Feature · Alamy

Alamy Image Refs: match your Alamy CSV to your photos

Alamy gives every photo an Image Ref after you upload it. PhotoTager can read Alamy’s list of refs and file names, match it to your photos by file name, and put the ref in the Alamy CSV.

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What is in the Alamy CSV

WhatWhat goes inLimit
Image RefAlamy’s ref for the photo once you have added it. Until then, the original file name.One per photo
CaptionYour title, cut at a whole word to fit.150 characters
TagsYour keywords, best first, without repeats.Up to 50
SupertagsThe first 10 of your tags.10

Add the refs

  1. 1
    Upload your photos to AlamyAlamy assigns the Image Ref after upload.
  2. 2
    Get Alamy’s list of refs and file namesSave it as a CSV or TSV file. It needs one column with the Image Ref and one with the original file name. A header row is optional.
  3. 3
    In your project or batch, open Export and choose “Add Alamy Image Refs”Pick the file. PhotoTager matches each row to a photo by file name, ignoring the extension and capital letters, and tells you how many photos got a ref.
  4. 4
    Download the CSV filesThe Alamy CSV now has the ref in the Image Ref column for every matched photo.

Another way: metadata inside the files

01 Alamy reads caption and keywords on upload Alamy’s help says it takes the caption and keywords from the IPTC data of your uploaded files, so images can be ready for sale as soon as they are uploaded.
02 “Photos for Alamy (ZIP)” In the Export menu, this download writes the caption (150 characters) and up to 50 tags into each photo and saves it as name_alamy.jpg, so your originals stay untouched. Supertags are not part of the file, so they only appear in the CSV.
03 Not for every project The ZIP is for photos, not videos, and it is not available in Privacy mode, because PhotoTager never had the original file.

Questions

What is an Alamy Image Ref?

The reference Alamy gives each photo after upload. The Alamy CSV has an Image Ref column, and PhotoTager fills it with the file name until you add the refs.

What if some file names do not match?

The photos that match get their ref, and the rest keep the file name in the Image Ref column. If nothing matches, PhotoTager says so and changes nothing. Check that the list has the same file names you uploaded.

How do I get my CSV into Alamy?

Alamy’s help page says you can e-mail a spreadsheet to Alamy and they apply the metadata for you. Forum posts also describe a CSV import in Image Manager, but we have not found it on an official Alamy page, so check Alamy’s current help before you rely on it.

How many tags and supertags does the Alamy CSV have?

Up to 50 tags, and the first 10 of them as supertags. Put your strongest tags first.

Do I need the refs if I use the Alamy ZIP?

No. The ZIP carries the caption and tags inside the photos, and Alamy reads them on upload. The refs are for the CSV.