Upon selecting a forum, a thumbnail page will be displayed. To view the full size image and viewers' comments, click the thumbnail image or the "View" text link.

• To view the images of a specific photographer, click the "All Photos by" link next to the name of the photographer to the right of the thumbnail.

• To email a photographer, click the name of the photographer that appears under the full size image on the "View Image and Comments" page. Note - If the photographer has elected not to receive email, this link will not be present.

Posting Images and Comments

To post images and comments in these forums, you must first log in - see the Reader's Forum Help page for information on registering to use the forums.

• HTML Tag Guide - Certain HTML tags may be used in the message and signature fields. The HTML Tag Guide opens in a separate window, which can be minimized until ready for use.

• To edit your registration and/or forum signature, use the "Preferences" link in the gray menu bar at the top of the page.

• To post a comment on an image, view the image and use the "Add Your Comment" button at the bottom of the comments page. Enter your comments in the text field. You may also place "smiley" icons in your critique – place the cursor where you wish the icon to appear, and then click the icon you wish to display. Use the browser's "Back" and "Forward" functions to move between the "View Image and Comments" and "Add Comments" screens - your work on the Add Comments screen will not be lost by doing so. Use the "Add Comment" button to post your critique. After posting your comment, you may edit or delete it by using the links provided.

• To edit a comment, use the "Edit Comment" text link provided with your comment on the "View Image and Comments" page.

• To delete a comment, use the "Delete Comment" text link provided with your comment on the "View Image and Comments" page.

• To keep track of specific images, you may use the "Flag Photo" button on the bottom of the comments page. To view all of the images you have flagged, use the "Flagged" link in the gray menu bar at the top of the page.

• To post an image, click the "Post Photo" link in the gray menu bar at the top of the page and then use the following procedure –

1. Enter a descriptive title in the Photo Title field, no more than 30 characters in length (including spaces).
2. Enter a description of the photo in the Description field – click here for suggestions on what to should enter to get the most out of the image critique process. You may also include smiley icons on the Description Field – place the cursor where you wish the icon to appear, and then click the icon you wish to display.
3. Use the drop-down menu and select the NPN gallery you wish the image to appear in -
   • Avian Gallery - All images with birds as the main subject. Images of captive birds must be stated as such.
   • Earth, Sea and Sky Gallery - Landscapes, seascapes and celestial images with no recognizable "hand of man."
   • Fauna Gallery - Wildlife other than birds. Images of captive animals must be stated as such. Images that include domesticated animals should be posted in the Man & Nature Gallery.
   • Flora Gallery - Plants and flowers. Staged, set-up, or studio shots must be stated as such.
   • Macro/Close-up Gallery - Macro and close-up images of nature. Generally, the actual physical size of the area depicted by the image should be about 4-inches across or less.
   • Man & Nature Gallery - Nature images with the "hand of man" evident, including people and manmade objects, or recreational activity, like camping or rock climbing. Any image that includes domesticated animals should be posted in this gallery. Nature images only - organized sport, team and motor sport, pet portraits and glamour/swimsuit-type images are not appropriate.
   • Photo Art - Digitally manipulated or multiple exposure images that are intended as obvious artistic renditions of nature.
   • Weekly Challenge Gallery - Images for the Weekly Challenge.
4. Select "yes" to e-mail notification if you wish to be notified when a comment is posted to your photo.
5. Choose a background color for your image to appear on. You can select a standard background color (white or black) via radio button, or designate a custom color using a Hex code value.
6. If you are a paid NPN member, you can use the "Browse" button and select an image from your hard drive to upload directly to the NPN server. Alternatively, you may link to an image that is already uploaded to a non-NPN server, such as a personal web site or external hosting service by entering the complete URL in the "Enter URL address of .jpg photo" field. All posts with broken image links (including Editor's Picks) will be deleted. Image size limits are as follows -
   • Image size must be limited to 640 pixels on its longest side. For panoramic images (horizontal only), images may be sized to 720 pixels in width but must be limited to 360 pixels maximum in height.
   • Maximum file size for images hosted by NPN is 200KB (sRGB JPEG files recommended). The 200KB limit does not apply for posts that link to images on other servers. However, bear in mind that larger files will take longer to load, particularly for those on dial-up connections.
   • Additional information and posting recommendations can be found in the Posting Guidelines.
7. Use the "Submit Photo" button to post your image.

All images and resulting threads are automatically deleted after 35 days, with the exception of the Editor's Picks and Staff Showcase galleries.

• To edit the text that accompanies an image, use the edit link provided next to the tumbnail of the image. To preserve the integrity of all comments, images cannot be edited or replaced once they are posted.

• To delete an image, use the delete link provided next to the tumbnail of the image. Please do not delete an image that has received comments!

• To view your own photos, use the "My Photos" text link in the gray menu bar at the top of the page to view all images that you currently have displayed in the new NPN image critique galleries. All threads are automatically deleted after 35 days, as are all images hosted on the NPN server.

If you have any questions about using these forums, please contact us at editor@naturephotographers.net.