# Contribute to Ocean Archive: 10 Minutes That Future-Proof Your Work | Ocean Archive

URL: https://oceanarchive.net/stories/bidra-10-minuter

The files are only the beginning. What makes them valuable is the information around them.

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Guide

The files are only the beginning. What makes them valuable is the information around them.

![Ocean Archive Editorial](https://oceanarchive.net/placeholder.svg)

Ocean Archive Editorial

January 8, 2026

5–7 min read

Thank you for contributing. Ocean Archive is built so your material can live long — and be used responsibly by others. Here's the fastest way to make it easy for us (and safe for you).

### 1) CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT TO CONTRIBUTE

- Photo (single images or series)

- Video (short clips or longer sequences)

- Both (ideal: visuals + a line of context)

### 2) EXPORT: KEEP ORIGINALS, SEND A MASTER

- Prefer original files or the highest quality you have.

- If you export: avoid aggressive compression.

- Naming suggestion: YYYYMMDD_Location_Depth_Creator_001

### 3) ADD THREE LINES OF METADATA (MINIMUM)

- Where: location/region (and coordinates if possible)

- When: date/time (or best estimate)

- How: depth + method/gear (camera/lighting if relevant)

### 4) ADD THE "WHY" LINE (MOST IMPORTANT)

Answer: "Why did you press record?"

Examples:

- "Documenting visibility after a storm"

- "First observation of species X at this site"

- "Wreck detail for photogrammetry reference"

### 5) RIGHTS: CLEAR, SIMPLE

Choose one level:

- Archive only (no public publishing)

- Publish in Ocean Archive Magazine (with credit)

- Open licence (optional later)

### 6) DELIVERY

- Link (Drive/Dropbox) or upload portal (when available)

- Contact email + preferred credit line

##### Before you submit

- Original/master quality

- Standard file naming

- Location + date + depth

- Context (2 sentences)

- Rights level selected

- Credit line included

Contribute material

RELATED MEDIA

#### IN THE ARCHIVE

Archive search: coming soon

PHOTO

OA-0030

##### Contributor example

Nordic Waters

Archive

Example of a well-documented contributor submission.

© Community Contributor

CC BY-NC

VIDEO

OA-0031

##### Short clip example

Baltic Sea

Sample underwater clip with complete metadata.

Archive Use

DOCUMENT

OA-0032

##### Metadata template (placeholder)

Reference

2026

Downloadable template for submission metadata.

© Ocean Archive

Open