FAQ

I cannot find the pictures I am looking for. Why not?

Reset the search options with Clear and launch a fresh search. Check your input (spelling) and try again with different Search Options. Enter a new term for searching in another language (in French or German). Check the Search Area (Creative, Editorial or Partner).

What search options are available to me in the search field?

Terms with no prefix are linked with and. If you want to set the search logic function to "Advanced" using the settings (My Account), you will have the following additional options available: terms with the prefix * are or linked, terms with the prefix - (without) are excluded. It is also possible for multiple-word terms to be set in "George Bush". If in certain cases there are further words between the terms, this can be taken into account with "George Bush"~2 for two terms, but also for more than two. Finally, the weighting of the individual search terms can be changed using ^, so, for example, using George^5 Bush^1 weights George five times more heavily than Bush.

Are there also analog pictures available at KEYSTONE?

Yes, KEYSTONE has a stock of pictures running to around 10 million negatives, slides, prints and glass plates. Not all of these have been digitalized as yet. It may be worth your while to send a request for a search to the archive.

How can I search for a date?

As all of the information relating to the picture is searched through in the search field, it is also possible to enter specific dates in this field. The format for the date is not standardized and you have to use different forms. However, the date under which a picture is saved in the database does have the standardized format YYYYMMDD.

What are "Creative" pictures?

In KEYSTONE's Creative section you will find pictures from the following sectors: the world of work, lifestyle, travel, emotions, concepts, structures, etc. topic and stock images. So, for example, if you search for "London" in this section, you will find geographical pictures of the city of London, as well as lifestyle and leisure in London.

What are "Editorial" pictures?

In KEYSTONE's Editorial section you will find pictures from the following sectors: politics, society, the environment, the economy, culture and sport, as well as historical pictures, etc. - Editorial and Historical pictures. So, for example, if you search for "London" in this section, you will find pictures of press conferences, sports events or exhibitions which have taken place in London.

When should I use the "Creative" page?

If you do not want to search through any Editorial pictures, like press conferences, sports events, etc.

When should I use the "Editorial" page?

If you want to search through Editorial pictures.

What pictures can I use for advertising purposes?

To confirm that a specific picture can be used in an advertising campaign, the Special Conditions must be observed about restrictions. Please take personal rights of the persons depicted into account, except if the picture carries the comment "Model Released". To be sure, contact our Sales department.

Are all Creative pictures MODEL RELEASED?

No, only when this is noted in the Special Conditions.

What does MODEL RELEASED mean?

Model Released that the personal rights of the persons depicted have been cleared for all uses.

What does SPECIAL FEES mean?

Special Fees are surcharges imposed on picture fees. For example, underwater pictures carry a +50% surcharge, and aerial pictures +100%.

How can I download my pictures as a ZIP file?

Save the pictures you have selected in your personal lightbox. Select the pictures you want and click on download. The pictures you want will appear in a new window for downloading as a ZIP file.

How can I download a picture in a specific size?

Select the picture you want and click on download. The picture appears in a new window. You can enter the quality you want in the Download Quality field. You can enter a user-defined picture size and resolution. The picture is scaled to the desired size for the download.

What do I do if the picture is too small for my publication?

For the download, the picture can be magnified up to a maximum of 150%. If this is still not enough, you can contact us directly.

Why is it not possible for me to have a picture magnified by more than 150% on downloading?

On magnification above 150%, there is a visible loss of picture quality. In this case, we recommend that the picture be saved in its highest available quality before being manually processed. You can also contact us directly.

What does a picture cost?

You can submit a request (for a price) for the desired picture to us. Please be as specific in your request as possible: we require details of the size of publication, circulation, color or black and white, distribution area (Switzerland, Europe, worldwide), to allow us to calculate a picture price for you.

How do I login?

Start by registering. Fill in the corresponding form. You will be contacted within one working day.

Who can obtain the login rights to the KEYSTONE database?

KEYSTONE is b2b (business to business), private individuals cannot obtain login rights.

How do I become a KEYSTONE customer?

Start by registering. Fill in the corresponding form. You will be contacted within one working day. If you are interested in special offers - a subscription, for example - contact our Sales section.

I do not have login rights and am not (yet) a member. Can I still receive pictures?

Yes, click on request information in the View File and tell us what you want.

Can I purchase pictures for my own private use?

Yes, click on request information in the View File and tell us what you want.

What are lightboxes?

Personal collections of pictures. In a lightbox, you can edit, copy, relocate or delete pictures for a specific project. If you are involved in a number of projects or starting out on a new one, simply set up a new lightbox along with a name for the new project. These lightboxes will then be available for an unlimited time.

How do I set up a new lightbox?

Either directly in Search Results or using Lightboxes in My Account.

How do I save pictures in my lightbox?

Either with the + symbol below the thumbnail or through the View File with add to lightbox.

How do I delete one of my Lightboxes?

Go to My Account and then to Lightboxes. You can delete the desired lightbox here. Note that the deleted lightbox is completely removed and is no longer present in the system.

In Search Results, can I leave my lightbox always open or closed?

You can set this option in My Account under Settings.

In View File, how can I leave the Contents Section (or Type or Picture Details) always open?

You can set this option in My Account under Settings.

I found a picture yesterday, but it is no longer available today. What is happening here?

We process more than 5000 pictures a day. Around a thousand of these are archived every day. As a rule, pictures which are not going to be archived are deleted after 60 days and are no longer available. If you have exact details of this picture (preferably a printout of the picture), then we can try to obtain it again from the corresponding partner agency.

What are your office hours for Editorial, Sales, Accounts and Administration?

Editorial can be reached any day between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. by calling +41 (0) 44 200 13 13. Our Sales department answers the phone +41 (0)44 200 13 33 during working days from 8 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

How can I save a search that I am going to be running time and again?

Carry out a search. If the result of the search is what you wanted, you can save this on the Search Page. You can then call up this saved search at any time in the Search Bar under saved. You can also edit the search you have saved. Go to My Account and Search to edit your search. You can run the search directly from here or delete it.

Is my search saved?

Yes, it can be called up from My Account and Search and run again at any time from this location. The last 10 searches are saved here. You can extend this list of recent searches to 20 under My Account and Settings.

I want the display in Search Results to include text. How does this work?

Go to My Account. Under Configuration you can change the Display Mode to "Thumbnails with Caption".

How many pictures should the search result display?

Go to My Account. Under Configuration you can set the number of "Display Images".

Can I login from anywhere?

Yes, however in this case it is essential to log out first. Please do not save any automatic login processes. It would be unfortunate if any third-party usage was charged to your account.

Can a number of people use a single login at the same time?

Yes.

What will happen if I forget to log off for going for lunch?

The system automatically logs off after two hours, and then you will have to login again.

How can I make sure that the automatic login function has actually been deactivated?

The radical solution to this is to delete all cookies. The rather less radical method is to delete all of the cookies for the keystone.ch domain.

Does it work with any browser?

At present it has been tested with the current versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari. In its current version, any other browser is sure to work properly, however the display may well suffer. Browsers without CSS support do not work (IE < 4, Netscape < 4).

Does the Back button in the browser always work?

No, as a rule you must use only the Back functions offered in the pages.

Can I do any real harm if I use the Back button nevertheless?

No, but in certain circumstances this will produce confusing results.

Do I need cookies?

No, you can manage without them. However, certain of the convenience functions will not work. It is better to switch cookies on.

What is there saved in a cookie?

Information for our load balancer, status reports for page displays, login data for the automatic login process, and that's all.

Do I need JavaScript?

Yes, without this our page does not work.