Karen Thibodeaux

FAQ
Frequently asked questions

What is cropping?
Cropping refers to the size of the photo ordered and how it will look once it is 'sized' to your specifications. Our images are normally sized as 4x6. If ordering a 5x7, an inch will be 'removed or cropped' from the photo. If ordering an 8x10, 2 inches are removed. If you have a full framed photo, and you want an 8x10, remember that we will have to crop 2 inches either from the top or bottom of the photo. We do offer 8x12 sized photos and any image in multiples of 4x6 (8x12, 16x24, 20x30). These sizes need no cropping as they are mirror images of the actual photo.

What is the Special and how do I order it?
We try to give a 'special' to those who order several photos, and not just one. You may order any 3 photos from the same event that you want. The normal price is discounted on the line that says " Special - any 3 photos 4x6 - place 1st photo here". Place your first photo that you want, click on Buy, then go to the second photo (4x6) that you want, and click on the 1 in the shopping cart on the line that says "Special - place second photo here (4x6)" and hit Buy. Do the same for the third photo as well. When completed, you should be charged for one 'set' of photos. There are specials for different sizes including 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10. If your order shows up with NO CHARGE on it, then an error has been made - please contact us for help! We realize that this Special shopping cart may be difficult to use, so please do not hesitate to contact us for help. Our website is limited and we have yet to determine how to make this process any easier for our customers!

How do I know my order is complete when I use Paypal?
Once you have made a payment to Paypal, Paypal will send you a confirmation. When you receive a confirmation, we receive one as well. If we have any questions concerning your order, we will notify you by email or phone. If you would like to verify your order, you may log into your account at www.paypal.com/us to view details of the transaction.

I did not get a receipt or confirmation from my order - how do I know you received it?
Once you have entered your name and billing information, the following screen that 'continues' is the payment screen. Here you would enter your payment information. Once you have hit continue to 'print' your order, the order is completed and you cannot return to the order. If you would like confirmation, please email us and we can verify your order for you. Please note that payment must be made in advance prior to receiving photos. If your payment method is by check or money order, be sure to write your order number on the check or money order prior to mailing in. If you are unable to print your order out, please make note of the order number and amount before leaving the screen!

How do I view my photos?
Click on Current Events from the home page. Scroll down the page to your event. Click on your event. The event will come up with the following: Search by bib number or name. Put in your bib number, and your photos (if we had any identifiable) will appear. Click on the small photo to see a larger view. We depend on the race organizers to give us a list with your name and bib number. Sometimes the names are put in such a method that we cannot utilize, so in those cases, no search by name will be available. However, you can contact us to see if we have the 'bib' number associated with your name. In some cases, we cannot see your bib number and must put your photo in an Unidentified Section. You would need to view all this category to see if you have any photos if you didn't find them in the Race section or by typing your bib number in. While we try to insure all photos are identified, sometimes they are numbered incorrectly as well!

I cannot find my photo in the Race or Unidentified section!
Sorry! Such is the nature of race photography. Sometimes we miss a few people, sometimes we get a lot of photos of the same person. Look for the photographers in any race and stand out in the crowd to be assured of having your photo taken!

When will the photos be online from my event?
Depending on the size of event and the number of photos taken, we normally can have all photos online by the Thursday following the Saturday/Sunday event. Events with over 20,000 photos may take an extra day to process.

How long does it take to get my photo once I have ordered it?
We process photos in the order which they are received and usually takes within 1 to 10 days to receive. Specialty items and photos older than one year old may take longer to process, generally 2 weeks.

Is there an order deadline?
There is never an order deadline! We are in business to sell photos whenever you want them. However, photos that have been taken offline on the internet may take longer to process. We normally keep photos online over one year, and must remove photos according to webspace availability. Once these photos are removed, we may charge you an additional amount to put back online. In addition, we may not be able to sell photos prior to 2004 unless you have the photo identification number.

Will I get a proof in the mail?
No. If you are able to read this, then you can order online.

What is an overlay?
The overlay is the race logo that usually is put on the race T-shirt. We always include the overlay on the bottom of the photo, normally where it doesn’t interfere with the picture. If we believe the overlay will not look great on your photo, we will not include it. If the race does not provide us with a logo, we will type the name of the race and the date on your photo. We will be happy to include your race time as long as you provide that information to us. If you do not want the race overlay, please check the box on the top of the shopping cart for each photo you do not want the overlay on. In addition, we do not put overlays on CD's or Email photos. We also do not put overlays on award photos or candids unless you specifically request us to do so.

Why are your digital images so expensive and can we get more than one image per cd?
The price of the digital image is a reflection of the professional quality that goes in to all our our products as well as it’s value as a negative, which can be used to produce as many photos as you like, in whatever size you like and on specialty items. This image is not available for commercial purposes and cannot be sold due to copyright. If you have purchased more than one image, they will be included on the same cd unless otherwise requested. If you would like your image to be sent to a 'commercial venture' or 'newsletter' for your club/work/website, please purchase the photo and we will be happy to email the photo to wherever you request. Again, please note that the images on this site are copyrighted images and cannot be distributed to any commercial purpose without our specific permission! This includes using the images in advertising for your personal business. If you have any questions or concerns about copyrighted images, be sure to contact us!

Can I have my digital image emailed to me – I am in a hurry to get it?
We will be happy to email your image when purchased. However, we will not send you a CD also unless purchased in addition. (One image, one price – emailed or sent as a CD).

Can I have a black and white photo made instead of color and is there an extra charge?
Yes and no. If you would like to see your image in black and white or sepia, we can transform those in photoshop.

I see this really great shot of me, but there is someone/some object in my picture that I wish wasn’t there! Can you get rid of them/it?
We can photoshop anything out of a photo, unless it's touching the actual body. We can touch up the photos, color correct, sharpen and remove 'poles, people, etc' out of the image is you would like us to. We are probably the only company that will do this at no extra charge to you. We aim to please our customers!

My photo looks “bad” online! Why is it so dark/light? Is this what I would get if ordered?
In order to get your photo online faster, we make no corrections to the photo until you order it.. You will receive a full resolution photo that is color correct and sharpened. We do not put “proof” marks or our name on any image we sell to you. We guarantee if your photo is not to your satisfaction and we cannot correct it, we will refund your money or give you another photo. At Your Sporting Image by Karen Thibodeaux, we try to only put photos online that are of the highest quality. However, sometimes, we may miss one that is slightly blurred and will be unable to correct. We always offer you another photo or a refund in these circumstances.

We hope we have been able to answer any question that you have, but if we failed in doing so, we would like to hear from you. Please call or email us if you need any additional help. Karen Thibodeaux is dedicated to providing the best sport photos on the market. We strive to put only those photos that we consider 'acceptable' to purchase on our website. If you have any questions concerning the quality of any photo you see on our site, please let us know.