The
International Costumers Gallery FAQ
Last
updated 12/02/2008
Contributors’
Galleries
What are the
Contributors Galleries?
These are the albums for
people to upload their costume photos and share them with our visitors. You can
share your photos, too – all you have to do is sign up for a user account.
Check the Gallery
Tutorial for details on how to do so.
We do not keep the images
contributors upload, but the Pat and Peggy Kennedy Memorial Library would very
much like to have copies to keep for historical record. Contact us for details
at icg-archivist@costume.org.
I'd like to upload some
photos. What kinds of pictures can I upload?
Anything Science Fiction, Anime,
Historical, Wearable Art, Movie or TV recreations, Middle Eastern Dance, folk,
carnival, street performers, kids, pets, etc. Photos must be taken by you – we
cannot accept official convention photos without explicit permission from the
convention committee. No movie studio stills are allowed. Partial nudity is not
discouraged, but remember that photos can be viewed by
anyone of any age. Also, no costume is no costume!
Waitaminnit – what?? Partial Nudity?!!
Just a
prudent warning to the visitor.
There are some pictures, particularly from the 1950s – 1970s, that are
revealing, but they are in the context of a costume. If you are a concerned
parent, please be aware of this. We do not censor the photos, nor have we
separated them into in one folder.
May I link to my website
so people can buy copies of the photos I upload?
You may link to your
website, but no other advertising will be allowed. If this rule is violated,
your account will be taken down.
What are the parameters
for uploading photos?
See the Gallery tutorial.
There are tools for cropping and rotating picture, but we recommend you use
editing software before you upload your photos to crop and focus your pictures
to make them look their best. Photo files should be no bigger than 40kb in size
(check the properties of your photo to find its size if you're unsure).
What are the
parameters for uploading photos?
Photo files should be
no bigger than 40kb in size (right click your picture to check the Properties
to find its size if you're unsure). The best resolution for clarity and
manageable file size is 300 dpi (Dots Per Inch).
For more information on resolution, see the tutorial tips. The gallery
has tools for cropping and rotating your picture, but we recommend that you use
editing software before you upload your photos to crop and focus your pictures
to make them look their best. A photo editing program can help your
images look their best. Many newer computers have them; digital cameras
come with their own editing software. If you don't have any
software, they can be easily purchased for less than $30. Use these to
reduce the size of your photo files without losing resolution.
Can I comment on other
people's photos?
Only registered users may
comment on photos. Comments should be productive; otherwise the site admin may
revoke the user profile (see Policies). If
there is a widespread problem, the comments feature will be discontinued.
What is the “Watch This” link for?
If you would like to be
notified when any new additions are made to the website, that link will take
you to a page where you can have an email notification sent to you every time
new pictures, albums or comments are made. We do have a caveat: due to the
way the system works, you will receive an email for every single event!
Emails will come from the
address beginning with the name nobody@.... The subject line will read [Gallery]
New Photo, for example. You may need to check that your email filters do
not block this address in the belief that it is spam.
What's the "A-List"?
The International Costumers Gallery
Announcements list (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/icg-a/)
is an alternative way of being notified about changes to the
site. It is a newsletter email list for
letting people know when new materials have been added, changes have been
made, or anything else that the Archivist or the Site Admin wants to tell the
subscribers about. This will only be sent out when a new folder of photos
has been added, or other information the Moderators deem significant.
The Pat
and Peggy Kennedy Memorial Library
What is
the Pat and Peggy Kennedy Memorial Library?
The Pat and Peggy Kennedy
Memorial Library is the official archive of the International Costumers Guild. Its mission is to preserve the history of
Science Fiction fan costuming. Since the
mid-1990s, it has been gathering materials spanning 70+ years. It has also accumulated images from Wearable
Arts events, Living History and other showcases for creativity. Much of this collection has never been seen
by a wide audience before – not even by ICG members. Our intention is to become a major
destination for the celebration of craftsmanship, imagination and knowledge
that our hobby encompasses.
You can find out more about
Pat and Peggy Kennedy by visiting their Lifetime Achievement Award entries:
What does the Library
contain?
Photographs, Videotapes,
DVDs and other paper ephemera related to costume events, the business records
of the ICG and other documents.
How big is the
Library? For “70+ years of Science
Fiction fan costuming”, there doesn’t seem to be that much here.
There is a tremendous
amount of data involved. Rather than
waiting to go online until it is all uploaded, we will be constantly updating
the site from the Library, as well as adding new material as we get it.
Do you have a list of what
is contained in the Library?
The physical records are in
the process of being transferred from the previous Archivist to his successor.
We will be inventorying the collection and updating records where needed at
that point. When that catalogue is complete, we will publish it online. We hope
this will make it easier for potential donors to fill in holes in the
collection.
Why does the Library
have so many pictures from Science Fiction Conventions?
Almost from the beginning,
Science Fiction conventions have had some sort of costume contest or
masquerades. They allow people to express their creativity in ways not seen
anywhere else in the same fashion. This doesn’t mean that’s all this site is
interested in, though. Costumers see their hobby as an art form, so they’re
interested in all types of costumes.
I have some old photos
you might be interested in, but I don’t feel like uploading them myself. Do you
want them?
Yes! We are always looking
for photos (digital or hardcopy) or CDs of all costume-related events for our
permanent collection.
I have videotapes/DVDs
of costume events (i.e. masquerades, costume parades, etc.), but I don’t have a
way to copy them. Can you do it?
Yes! For each item you loan to us, we will make
copies for the Library and return your originals with a DVD for your own collection.
I have images from X
costume event. Do you already have them?
Do you have a list of what is contained in the Library?
We are always interested in
additional photos from the same event, etc., even if we may already have some
records in the Library. You might have a better picture of a costume, or
information on the wearer, that we may not currently possess. Please contact
the Archivist (icg-archivist@costume.org) with your information.
The current inventory can
be found here: http://www.costume.org/archive_cat_main.html. They will
be updated as necessity warrants. We are
actively seeking new material.
Do you purchase
pictures?
No. We are a hobbyist
organization with a small budget.
I love what you’re
doing! Can I donate money to maintain the Library and help it grow?
Absolutely! The ICG is a
501c3 organization, so donations are tax deductible. You can contact the ICG
Treasurer (icg-treasurer@costume.org) and tell them you want to send money
earmarked specifically for the archives.
What if I have a
correction about info on a photo?
Registered users can post a
comment to the picture. We also welcome corrections sent to the Archivist
(icg-archivist@costume.org).
General
Are these costumes for
sale or rent?
We do not have that
information, but most likely, no. This is strictly a site for the appreciation
of the making, and the makers of, costumes.
How can I contact
someone in a photo about how they made their costume? Maybe they can make one
for me?
We do not have that
information. You might try an Internet search on their name to see if they have
a website. You can also check out the links on the ICG website main page for
mailing lists, and other resources.
I’d like to buy some
photos I’ve seen on the site. How do I contact the photographer?
Unless the photographer has
a link to their own sales website, they are not for sale. Warning: this
site makes no guarantees of the reliability of any photographer who may link
from this site, and it is not responsible for any problems with transactions
involving said photographers. Let the buyer beware.
What if I have a
question not on this FAQ?
This is a new site, so this
is an evolving document. Please address your question(s) to the site admin
(gallery-admin@costume.org). If the answers would benefit many visitors, we’ll
add them to the list.
Contacts:
Gallery
administrator: Bruce Mai (gallery-admin@costume.org)
Kennedy
Library Archivist: Pierre Pettinger
(icg-archivist@costume.org)