Help & FAQ
Getting Started
- New Users
- Forgot Password
- Why vote?
- Where do the photos come from?
- Do models and photographers make money?
- How does Zivity make money?
- How do I post comments?
- Why don't you have [super-important feature]?
- Can I contact somebody at Zivity?
- Help! I can’t see the photos!
- How do you handle my credit card information?
- Why would I keep a credit card on file?
- Hey, my votes disappeared!
- How do I adjust what messages I receive from Zivity and its members?
- Where can I find more Zivity?
Badges and Pins
Prizes
- What are Prizes?
- How are Prize Winners chosen?
- I'm an Artist, can I vote on my own set?
- I'm an unpublished photographer, can I enter a Prize?
- I'm an Artist and have a published set that would be perfect for a new Prize. Can I enter it?
- Who gets the Prize Money?
Zivity Photography
- How do I become a Zivity photographer?
- What sort of photos should I take?
- How can I optimize photos for Zivity?
- How do I upload my photos?
- How do you determine what to publish on Zivity?
- What paperwork is needed to submit a photo set?
- What is a Master Agreement?
- What is the difference between the model release and the model approval?
- What does a model proof of age photo look like?
- Does my model need to register on Zivity?
- How do I find a model?
- Can I use my own watermark?
- I uploaded my set, but have not received any verification from Zivity
Zivity Modeling
- Can I upload any photographs?
- When will my photos be published?
- Posing for a photo shoot sounds fun but a little scary.
- How do I find a photographer?
- What kind of model is Zivity looking for?
- What paperwork is needed to submit a photo set?
- What is a Master Agreement?
- Why do I have to approve of the photos if I have already signed a release?
- I am a Model, how should I protect my privacy?
- Safety Tips for Models
Getting Started
Welcome! Zivity is a premium subscription artist/fan interaction platform. Zivity celebrates artists through crowdsourced curation and editorial moderation of photography and videos featuring comedy, music, animation and performance art. Fans freely interact with artists and vote for their favorite content. These dollar-backed votes are then used to reward content producers with cash payments.
Log on to http://zivity.com and click on "forgot password" in the sign in area. Enter the email address you used to sign up, and we’ll send you your username and a link that lets you set a new password.
If you don’t see your password reminder email in your inbox, check your spam folder. If this email does end up in your spam folder, simply move it back to your inbox.
Votes are how we express our preferences. Voting is also how artists make money on Zivity. Our artist leaderboard and our royalty payment system are both powered by community voting. Reward your favorite models, photographers, and video artists for creating something worth admiring by voting. Turn your favorite artists into stars by voting often. (To purchase extra votes, click "Votes" in the top menu).
Where do the photos come from?
Zivity members produce the photography you see. Because we’re a model-friendly and artist-friendly company, models have final say in all photo sets we publish.
How do you handle my credit card information?
Your privacy and security on Zivity are serious concerns. All of our credit card transactions are handled through a secure server. We’ve also partnered with PayPal, the top online payment service in order to safeguard your information.
We do not share personal information about you with third parties. That means no advertising partners, no affiliates, no spammers. For more on how we handle personal information, please see our Privacy Policy.
Why would I keep a credit card on file?
You may keep a credit card on file in your account to make vote purchasing easier. Please note that it doesn’t have to be the same credit card you use to pay for your subscription fees. If you subscribe using Paypal you can still keep a credit card on file for vote purchases. Having a card on file expedites the checkout process and make it easier for you to purchase votes. If you would like to change the credit card you have on file please email info@zivity.com and we’ll be glad to help you.
If you’re talking about the votes that you get with your subscription it’s important to remember that they do not carry over and accrue. You have to use them or lose them. For example, if you’re on a monthly subscription plan and you don’t use your votes, they will disappear when your account renews. If you’re talking about votes that you purchased then you should email us at info@zivity.com
How do I adjust what messages I receive from Zivity and its members?
In the top navigation under "Account" go to "Privacy & Notifications". Here you can determine what email notifications you will, or will not, receive.
Are you using Internet Explorer 6? Zivity does not play well with IE6. We recommend upgrading to Internet Explorer 7+ or, if that is not possible, use Firefox or Safari for the best viewing experience. Do you have “safe view” enabled? To check your safe view setting go to "Account" go to "Privacy & Notifications"
Do models and photographers make money?
Yes. We distribute royalties to our artists through our dollar backed voting system.
Zivity is a subscription service. A 30 day trial membership (available only by invite) gives you access to view, participate and vote for artists of your choosing. Votes can be purchased for one dollar, of which Zivity gets a portion.
Fans who vote can leave a comment for their favorite artists. You can also write on walls of your Friends. Fans can also get in touch with the artists directly via the personal message feature.
Why don’t you have [super-important feature]?
In the case of our most commonly requested features, we want them too! Our engineers have their plates full with many features and fixes but we always appreciate your feedback on improving Zivity. To submit a feature request, or to report a bug, please Send Us Feedback via the link at the bottom of every page.
Can I contact somebody at Zivity?
Sure, please contact us at info@zivity.com or call 415-541-7943.
We answer email and return calls between 10-6pm PST M-F
You can also find us on Facebook, and on Twitter. We like friends and followers!
Badges and Pins
They are cool bling (or flare if you've watched Office Space) that you can earn for your profile. They are rewarded for various achievements and coolness accomplished on the site. We roll new ones out every now and then, so check back to see what's been added and how you can get a shiny badge or pin of your very own.
Badges are for the highest accomplishments, achievements or status on the site. Pins are for milestones towards badges or smaller achievements.
Have an idea for a badge? Suggest it to us! info@zivity.com
Verified: These badges are awarded to business entities, agents, scouts and individuals who are well known and could be impersonated. The purpose of this badge is to give our community more trust in business interactions that come from accounts. If someone approaches you to be in a magazine, music video, etc. refer them to this verified program and we'll vet the opportunity and entity for you to make sure they are a legitimate business. We still can't guarantee they will follow through with their offer, but at least you'll know who you are dealing with.
Zivity Staff: All employees of Zivity will have one of these badges. If someone doesn't have this badge and is talking to you about Zivity, they don't work here. We also have a little Z next to our name when we message you privately or write on your wall.
Ambassador: These are shining model and photographer citizens of the Zivity world. They embody the Zivity spirit and champion what this site and what this community stands for. We have ambassadors all over earth and we are looking for more. There's an application process and a level of commitment required for this badge. A list of the ambassadors will be updated on our about us page . These are great people to reach out to if you want to know how things work around here from a community perspective. Get to you know the nearest ambassador to you.
Prize Winner: If you win one of our many prizes you'll get this shiny badge on your profile as well as a tab showing off which prizes you have won. Currently we don't give out multiple badges for this achievement, so you'll only see one badge even if you've won multiple prizes. However, the winners will all appear on the special prize tab on your profile.
Prize Creator: These are awarded to anyone who sponsors a prize on Zivity. Prizes are fun and a great way to get customized submissions for many themes you can dream of. Is there something on Zivity you'd like to see that doesn't exist? This is a great way to let the artists know what you are looking for. Prizes start at $50 and can go as high as you want.
Model of the Year: These badges are awarded to two models every year. The model with the most votes and the model with the most voters.
Photographer of the Year: These badges are awarded to two photographers every year. The photographer with the most votes and the photographer with the most voters.
Profile Complete: Fill out every area in your profile including your status, photos and the interest sections and you'll earn this spiffy badge. Helpful hint for models and photographers -- fans look for this before they vote for you. They want to know that you are engaged and participating on the site. They also want to know a little more about you. Use general areas to describe where you are like AZ or Phoenix, don't use precise personal information. Fans: Models and Photographers look for the same. They would like to know more about you!
Model of the Month: These pins are awarded to the model that receives the most votes each calendar month. The winners are often announced via the newsletter, our Facebook page, Twitter, and through this badge.
Photographer of the Month: These pins are awarded to the photographer that receives the most votes each calendar month. The winners are often announced via the newsletter, our Facebook page, Twitter, and through this badge.
Prizes
Prizes give you a way to produce your very own photoshoot. Do you wish there were more Summer themed sets? Then create a Summer themed prize. You choose the theme, the prize money, and the duration of the prize. You even get to choose the winner! Artists compete to win the prize by uploading sets that fit the theme.
This is solely up to the Prize Creator. Most of the time they will pick the winner but they can also choose to let the set with the highest number of votes win, or have a panel of outside judges choose the winner.
I'm an Artist, can I vote on my own set?
You can, but if you do those votes may be discounted from the total number of votes when determining the winner of a vote based Prize.
I'm an unpublished photographer, can I enter a Prize?
You can, but you won't be able to upload from the Prize page directly. Please upload using the normal Publish link at the bottom of the site and then email info@zivity.com for the next steps. If the Prize you want to enter requires additional rights you will not be able to enter until you have another set published.
I'm an Artist and have a published set that would be perfect for a new Prize. Can I enter it?
Previously published sets MAY be entered into a Prize at the Prize creators discretion. Email info@zivity.com for more information about this.
The Prize money is awarded to the winning Photographer minus Prize Administration fees and will be paid out according to the normal quarterly schedule. Votes on the Prize are distributed according to the normal royalty split.
Zivity Photography
How do I become a photographer?
Photographing for Zivity isn’t like working as a photographer for other sites or publications. We don’t have exclusivity contracts and we won’t tell you where to take the photographs, what style to use, what clothing to use, etc. We do have several rules and requirements that concern the content we present and what we will accept. Most important of these is proper documentation (such as proof of age) and meeting our content guidelines.
To get started uploading your photos go here.
What sort of photos should I take?
We encourage you to do things your own way or in ways that your model agrees with. There is no one style that works best. We accept photographs of women that promote their beauty, show them respect, and meet our standards of tastefulness. Zivity’s goal is promoting female beauty, to allow each woman to shine and be glamorous. Your photographs will be screened by our editorial team, and if they do not fit our standards, they may not be accepted for our website. Not sure what’s acceptable? Check out our Content Guidelines.
How do you determine what to publish on Zivity?
For a full description, please see our content guidelines. The editorial team at Zivity looks for a variety of models and photography including Non-nude, Fashion, Glamour, Beauty, Pin-Up, Swimsuit, Lingerie, and Artistic Nude.
Steps to publishing a set:
- Click the "Publish on Zivity" link at the bottom of any page on the site.
- Upload a .zip file containing all the jpegs you want in your photo set. Do not include any of the legal documents.
- Recommended set size is 15-30 photographs, and all must be at least 1500 pixels wide or tall. You can number them in the order you want, and the site will sort them for you.
- Follow the steps to create your photo set: name it, arrange it, cast it, license it, and protect it.
Important Upload Process Note: Your model must have a Zivity account in order to complete the upload.
Ready to upload? Click here.
How can I optimize photos for Zivity?
Your photos should be least 1500 pixels on the longest side for a successful upload, but 2500 pixels is preferred. We have also found that the sRGB color space works the best for cross browser color consistency. (for example, use the sRGB color option in Adobe Lightroom when you export). There is more information available here.
What paperwork is needed to submit a photo set?
As a best practice, we suggest having several copies of the agreements on-hand to complete with your model prior to each photo shoot.
We only need these once per person but we need them before we can pay you and your model or publish your work. Please make sure you fill all forms out entirely and sign where necessary. Incomplete paperwork will delay the publication of your set.
- Photography Master License
- Master Model Release Agreement
- W-9
- Not a US Citizen? Use the W8_BEN form instead of the W-9. Be sure to check the box in Part III if you did not shoot your set in the United States.
- Email containing model’s proof of age photo clearly showing date of birth and date of issue prior to photo shoot date.
- Your Model must approve of the set before it can be published. She can do this from her My Photo Sets dashboard in her account after the set has been uploaded.
Remember, your model must be a Zivity member before you can credit her in a photo set.
Models must be age 19 or above when the photographs are taken.
Please return the signed documents in their entirety to:
Email (Preferred method):
Scan or photograph the signed agreements and send .JPGs to info@zivity.comFax:
(415) 541-7943Mail:
Zivity Attn: Customer Support 1829 Market Street Suite 206, CA 94103
Master Agreements are designed for you (Models & Photographers) to sign once and do the rest online. These are legally binding agreements and contain very important information. As with any agreement, you should read it very carefully and make sure you understand what you are signing.
What is the difference between the model release and the model approval?
The model release is a document the model signs. The model approval is a final online review with the model to make sure that the photos submitted are correct. The model approval is required for every set uploaded of the model. The model agreement is a master agreement which is only required to be submitted once.
What does a model proof of age photo look like?
The model proof of age photo must be a government issued ID such as a Drivers License or Passport. There are two ways we suggest getting a digital image made of your photo ID:
- Have the photographer take a close up (Macro) image of your ID (Note: Avoid direct flash glare when taking the photo).
- Scan your ID on a flatbed scanner with your personal computer.
- Please note: Photocopies or faxes of the ID will not be accepted.
The ID should be in focus, and the birthday, ID photo, issue date, and expiration date should all be legible. Do not alter the image in any way such as marking things out or writing on the image. The photo you submit should be a medium resolution image and can be cropped so that it shows the entire ID card or passport page. No need to send us image files larger that 1MB.
Here is an Example (note, the actual date of birth, name, issue date and personal information have been blurred in this example. Your ID photo would show actual information and would not be blurred out.)
Please remember that all Zivity models must be 19 years of age or older when the photos are taken.
Does my model need to register on Zivity?
Yes. Zivity is about collaboration between models, photographers, and fans so Models must create an account on Zivity before the photos will be published. All Zivity models have final say over which photos are published. Before you upload, make sure your model has a Zivity account and you know her alias or email address. If your model is not a member, you can send her an invitation to join the site from your Zivity account or have her email info@zivity.com for help setting up her account.
No. Photos uploaded with watermarks are not accepted. Zivity will watermark your photos with the photographer’s alias, copyright year and the model’s alias.
I uploaded my set, but have not received any verification from Zivity
Check your spam filter/junk mail and make sure the verification email is not there. Not there? Email us at info@zivity.com and we will help you.
Do I need to subscribe to upload photos or to earn royalties?
You can submit a photo set during your 30 day trial membership (email info@zivity for an invite). Once your set is published on Zivity, your trial account will change to a free “Published Artist” account. No subscription is required.
If you do not already have a model, you can send a message to any of the models on Zivity and propose to shoot with them. Creating photography for Zivity is a collaborative process. You and your model work together to take the pictures and create the photo set to publish on Zivity. You will upload the photos, and our moderators will publish your set if it meets standards of quality and tastefulness. If you’d like to search for models in your area, just enter a location in the search box at the top of Zivity. This will return models that have listed that they are in that location. Keep in mind this will only work with models that have not hidden their location.
Zivity Modeling
No. At Zivity, creating a photoset is collaborative process, and the uploading process is the photographer’s domain. Contact your photographer to have them join, if they haven’t already, and upload your set to Zivity.
When will my photos be published?
We receive lots of photo sets per day. All sets go through a moderation process and editorial review. Once a set has completed this process, your photographer can schedule your set to publish on a date that in preferable to you if you don’t like the assigned publication date. You can always see the most up to date information regarding your photosets on your Dashboard. All photo sets must have signed paperwork and will be screened by our editorial team to see if they meet the content guidelines. Our artist support team will notify you if we are unable to use your photo set.
All photo sets must have signed paperwork and will be screened by our editorial team to see if they meet the content guidelines. Our artist support team will notify you if we are unable to use your photo set.
Posing for a photo shoot sounds fun but a little scary.
That’s not exactly a question, but we understand exactly what you mean. First-time photo shoots can be intimidating if you’re not sure what to expect. We are in the process of posting tutorials and testimonials from actual Zivity models. See our YouTube channel for footage of actual models talking about their experience. Also check the privacy section of this page for safety tips.
You may already have a photographer in mind. Your photographer will need to agree to Zivity’s terms and create his or her own Zivity account. If you do not already have a photographer, you can message any of the photographers on Zivity and propose to shoot with them. If you’d like to search for photographers in your area, just enter a location in the search box at the top of Zivity. This will return photographers that have listed that they are in that location. Keep in mind this will only work with photographers that have not hidden their location
What kind of model is Zivity looking for?
We want our photo galleries to be as diverse as possible. As such, we encourage women of all sizes, races, ages, styles to participate. We want women who are proud of how they look and recognize that beauty comes in many different forms.
What paperwork is needed to submit a photo set?
We only need these once per person but we need them before we can pay you and your photographer or publish your work.
- Photography Master License
- Master Model Release Agreement
- W-9
- Not a US Citizen? Use the W8_BEN form instead of the W-9. Be sure to check the box in Part III if you did not shoot your set in the United States.
- Email containing your proof of age photo clearly showing date of birth and date of issue prior to photo shoot date.
- Your approval of the set before it can be published. You can do this from your My Photo Sets dashboard in your account after the set has been uploaded.
Remember, you must be a Zivity member before you can be credited in a photo set.
Models must be age 19 or above when the photographs are taken.
Please return the signed documents in their entirety to:
Email (Preferred method):
Scan or photograph the signed agreements and send .JPGs to info@zivity.comFax:
(415) 541-7943Mail:
Zivity Attn: Customer Support 1829 Market Street Suite 206, San Francisco, CA 94103
Master Agreements are designed for you (Models & Photographers) to sign once and do the rest online. These are legally binding agreements and contain very important information. As with any agreement, you should read it very carefully and make sure you understand what you are signing.
Why do I have to approve of the photos if I have already signed a release?
We want to make sure you like the images used for the set. Zivity does not publish a set without your approval. This is the time for you to discuss any changes you’d like to make with the photographer. Once you approve the images they will go live on the site and we are unable to make changes to them.
How should I protect my privacy?
You are free to use an alias for your profile. In fact, we recommend that you do not use your real name unless you are absolutely sure you want to. Your true identity is kept confidential, and you choose which aspects of your personal biography you would like to share with our members. There is no need to share your email address with anyone on the site. The messaging tools on Zivity are a great way to interact with your fans, friends and favorite artists. Do not give your password to anyone.
It is important that you are safe during a photo shoot! Know your photographer before you shoot. Photographers develop a reputation on the site by producing work. If the photographer hasn’t published a set on Zivity, consider doing additional research. For example, if the photographer has a portfolio off Zivity, ask to speak to his or her previous models. If they have a set published on Zivity, reach out to the models using the messaging features on our site. Zivity has met some published photographers, so we may be able to give some guidance. Feel free to contact us via info@zivity.com if you have investigated the options we outlined above and need additional support. Never do anything that makes you uncomfortable. If you do go to a shoot, consider bringing a friend. That should *always* be ok with the photographer.