Guide to Photo Uploading and Editing

So, you want to start a collection here on Collectors Quest, or maybe you want to add some new stuff to a collection that you already have going. Follow these simple steps and your collection will be updated and complete in no time!

1) Find the ‘My Account’ button. This will be in the upper righthand corner of every page on the site. Click on it and you’ll find ‘Collections’ in the menu that drops down. Click on it!

2) Click on the Upload Photos button.

3) You’ll now be able to pick out a selection of photos from your computer to upload into your ‘Dropbox’. (You’ll organize your photos in the next step!) Choose one photo, or multiple photos by holding down the Shift key on your keyboard as you choose each image, and then click ‘Open’. You should see something like this:

It's important to note that if you have multiple views of the same item, you'll still want to upload those images at this point also. We'll arrange them in a few steps!

[Please note : If you are using Internet Explorer 8 or 9, you may need to download a quick add-on in order to be able to upload multiple photos at once. Follow THIS LINK for the add-on, and when the installation finishes, you should be good to go!]

4) You’ll now see all of the photos you’ve just uploaded near the top of your screen.

If you want to add these images to a collection you’ve already created, all you need to do is drag and drop them into the collection of your choice (under the My Collections section, as seen above)! Of course, you might not have any collections yet, or you may want to start a new one, so click on the Create a New Collection button, on the right and below your new photos.

You'll be asked to upload a 'Collection Photo'. This is the main image that represents your entire collection, or the cover shot of your album. This can be a single one of your items, or it can be a group shot. Just make sure that it represents what you have inside!

5) Now, you'll be asked some information about your collection.

Enter a title, some information about your collection, and a few tags. You'll also be able to choose a category for your collection. Don't worry - you can change all of this information lter!

5a) But what are tags? How do I know what to type?

Tags are the words which match your stuff with other peoples’ stuff. When you’re tagging stuff, you can be both as general and/or specific as you can be, but make your tags relevant and keep them to one or two words.

For example, a Batman action figure would be tagged “action figure” “Batman” “DC Comics” “comic books”, and “toys” (among other tags), so when people type those words into a search, or click on that tag from someone else’s item, they’ll be taken right to your stuff! Ultra-specific tag phrases like “DC Comics Batman action figure 1989” won’t really match up with anything. Short and sweet is the way to go!

6) After you hit 'Finish', we'll show you the information you just entered. You can still edit this info (and will always be able to), and when you're happy with it, click on 'Save and Start Adding Items.'

You'll no be able to follow the instructions on the screen, dragging and dropping your items into the 'Add New Item' block below, which will add the item to your collection.

7) Now, you'll be able to describe your item by giving it a name, a description, and tags.

This is where stuff gets fun. We require you to enter information on all three of these fields so that your item doesn't get lost in the depths of the site. If you don't describe your item, no one will ever be able to find it when they're looking for it. No one can ogle your amazing collection if you don't put it in the window. Until this info is filled out, your item will be marked as 'Not Public', and viewable only to you.

If you want to put this item into multiple collections, you can start typing the name of other collections in the 'Collection(s)' field. For example, you might want to put this monster here into your monster collection AND your 'things with wings' collection. Start typing and the names of your other collections will pop up and you can choose any way you'd like to cross-reference your stuff!

You can also add multiple views of the same item by dragging photos from your 'Dropbox' area at the top of your screen into the 'Alternate View' boxes under the item. Use this function if you want to show all sides of an item, or to show off some of the finer details which might not be captured by an overall photo. How you showcase each item is up to you!

You might also notice that you can edit your photos here as well - just click on the camera icon that appears when you mouse over the photo, and you'll be presented with a wide array of options to make your photo pop.

When you're done adding photos and details, just click Save Changes or Save and Add More Items (if you'd like to move right along to the next item), and your changes will be confirmed.

Then, you can return to your collection by simply clicking Back to Collection right above your image (where you can also see how the public sees it, as well as delete your item)! And you're set!

Repeat with as many items and multiple angles as you'd like, and create as many collections as you can handle!