and build a shared photographic culture.
Our ambition is to grow, together with you, a website and magazine of international standing through the quality of the work, editorial care and depth of discussion.
We choose to give photographs the time they deserve. To return to images, rediscover authors and recognise the value of older work too. The date of publication does not exhaust what a work has to say.
ARTFreeLife is a shared commitment: to nurture our way of seeing, sustain talent and preserve photographs that deserve to endure.
Editorial references
- For technical assistance and support, write to artfreelife@icloud.com. You will receive a reply within 24 hours.
- To learn how the site works and follow updates, consult the information posts in the forum.
- For answers to the most common questions, read the FAQs below.
