Help
General InfoMy Account and My Gallery
Placing an Order and Using PayPal
Team Downloads
General Info
When will an event be posted online?
It takes about 1-3 days before an event is online. The publishing process is started as soon as the files arrive at our office. In some cases, it may take longer depending on the location of the event and how long it takes for the files to arrive at our office (we’re located in NH so some events are mailed to our office). Please be patient during this time as we are working on getting them online as soon as possible.
I’m typing a search for an event and no results are found. How can I find it?
If your search is too long or too precise it’s less likely to find a match. Try shortening the length of your search, or search for just one key word in the event name. You can also select just a sport and/or state without typing a specific search to browse all events in those categories. If the event has just ended it may not be posted online yet so try checking back later.
How long will an event stay posted to the website?
Event photos are usually kept online for ordering for at least 1-2 years. The high resolution images from older events are eventually deleted to allow for additional storage space for new and upcoming events.
Why are some of your prices lower at the event than online?
On-site event prices and online prices may vary. Prices are discounted for orders placed at an event while online prices are higher due to e-commerce fees. Special prices or packages offered at an event may not apply to other events or online orders. Our prices are subject to change without notice.
Are your images copyrighted?
All jpeg image files purchased on disc or downloaded from our website contain no copyright. You are free to print them from home or at any photo lab. If a lab needs proof of this, email us at info@actionphotos.com and we can send you or the lab a copyright release letter. It Is illegal for you to reproduce any printed photos purchased from us.
The photos on my CD or that I downloaded are sideways. How do I rotate them?
Most of our photos are sideways. This is because cameras are designed to shoot horizontally but we shoot most of our photos vertically for a better composition. We keep all of our original image files as is so when you order digital files you will get them as is. To rotate your photos the first thing you need to do is copy them onto your computer from your CD (which is recommended anyway in case the disc is ever lost or damaged). Rotating cannot be done directly from the disc itself because it is a read-only disc so it can’t save any changes made to it.
Next, open the folder your photos are in and view them as thumbnails (click on View and select Thumbnails on a PC). Select each photo that needs to be rotated (to select all press ‘ctrl+a’ or to select individually click and press ‘ctrl’). Right click on one of the selected photos and select ‘Rotate Clockwise’ or ‘Rotate Counter Clockwise.’
What is your return/refund policy?
Any printed order which you are not fully satisfied with may be returned for a refund or a replacement order. Any CD or Downloadable File order will be handled on a case by case basis. Be sure to review your order for accuracy before checking out to ensure you're ordering what you want. Please contact us first to discuss any problems with your order before returning it to us.
What are your office hours?
Our office hours may vary, but someone is usually in our office Monday-Friday 9am to 4pm. We can be reached by email anytime at info@actionphotos.com.
My Account and My Gallery
Do I have to create an Action Photos account to place an order?
Yes. When you place an order you’ll be asked to create an account or login if you already have one. This is for your convenience so that you can check the status of your online orders, view your order history, and you won’t have to type your shipping address each time you place an order. You can change your information at anytime by logging in and clicking on Change My Account Details.
What if I forget my username or password for my Action Photos account?
Click on the “Forgot Your Password?” link on the My Gallery page. If you don’t receive an email with your password or need further help please email us at info@actionphotos.com. Be sure to include your full name, email address and username if known.
What is My Gallery?
My Gallery is where you can save and share your favorite photos and organize them into folders. As you’re browsing photos from an event you can add them to your Gallery by selecting the check box under the photo and clicking the Add to Gallery button. To view your photos just click on the My Gallery tab. You’ll be able to create different folders to organize your photos into and move photos from one folder to another. Photos can also be ordered from your gallery by clicking on it, selecting a product and adding it to your cart. You can even upload your own photos to your Gallery to share with friends (currently uploaded photos can’t be ordered through us).
What is the Invite a Friend and how does it work?
The Invite a Friend feature allows you to share the photos in your gallery with anyone you choose. When you send an invite, your friend will receive an email and they will be able to view your gallery by creating their own account or logging in if they already have an account. You can also view galleries of those that invite you. To see a list of who is allowed to view your photos and whose photos you can view, click on My Account and View My Friends. Here you can add new friends to invite or delete someone from viewing your photos.
Placing an Order and Using PayPal
How do I place an order?
Each photo you want to order must be added to your cart and have a product selected for it. You can add photos to your cart two different ways: 1) you can click on the photo, select the product you want to order from the drop down menu and click Add to Cart, or 2) you can select the checkbox under each photo you want and add them to your cart all at once – then in your cart select the product you want for each one. Be sure to click the Update button in your cart after making any product or quantity changes to save them and to update the subtotal. When you are done click Checkout, review and confirm your order, then click Buy Now, which will transfer you to PayPal’s website.
What is the Downloadable Image File?
The Downloadable Image File option allows you to download individual high resolution jpeg files from our website. After you submit your order you will receive an email confirmation for your order which will have a link to download the image(s) from our website. All downloads are in zip files which can be easily unzipped from any unzipping program such as WinZip. As always, any jpeg file ordered from us are copyright free, high resolution images.
How do I order a CD?
For CD orders every image of the one athlete should to be added to your cart. You can add multiple images to your cart at once by selecting the checkbox under the photos and clicking the Add to Cart button. By default the CD package will already be selected for each image in the cart so you shouldn’t have to make any changes (unless you want to order a different product for an image). Team photos are not permitted on Single Athlete CD orders and will not be included if added to the order.
I’m trying to order a CD but it says I’ve exceeded the limit of images allowed. How do I order all of my photos?
We apologize for this inconvenience, but because of PayPal’s checkout system orders cannot have more than 98 items in the cart (you’ll get an exceeded limit message if more than 98 are added and you try to checkout). On average most CD orders have less than 50 images, but some of the larger events we cover may have more images per athlete. To get around this delete some photos from your cart and make note of the image numbers and the game/folder they’re from, submit your order with 98 images or less and then email a list of the remaining image numbers to us at orders@actionphotos.com. Another option for sports where an individual athlete’s photos are grouped together (such as gymnastics, figure skating, swimming, etc. where other athlete’s images aren’t mixed in) you can choose to add just the first and last image the athlete is in for each event/program/folder and we can easily find the rest in between. Anytime not all images are added to the cart please leave a note in the comment section if you’ll be emailing us image numbers or if we need to manually gather images in between the first and last selected so it’s not overlooked.
How do I order a package that includes multiple images, such as a Border Print or CD?
Each product that includes multiple images has a setting that allows you to select multiple images with that product selected without being charged for it each time. For example, to order a CD select the CD option for each photo of the one athlete and the price will only be charged once. For a 2 image or 3 image border print, each package is set to allow 2 or 3 images to be added with that package before being charged for it again. The limit is set depending on the package. A CD has no limit, as long as all photos are of one athlete and from one event.
What’s the easiest way to order 2 different products of the same image?
Add the photo to your cart with the first product you want selected (click the update button to save any changes made to selections in the cart), then just click on that same photo from within your cart, select the next product you want from the drop down menu and click Add to Cart. The image should now be shown in your cart twice for 2 different products.
How do I get back to the event to view or order photos from another game or group?
If you’re in the shopping cart, click the Continue Shopping button at the bottom of the page. If you’re viewing photos on the thumbnails page click on the event name listed at the top in orange to go back to all the games/groups listed for that event.
How do I use a coupon code?
If you were given a coupon code it can be entered during the checkout process. After you click the Checkout button there is a place to enter your coupon code. Be sure to click the Apply Coupon Code button to update the amount for your order.
Do I have to have a PayPal account to place an order?
No, but all payment goes through PayPal. When you click the Buy Now button from your cart it will bring you to PayPal’s website. If you have an account you can sign in, or you can checkout without an account using your credit card. If you have a PayPal account and choose not to use it, PayPal may recognize you have an account and will prompt you to login and use it. To bypass this be sure to click “Continue without logging in” to complete your order.
How can I check the status of my order?
Click on My Account to login and click on View My Orders. Here it will show you each order you’ve placed online, the date it was placed, item count, amount charged and the status. If the status says Placed the order is still being processed. When the order has been processed it will say Dispatched. Please note: the dispatched date isn’t necessarily the exact date the order shipped – it’s the date your order was completed and ready to ship (print orders go to a lab so shipping may be a few days later than the dispatched date shown). Please disregard status listings for Downloadable Image File only orders as there is no shipping required for these orders. Click on an order to view the photos and order details.
How long will it take for my order to ship?
We have a standard 2-3 week turn around time for most orders, whether they are placed at the event or online. Of course, we do everything we can to have your order shipped sooner than that and in most cases orders arrive within 2 weeks. Special orders, such as Border Prints and Collages may take longer. For orders placed online you can check the status by logging in to your account.
How are orders shipped?
All orders are shipped via standard USPS mail.
Why is my card charged or my check cashed before my order is shipped?
Orders will not be printed or processed until they are paid for. All online orders are charged at checkout through PayPal. For orders placed at an event, all payment is deposited or charged together when we return from an event.
Can I place my order over the phone?
We prefer not to take orders over the phone. It is beneficial for you and for us if your order is placed online so that it is in our system for proper tracking and accuracy. Our online ordering system is automated to gather each photo in your order in one location for easy processing. Phone orders are often on paper only which isn’t efficient for accurate record keeping and may cause delays. If you are unsure about how to order and can’t find your answer here, please email us at info@actionphotos.com.
Can I have photos e-mailed to me?
Photos can be downloaded from our website so there really isn’t a need for photos to be sent via email anymore. If you have any questions or problems downloading please email us at info@actionphotos.com so that it can be resolved as soon as possible.
Why aren’t team photos permitted on CD orders?
It has always been our policy that team photos were not sold in digital format. Now that we have integrated a download system on our website this is something we can no longer control, but team photos still will not be permitted on CD orders. If you wish to purchase the team photo in a digital file you must order it separately as a download. If we notice a team photo has been added to a CD order it will not be included.
When I order a CD or Downloadable File, can you crop, lighten, or add text to the photos for me?
When digital image files are ordered all photos are given as is. You will get the original high resolution jpeg file. This is one of the reasons getting a CD is a much better deal than purchasing individual prints which are all cropped and edited. We believe that these types of changes are things that should only be done right before printing as most standard print sizes have different proportions.
Can I add text to the print I am ordering?
Yes, we can add text to prints, but please tell us exactly what you want it to say. We ask that you don’t just request that we add the tournament name or dates, but rather you provide the exact name and dates you want on the print. This way we aren’t responsible for incorrect information or misspelling. Please keep in mind that by requesting text on your photos, and the more photos you have in your order that it can extend the processing time. If you’re ordering any sort of Border Print, please always include the athlete’s name and team name in the comment section.
The photo online doesn’t show the athlete’s full arm or skates etc. in it. Can it be included when it is printed?
What you see in the photo online is the full frame image just the way it was photographed. Photos aren’t cropped before being posted online, so unfortunately if you don’t see it online, it’s not going to appear on your print.
Why was the print I ordered cropped when the photo online shows more of the image?
Most photos need to be cropped in order for it to fit into a standard print size. If the subject in the image fills the frame from top to bottom (or left to right for horizontal shots), depending on the print size ordered, a portion of the image may need to be cropped out. (As a comparison, it’s like the difference between a wide screen and a full screen TV). We always make sure the athlete’s head and face stay in the photo so in most cases the bottom will be cropped. If you place an order for an image that fills the frame from end to end lengthwise you can request for no cropping. This means the photo will still be printed on the size print you ordered, but the photo will be zoomed out a little to include the entire image, leaving a white border on two sides of the print.
Do photos come mounted or framed?
We currently do not frame photos, but we do offer mounted photos available in various print sizes. Mounted photos are mounted on a ¾ inch foam board and have holes in the back for easy hanging.
Team Downloads
What is a Team Download and what does it include?
Team Downloads include all photos of one team from one event (Note: some events may have a per game/program price. See the event for specific pricing information). When ordered the photos will become available on our Team Download page for unlimited downloading access. You will also receive one copy of all the photos on disc. As always, the images are high resolution, copyright free jpeg image files.
How do I place a Team Download order online?
Click on a photo of your team, select the Team Download option from the drop down menu and add it to your cart. If the event has per game/program pricing add a photo from each game/program you want to order. In your cart please make a note in the comment section of your team’s name, division and the games/programs that should be included. Then proceed with the checkout process to submit the order to us.
How long will it take before my Team Download order is available online?
It usually takes a few days after we receive your order for it to be available online. If you place your order at an event it could take a few days after the event’s files have arrived at our office and we can begin working on the Team Download orders. As soon as the downloads are available on our Team Download page we send notification via email with downloading instructions.
How do I find my Team Download?
First, click on the Team Downloads tab and if your team isn’t listed on under the most recent downloads, type a search on the left for your team name or event name. Team Downloads are labeled by year, event name and team name. If no results are found try shortening your search and type just one key word to find all matches. You can also browse all downloads by selecting just a sport and/or state in the search options.
How do I download the photos?
1. Click on the Team Download tab to find your team’s download.2. If it’s not listed under the most recent downloads, type in a search for your team on the left or browse all downloads by selecting the sport and event state.
3. Click on the link labeled for your team (downloads are labeled by event name and team name).
4. Click on a game/folder - Each photo will have a check box below it. You can click on a photo to view it larger.
5. Select the photos you wish to download (up to 50 images can be downloaded at a time).
6. Click on the Download button above the images.
7. Enter your email address and click submit.
8. Click on the link provided to access your download.
9. Select "Save to Disk" to save the zip file to your computer.
10. When the file is open in WinZip (or any other unzipping program), click on Extract and select where to save the files and click extract.
11. Where ever you extract the files to, the photos will be saved in a folder called WS1.
Do I need a password or an account to download photos from a Team Download?
No. You don’t need an Action Photos account to access your Team Download. The only time you will be asked for a password by us is if you have created an account and want to login or if you place an order online. You can create an account and add photos from your Team’s Download to your Gallery, but please note you can only download the photos from the Team Download page.
Can I order prints from the Team Download page?
Yes. Search for your photos following the instructions above, but instead of clicking on the Download button, click on Add to Cart where you can select the package you want to order and continue with checkout. To place an order you will be asked to create an account or login if you already have one.