General
Why is commenting not available for every Critique or Workbench?
It is up to the individual submitter whether or not they would like the viewers to comment on their Critique or Workbench. Some submitters have elected to opt out of comments when making their submissions. When we were contacting submitters to release content for the new website, we also asked if they would like to enable commenting.
Goodies Store & Workshop Registration
My order keeps getting declined. All of my information is correct, what is the problem?
There are a couple of things that could be wrong, usually involving the billing address.
The first thing to look at if you are having trouble is to be sure that the billing address you are entering is the same address on file with your credit card issuer. A mismatch will cause the transaction to be declined.
Some international addresses with special characters confuse the address verification system. We have tried to minimize this as much as possible. If you are having trouble with an international address, please e-mail support@radiantvista.com so we can take a look at everything.
Value
What is Value?
Value is a system we have designed for highlighting content that viewers feel is especially valuable. The Value System is in testing.
There are several types of Value:
Received Value - this is the amount of Value you have received by making contributions to The Radiant Vista by making comments throughout the website and other viewers liking what you have had to say.
Given Value - this is the amount of Value that you have given away to other viewers of The Radiant Vista for their valuable contributions.
Available Value - this is the amount of Value that you are able to give away.
How do I increase my Available Value?
Your Available Value is increased every time you make a purchase with The Radiant Vista. You receive 1 Available Value point for every $1.00 you spend in The Radiant Vista Goodies store.
What can I do with Received Value?
Eventually, you will be able to use your Received Value to make purchases in The Radiant Vista Goodies store. Only Received Value will be able to be used to make purchases. We need to monitor the system for a few months before we are able to finalize integration of The Value System with The Goodies Store.
How can I keep track of my Value?
The total amount of Received, Given, and Available Value is shown on your Profile page.
What does this really mean?
You must contribute and give away your Value points to other viewers that make valuable contributions to the website!
Image Submissions
Do you use all of the submissions you receive?
Since we launched, we have received thousands of submissions for features like The Daily Critique and The Photoshop Workbench. Unfortunately, we have been unable to use all of these submissions. Some work is simply too good to be used in our programs and still be educational for all of the viewers. In the instance of The Daily Critique, the Contributors genuinely want to find something that they like about the image and have some suggestions for improving it. It would be a very boring program if we just said, "We love everything about this image", every day!
How much of a backlog of submissions is there?
Not as much as you might think. We review all the work as it's submitted and we try very hard to use recent submissions. We are usually working 1 to 2 months behind.
How often should I make submissions?
As often as you would like, however we please ask that you limit your submissions to around 10 per quarter. If it has been more than 3 months since your submission and it has not been used, please resubmit some work for consideration.
Extended Access
Why is Extended Access more expensive than a Direct Download?
When purchasing Extended Access, you are granted individual access to the previous 6 months of ALL of the features of The Radiant Vista. Direct Downloads are available on a per feature basis.
What happens if I already have Extended Access and purchase it again?
Your existing expiration date will be extended by 6 months or 1 year, depending on which product you purchase.
Does my Extended Access renew automatically?
No. Extended Access is not a subscription. You must manually renew your Extended Access if you wish to continue to have the rolling 6 month window. If your Extended Access lapses, the normal 2 week rolling window will be reinstated automatically.
Direct Downloads
Do the Daily Critique and Photoshop Workbench Collections contain every single tutorial released?
Almost, but not all of them. As part of the transition to RV3 we needed to contact everyone that had a photograph used for a tutorial and ask their permission to offer the tutorial in a Direct Download. We have received releases from about 75% of the submitters. Less than 1% declined.
We are still actively trying to contact submitters we have not heard back from to see if they would like to release their content. If additional content is released, we will add it to the appropriate Direct Download Collection and notify purchasers of a new download link.
Most of the download Collections contain at least 3 zip files. Do I need to download them all?
No. There is one zip file for each video format. For instance, if you will only be watching the QuickTime videos, there is no need to download the Windows Media zip file. This goes a long way in helping us save bandwidth!
These are big downloads! If my download is interrupted, does your server support reconnections?
Yes. If you are concerned about your downloads being interrupted, we suggest you use a web browser like Firefox that utilizes a Download Manager, or another type of download manager that supports reconnections.
How long are my downloads available?
The links to your purchased downloads will not expire. You will always be able to access your purchases through your profile.
Can I download them more than once?
You are able to download your purchases as often as you need to, however we recommend making your own backup copy and archiving your downloads to DVD to help us save bandwidth.
Can I share my login with others?
Please do not share your login with others. Each transfer is tracked per our Terms and Conditions and violating them will result in your account being terminated and your purchased downloads being forfeited.
I do not have a high-speed connection, can I buy the downloads on DVD?
Perhaps. We are currently investigating ways to efficiently produce DVDs for our low-band viewers. If you are interested in purchasing a DVD, please let us know at feedback@radiantvista.com so we can see exactly how much demand is out there.
Can I project content from The Radiant Vista in front of a group, such as my camera club?
Please contact us for more information.