| FAQ's |
Help Topics:
General
• What is Comstock Complete?
• How much does Comstock Complete cost?
• How do I subscribe?
• Once I've subscribed, how do I download images?
• What if I need an image at a larger file size than 1.7 MB or 10-14MB?
• Why is the image file size I'm downloading smaller than the 1.7 MB or 10-14MB?
• What if I want to purchase a single image but I don't want to subscribe?
• Can I download a sample image?
• What is your refund policy?
• How can I get in touch with you?
Usage Guidelines
• How many images can I download during my membership?
• How may I use the Comstock Complete images I've downloaded?
• What are the usage restrictions for Comstock Complete images?
• Can I share my username and password with someone in my office?
• How is a user or seat defined?
• Why am I getting an error that my account is in use when I try to sign into the site?
• Will you share my email address with anyone else?
• Can I use my Comstock Complete images after my subscription expires?
• Can I use the images from my subscription for a client or employer?
• Can I use images from Comstock Complete on websites?
• Can I create an online image gallery featuring Comstock Complete content?
• Can I modify an image and claim copyright on the "derivative" work that I have created?
• Can I create electronic templates using images from Comstock Complete?
• Can I use images from Comstock Complete for a logo or company trademark?
Searching for Images
• Keyword / image number searching
• How do I narrow down my results?
• Filters
• Category Searching
• Date Added
• Color Search
• Combining search options
• More about keywords...
• Free Photo Research
Lightboxes
• About Lightboxes
• How do you use the Lightbox feature?
• How do you add images to a Lightbox?
• How do you delete images from a Lightbox?
• Images not appearing in lightboxes?
Subscribing
• What credit cards do you accept?
• Do you guarantee credit card security?
• What other forms of payment do you accept?
General
Comstock Complete is a subscription-based plan giving you access to the entire Comstock Images and Thinkstock Images Royalty-Free collections of over 160,000 photos. It's a great resource for designers who use a high volume of imagery but don't have the budget to buy images one at a time. Comstock Complete offers two plans one (Web Plan) especially for those working on projects for the Web/multimedia, presentations, newspaper, and professionally-printed pieces that only require small images and another (Print Plan) designed for those needing larger file sizes. Here's how it works:
• Get full access to the entire Comstock Images and Thinkstock Images Royalty-Free collections. Choose from an extensive library of over 160,000 Royalty-Free images, from the traditional to the trendy. These are the same Royalty-Free images world-renowned for quality that are available on Comstock.com.
• Stock up on file sizes of 1.7MB or 10-14MB (depending on the plan you've chosen) The images available on the Comstock Complete subscription are 1.7MB for the Web Plan and 10-14MB for the Print Plan, perfect for a variety of uses.
• For the Web Plan images this equates to 8.5" x 13" at 72 dpi
• or the Print Plan images reproduce for print at: 6.00" x 9" @ 300 dpi
• Easily upgrade to file sizes larger than 1.7 MB or 10-14MB (See: What if I need an image at a larger file size than 1.7 MB or 10-14MB?)
How much does Comstock Complete cost?
The price you pay depends on the term of your subscription. The longer the term, the better the value! However, no matter what the term of your subscription, you will be able to download up to 50 photos per 24 hour period.
| Web Resolution Plan: 1.7 MB Files | |||||
| 1 Month | U.S. $299 |  |
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| 1 Year | U.S. $1,199 | |
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| Print Resolution Plan: 10-14 MB Files | |||||
| 1 Month | U.S. $499 | |
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| 1 Year | U.S. $1,999 | |
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Credit card, checks and money orders are accepted. However, if you wish to purchase by check or money order, we will not be able to process your transaction online. Instead, please call 1-800-225-2727. Your subscription will be activated as soon as we receive your payment.
Interested in subscribing now? Click here.
Click here to subscribe. You will be asked to set up a username and password, provide your contact information, billing address, and credit card so we may bill you. Once you've subscribed, you may log in with your username and password and start downloading!
Once I've subscribed, how do I download images?
50 stock photos a day are available to anyone who subscribes to Comstock Complete. To download one of these images:
• Click the [Info/Download] link below the photo you want.
• Click Download to the right of the image. A larger version of the image will appear in a new browser window.
• Right-click (Windows) or click-hold (Mac) the larger image.
• Select Save Picture As... or Save Image As...
• Click Save in the dialog box that appears.
What if I need an image at a larger file size than 1.7 MB or 10-14MB?
Purchasing a higher-resolution version of any image is easy whether you're a subscriber or not!
Follow these easy steps:
1. Search for the image you'd like in high-res.
2. Click on the thumbnail to reveal the larger version of the image.
3. In the upper-right area of the screen, click on the Purchase link and complete your purchase on www.comstock.com:
Web resolution
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Print resolution
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Super resolution – Single Image Download
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Follow these easy steps:
1. Sign into your account on Comstock Complete.
2. Search for the image you'd like in high-res.
3. Click on the thumbnail to reveal the larger version of the image.
4. By clicking on the purchase link, you'll activate your coupon on www.comstock.com.
5. Complete your purchase and save 20% every time!
Why is the image file size I'm downloading smaller than the 1.7 MB or 10-14MB?
Cause #1: You might be downloading the small "thumbnail" version of the image rather than the full underlying file.
Fix #1: Make sure you are right-clicking (PC) or clicking and holding (Mac) on the text link to the bottom of the picture of your
image-- and not on the picture itself.
Cause #2: As is standard practice in the industry, we provide you with JPEG files (identifiable by the .jpg extension added to the
file name), which by definition are compressed to facilitate transmission and therefore are not as large as the original file.
Fix #2: When you load the file into a photo editor such as PhotoShop it will automatically expand to full size.
What if I want to purchase a single image but I don't want to subscribe?
No problem! When you find the image you'd like, click on the thumbnail to reveal the larger version of the image. In the upper-right area of that screen, you'll see a Purchase link. Clicking this will take you to an area of the Comstock Images website where you can choose the file size you need and proceed with your purchase.
Can I download a sample image?
Sure: download a sample image here.
If you purchase a Comstock Complete subscription and change your mind, a refund can be issued with the following stipulations: you must request your refund within 3 days of your purchase, and you must not have downloaded more than 5 images. You must also sign an affidavit indicating that you will destroy all copies of any images you've downloaded and that you will not use them in any way.
How can I get in touch with you?
If your questions are not answered on this FAQ page or if you'd just like to speak with a real, live person, please call
1-800-225-2727. Our business hours are 8 am - 7 pm, Monday through Friday, Eastern Standard Time.
Alternately, email us at service@comstock.com.
We try to respond to all emails within a few hours of receipt.
International Contact Info
Usage Guidelines
How many images can I download during my membership?
You are permitted to download up to 50 images per 24 hour period from Comstock Complete during the term of your subscription. However, we do request that you limit your downloads to only the photos you need.
There are two reasons for this:
• We need to maintain site performance in order to provide our customers with an optimal experience 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If everyone downloaded excessively, our servers would not be able to keep up! 50 images per day is considered "reasonable" and for most projects is more than enough.
• To better protect our content from piracy, we need to limit the proliferation of our content.
How may I use the Comstock Complete images I've downloaded?
You may use our royalty-free photos for:
• Web pages and other multimedia applications (See: Can I use images from Comstock Complete on websites?
below for details)
• Advertisements and promotional materials
• Product packaging
• Theatrical exhibitions
• Personal (non-commercial) materials
• Comps, layouts, and other materials for test or sample use
For the full list of terms and conditions, please read our End User Licensing Agreement.
What are the usage restrictions for Comstock Complete images?
You may NOT:
• Use our content to compete with us. While it is permissible to incorporate our photos in a product you intend to sell, you cannot
give away or resell the photos themselves.
• Use our content as part of an electronic template or application to create multiple impressions of a product
(greeting cards, business cards, Web page designs, etc.). (See: Can I create electronic templates using images
from Comstock Complete?
• Use our content as a service mark or trademark, or as a part of a company logo.
• Use any photo of a person in a manner implying endorsement of, use of, or affiliation with a product or service unless you
include a statement indicating that the person is a model and is used only for illustrative purposes.
• Use a photo in any way that could be considered defamatory, pornographic, libelous, immoral, obscene or fraudulent,
either by making physical changes to it, or in the juxtaposition to accompanying text.
For more on this issue and others, please read our End User Licensing Agreement for the full list of terms and conditions.
Can I share my username and password with someone in my office?
No, you are not permitted to share your username and password with anyone! If other people in your business would like access to your subscription, we have a compelling multi-seat licensing offer. Please contact us at 1-800-225-2727 to discuss your options.
How is a user or seat defined?
A user is a photo editor, photo researcher, art director, designer, or any other person that edits or manipulates images. Other employees and contractors may view images for approval purposes only without additional seats.
Why am I getting an error that my account is in use when I try to sign into the site?
Each login may only be used on one computer at a time. You may use the service on multiple computers, just not as the same time. If you are receiving this error message and are not attempting to have multiple users, please contact us.
Will you share my email address with anyone else?
We will not share your email address with other organizations without your consent. For details, see our privacy policy.
Can I use my Comstock Complete images after my subscription expires?
Yes, you are permitted to use any images that you have downloaded and used during the term of your subscription after your subscription expires. We grant you a traditional non exclusive, world-wide and perpetual license for images that you have used however; you may only continue to use the image(s) in the same product or service that they were incorporated in during the subscription term. Any images that have been downloaded and not used during the term of your subscription are not permitted for first use after the subscription expires. This would be considered stock piling and in violation of our End User Licensing Agreement.
Can I use the images from my subscription for a client or employer?
Yes, you are permitted to use Comstock Complete images on behalf of your client or employer for the purposes outlined in our End User Licensing Agreement. You are not permitted to make the images available to your client outside of a layout or product that you yourself design or create.
If you need to show others the images you are considering for a project, we recommend that you create a lightbox. This is a great way to make a client or colleague part of the creative process. We also recommend that you track the image number of each Comstock Complete image directly on the clients invoice in order to provide documentation of the image used for the project.
Can I use images from Comstock Complete on websites?
Yes, you may use Comstock Complete images on your own website or clients websites, but only as design elements. You may not display the images in any digital format or for any digital use at a resolution greater than 640x480 pixels, except in editorial or preliminary design work. This restriction is necessary to prevent inadvertent copying and/or downloading of the images by third parties. For more on this please read our End User Licensing Agreement.
Can I create an online image gallery featuring Comstock Complete content?
No, you are not permitted to create an online gallery using any images from our site.
Can I modify an image and claim copyright on the "derivative" work that I have created?
No, you are not permitted to claim copyright on any work that incorporates images from Comstock Complete. Copyright of images from Comstock Complete is retained by us. Intellectual property laws protect works of art that are derived from the original work. We recommend that you consult legal counsel in order to make an informed decision.
Can I create electronic templates using images from Comstock Complete ?
No, you are not permitted to use images from Comstock Complete for electronic applications such as e-greetings or website templates. Part of what your customer is paying for is the use of the images contained within those templates, and we do not permit this.
Use in an electronic template requires a separate license and fee, and you may obtain information about such a license from templates@comstock.com.
Can I use images from Comstock Complete for a logo or company trademark?
No, you are not permitted to use images from Comstock Complete for a logo or company trademark.
Searching for Images
Keyword / image number searching
Type a keyword (or image number, if you know it) in the search field at the top of your screen and click the Search button. Our advice is to start wide, and narrow your search depending on how many thumbnails appear in your search results.
How do I narrow down my results?
There are a number of ways to zero in on the types of images you are looking for. The first is to use the Match All / Match Any option. This option functions when using more than one keyword. For example, using the keywords cat dog with Match Any selected will find all images keyworded withcat OR dog. Selecting Match All with these same keywords will only return results keyworded with cat AND dog.
Another way to narrow down your results is to use the not these words option. If you wish to find all images with cat as a keyword but NOT dog,type cat into the search field and dog into the not these words field.
Only looking for photos that are in color and oriented horizontally? Use the filters to find them. Just deselect black and white (B/W), vertical (Vert) and Square. Then, make sure Color and horizontal (Horiz) are selected. Choose the combinations that best suit your needs.
NOTE: Be sure not to exclude too much. For example, don't exclude Color AND B/W, Horiz AND Vert.
Refine the display of your search results:
• Return your results in up to 10 rows, and select the dynamic preview option if you prefer to view a larger version of your
image before clicking on it by simply holding your cursor over the image
• Select your desired thumbnail size: small, medium, or large
Select a category from the drop-down menu and click the Search button. To narrow down your results you can combine other search options along with your category search. For example, you can keyword search within a category. We recommend you start with just one or two keywords and then add other keywords or search options if you're still getting too many results.
See what's new on Comstock Complete. Use the Date Added option to search for images that have been added to the site in the last 30/60/90 days.
To search by color click the Color Search checkbox. A color wheel will display below it. You can either click in the color wheel to select a color, or type the hexadecimal value for the color you wish to search for in the Web input field below the color wheel. Once you've selected a color you can fine-tune it by clicking in the Tint bar just above the color wheel. Additionally, you can find the contrast for your selected color by clicking on the Contrast swatch.
One other way of performing a color search is by finding an image you like and going to the info/download page. There, beneath the keywords, you'll find a group of swatches representing colors included in that image. Click on any of the swatches to find images containing the matching color.
Any number of the preceding search options can be combined to narrow down your results. However, we recommend that you start with only one or two at a time. Then, if you find you're getting more search results than you desire, you can try adding other options to narrow down your results.
Each Comstock Complete image is associated with several descriptive keywords. An image of a woman with a soccer ball, for example, will appear in your search results whether you type "woman" or "soccer" in the Keyword field. Only thumbnails assigned to the keyword(s) you type in the Keyword field will appear in your search results. If you choose not to use the keyword window, you may have to wade through hundreds of thumbnails to find the image you need.
Choose keywords that best describe the image(s) you are looking for. If you are searching for something as specific as a snowy owl, type "owl" in the keyword window rather than "bird," a much broader term. Of course, the same image will appear in your search results if you type "snowy" or "predator".
The search engine assigns keywords to its images based on guidelines standardized by The Picture Agency Council of America (PACA). Most nouns exist in our database in singular form. "Scissors" appears in the plural thanks to common usage, but "cake," "dog," "house" and "insect," for example, should be typed in singular form. Using "dog" in the singular doesn't restrict thumbnails from containing images with one dog or many dogs. Acronyms such as "USA" exist in our database without periods.
What to Search
Our keywords are primarily American English, though we retain some international words where appropriate. Consider the basic
categories below when searching:
• Basic Subject Matter: agriculture, architecture, art, business, education, entertainment, finance, food, health, healthcare, home life, household object, industry, leisure, lifestyle, medical, military, money, nature, occupation, performing arts, politics, recreation, religion, science, social issues, sports, technology, transportation, travel, wildlife, youth culture
• Basic Concepts: adventure, affection, aging, alternative lifestyle, anger, authority, balance, beauty, caring, celebration, challenge, choice, childhood, communication, community, competition, confidence, connection, cooperation, creativity, culture, customer service, direction, discover, diversity, escape, excitement, fatherhood, fear, fitness, friendship, fun, generations, happiness, health, humor, joy, love, luxury, leadership, motherhood, mystery, old-fashioned, pain, parenthood, peace, pride, protection, provocative, relaxation, retro, romance, risk, sadness, safety, satisfaction, savings, security, serenity, sexy, speed, spirituality, strategy, strength, stress, success, surprise, teamwork, temptation, time, togetherness, victory, vintage, vision, wellness
• People: male, female, man, woman, boy, girl, adult, child, teenager, baby, young adult, mid-adult, middle-aged, senior adult, elderly adult, one person only, two people, small group of people, large group of people, crowd, nobody
• Ethnicity: African American, Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic, Latino, Latina, South Asian, Middle Eastern, Native American, Pacific Islander, etc.
• Ages: 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 0-1 year, 1-2 years, 3-4 years, 5-6 years, 7-9 years, 10-12 years, 13-15 years, 16-17 years, 18-19 years, 20-25 years, 25-30 years, 30-35 years, 35-40 years, 40-45 years, 45-50 years, 50-55 years, 60-65 years, etc.
• Relationships: parent, mother, father, couple (gay, homosexual, lesbian), partner, daughter, son, sister, brother, sibling, spouse, husband, wife, aunt, uncle, grandparent, grandfather, grandmother, grandchild, cousin, nephew, niece, family, etc.
• Attributes: full-length, half-length, portrait, head shot, eye contact, profile, body language, gesture, facial expression, sitting, standing, lying down, arms raised, holding hands, eyes closed, smiling, pouting, muscular, overweight, short, tall, piercing, tattoo, casual attire, business attire, formal attire, etc.
• Animals: wild animal, domestic animal, farm animal, pet, one animal, two animals, small group of animals, etc.
• Locale/Settings/Environment: indoor, outdoor, inside, outside, interior, exterior, day, night, landscape, garden, home, hospital, farm, forest, field, beach, countryside, office, restaurant, school, seascape, body of water, horizon, cityscape, skyline, city, subway, etc.
• Image Attributes: close-up, low angle view, high angle view, aerial view, wide angle view, front view, back view, copy space, cropped, backlit, silhouette, x-ray, high contrast, low contrast, POV, toned, sepia, blurry, motion blur, soft focus, selective focus, fish-eye, lens flare, still life, studio shot, vintage, archival, retro, pattern, background, composite, framed, digital, grainy, etc.
* Hint: Use quotation marks around a search term consisting of more than one word to return exact results; eliminating quotation marks will return results with either keyword in the image. E.g., "hot dog" will return images keyworded as such, while hot dog will return images keyworded with both hot and dog.
Free custom research done for you by our highly-skilled staff of photo researchers. You tell us what you're looking for,
and we’ll do the work! Within 24 hours you will receive an e-mail with a direct link to the lightbox we created.
To submit a photo research request e-mail us using our support form.
Be as specific as you can when describing the images you need, and tell us about your project.
The more information you can give us, the better we can customize a lightbox for you.
Examples of search requests include ethnically diverse business teams at work, people meeting with financial advisors, and conceptual
photos illustrating a specific caption or tagline.
Lightboxes
Lightboxes are personal folders that store thumbnails with their accompanying details, helping you manage images as your creative
projects evolve. There are two ways to manage your lightboxes:
• The first is the lightbox pane located along the bottom of the screen,
which will appear on all pages as you search for images.
You can expand or collapse the lightbox pane by clicking the (-) or (+) icon on the
top right of the lightbox pane.
• The second is the "lightboxes" link in the top navigation, which will open a page for you to manage your lightboxes.
How do you use the Lightbox feature?
Not Signed In
A default lightbox is already created and any images added will be placed here. If you are not signed in you may place images into the
default lightbox only and you can view them at anytime. If you do have an account and forgot to sign in before creating a lightbox simply sign in and
your images from this visit will not be lost.
Signed In
The default lightbox is already created and any images added will be placed here until you add a new lightbox or rename the default lightbox.
By using the drop down boxes in the lightbox pane you can move between lightboxes. You can also view, rename, e-mail,
get the url, add new or delete any lightboxes. If you click the "lightboxes" link from the top navigation to manage your lightbox you
can copy/move images within lightboxes, view, rename, e-mail, get the url, add new or delete any lightboxes.
How do you add images to your lightbox?
• Click the "Add to Lightbox" button beneath each thumbnail 
• Drag thumbnails into the lightbox (Please drag images slowly for best performance)
• Click on the image to view details and click the link "Add to Lightbox"
How do you delete images from your lightbox?
• In the lightbox pane - Click the red icon on the bottom right of each image
• From the "lightboxes" link in the top navigation - Select the check box next each image you wish to delete and then proceed to click the link "delete selected"
Images not appearing in lightboxes?
Are you having trouble with the images you've added to your lightbox not showing up?
You may need to clear your cookies and/or cache.
• Internet Explorer - Click on Tools > Internet Options > General Tab
• Firefox/Netscape - Click on Tools > Options > Privacy Tab
• Safari - Click on Safari > Reset Safari
• If your browser isn't listed here, or you need additional information, please visit your browsers web site.
Subscribing
What credit cards do you accept?
We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover.
Do you guarantee credit card security?
Comstock Complete credit card transactions are secure because a 128-bit SSL encrypted session protects your personal information as it travels between your computer and our server. We go one step further by requesting the buyer to enter a Credit Security Code, the 3 or 4 digit number located on the back of most cards. The Credit Security Code does not appear on credit statements or receipts, so it assures us that the card being used is truly in possession of the buyer. Additionally, credit card details (such as credit card number, Credit Security Code and expiry date) are not stored on our server once the transaction is complete.
What other forms of payment do you accept?
In addition to credit cards we also accept payments made via PayPal (online), check (by mail) or money order (by mail).
NOTE: If you choose to pay by mail your account will not be activated until your check or money order has cleared the bank.