Inchiquin

A zoom is when an Alamy customer (see below) clicks on a thumbnail in the search results to go to the main description page for that image. You can see this information on your contributor dashboard by expanding the Alamy Measures section in the lower half of the page and then clicking on Your Images. An Alamy customer in this context is defined as a regular purchaser. In other words, if a passer-by or occasional visitor (or indeed you yourself) clicks on an image it doesn't register as a zoom. Alan

Oh dear, how do you choose between many favourites? I've picked this one because it illustrates so many concepts: beauty, peace, solitude, the insignificance of humans in the landscape, and for today's world, self-isolation and social distancing. Alan

Alamy is primarily an editorial agency rather than a creative one. In most cases (though not all) artistic expression is not the main point of a photo. However, it's perfectly possible to submit creative shots and the lack of a full spectrum will not usually be penalised provided that the effect is relevant to the subject. A good photographer can easily tell the difference between a poorly exposed photograph and an atmospheric one. A test submission is three photos, no more, no less. Once this has passed QC, you are free to upload as many you like, in batches of your own choosing.

And more importantly, those million Instamatics didn't have access to a worldwide wall to pin them to. Alan

I have an Alamywhack on a photo of a particular location in the UK that I uploaded years ago and I still can't believe that mine is the only photo of that location on Alamy. Alan

I think it's unlikely that pix from the P900 would be acceptable anyway. Alamy generally doesn't like bridge cameras. Alan

My Canon 5D2 is pretty long in the tooth nowadays and can't handle high ISO as well as more modern cameras. Nevertheless I've had a few accepted at 3200 and 6400 (after applying NR in Lightroom), though I'm extremely careful to only upload ones that I think stand a good chance of getting through. Alan

Both the vertical and the horizontal of this shot have sold separately. They were taken at the same time but from a very slightly different angle. The horizontal (which I prefer) sold for high $$, whereas the vertical sold for $$$$. A very good advert for taking both. Alan Edit: PS I should add that cropping the horizontal would not have resulted in such a pleasing composition as the vertical, and it's unlikely that I would have thought to take a wider horizontal than the one I shot. So I would probably have missed out on a bumper sale.

Don't worry - nobody can. Alan

While this is true, they don't stand out to the same degree in a page of thumbnails. Alan

However, caveat emptor still remains a potent factor, as illustrated by that much publicised case a few years ago when a Turkish man's face was used to promote Greek yoghurt, and IIRC he was awarded substantial damages. Alan

Unfortunately I didn't get my first camera until 1966. Alan

It was bad everywhere. The streets of London were paved with solid ice for weeks. I lost count of the number of times I slid and ended on my bum while walking to school. Alan

If it was beside the canal then it wasn't the Blue Teapot. I couldn't think of a café actually by the canal but I don't often walk that stretch of canal. Alan

The Blue Teapot? Alan