As sometimes I receive PM or mail of Spotters who want to know how xVAS works, how xVAS get updates, how I collect pictures, ecc, ecc, I open this topic (after a suggestion of Derek and CaptKen) to answer to all questions or doubts about my system.
Here the first, perhaps the most interesting for Spotters, answer: I try to explain you how I work.
Every day (almost) I spend some hours to navigate SSP. I choose a Spotter (random) who granted me his permission and I go to his SSP page.
I look his photos one by one and for each I search in SSP the same ship, so I can see all picts of a vessel available in SSP.
Then - among picts of the ship from Spotters who granted me their permission - I choose the best.
'best' is a personal concept, but usually I choose the most recent one, where the ship is clearly visibile (and close).
I prefer picts with water all around.
When I choose a pict, I assign the copyright in the database and I save it.
After my work, my wife (more expert than me in image management) straighten (if needed), cut and resize picts and upload them to xVAS.
regards to all
Angelo
