Getting Started

Starting out you will need a Metamask account, Polygon MATIC cryptocurrency (which you can buy from Kucoin) and some images you want to host, share, monetize or sell.

What

Photosof.com is a web3 Image Hosting, Image Sharing & Image Marketplace Platform allowing you to store, share and sell IPFS hosted images.

How

Photosof.com uploads images and the accompanying metadata to the IPFS and returns the content identifier or CID - the location of that image and metadata on the IPFS where it can be retrieved with any IPFS gateway. The metadata containing the link to the image can then be minted as an NFT on the Polygon blockchain at the push of a button.

Why

Photosof.com offers permanent image storage as an NFT linked to your digital wallet. This means you have full control over all your data. When you move to a new service there is no need to start over again, uploading photos for example. To use a new compatible app just login with your wallet and your data comes with you.

Requirements

• Internet Browser with Metamask extension or Cellphone with Metamask app
• Metamask account
• Polygon MATIC cryptocurrency in your Metamask account. You can purchase from Kucoin if you don't have any.

Signing up / Logging in

Connect wallet and sign in.

Click on the "Authenticate with MetaMask" button

A MetaMask Signature Request will pop up. Click on the "Sign" button to log in

Once logged in you will be taken to the backend. If you have navigated away click on the "Add Images" button on the top menu to be taken back to the backend.

Before we start adding images let's quickly edit the user profile

Customizing the user profile

When you initially log in you will be given a temporary username and your frame will be blank:

When completed it will look like this across the site:

And like this on the public profile:

Click on the "Settings" tab (or visit www.photosof.com/settings) to change this along with your profile picture, about and website or portfolio URL. Click the Upload button to save the profile picture and the "Save changes" button to change profile details.

This will update your name and profile picture across the site this is the information that will be visible on your public profile.

The Backend

Once you've successfully signup up you will receive access to a backend where you can upload, view, keep track of all images and convert to NFT's. As well as keep track of marketplace earnings and sharing statistics.

The Backend is divided into four parts:

1. Upload form (to upload your images to the IPFS)
2. Albums (stores uploaded images, mint, transfer and sell NFT functionality)
3. Services (your image NFT's which has been added to services on the Photosof.com platform)

The final part is the "NFT's from Photosof.com in wallet". It is to distinguish between your images uploaded to the IPFS and the NFT's in your wallet. As you might have sold some of your images or bought images from others.

Link: www.photosof.com/backend

Uploading to the IPFS

Images and metadata are uploaded to the IPFS (where they can later be used to create NFT's from) using the upload form.

The upload form

The upload form (pictured above # 1) contains the image and immutable metadata that will be uploaded to the IPFS. This is also the metadata that will be added to the NFT when minted. The form contains the following fields:

Name (required)

The name of the image

Description (required)

The description of the image

Choose file (required)

The image (file) you want to upload

Photographer (optional)

Photographer of image

External URL (optional)

Part of metadata standard. Allows you to specify an external URL. Opensea describes it as "the URL that will appear below the asset's image on OpenSea and will allow users to leave OpenSea and view the item on your site." To us it can be a link to anywhere; a photographer bio, a license agreement, a story behind the image, a blog post etc.

Once all the fields have been filled in click the Submit button

Frequently asked questions

Q: Does Photosof have metadata option/fields for attributes?

A: No, description is suffice in our case. there are better platforms for generative art where things like (eye colour, hats, clothes etc.) matter. That is not the case here.

Album

The album contains all the 1. images that have been uploaded to the IPFS. Above the image is the 2. name and directly below is the 3. description (both from the metadata). Below the description is the 4. CID of the image on the IPFS and below that is the 5. metadata containing name, description and CID (when clicked on).

Below the metadata you will find the 6. "Mint as NFT" button. If you press that a MetaMask screen will pop up allowing you to mint that image as an NFT.

(See minting NFT below)

Once an NFT has been successfully minted from an image, it will be surrounded by a yellow border, there will be the NFT token address below the CID and metadata. This is what makes the NFT unique with permanent provenance on the blockchain.
Additionally there will be four buttons below the NFT (see "NFT Options" below for more info):

1. Transfer NFT
2. Sell NFT
3. NFT History
4. Link to NFT on OpenSea (might be a delay before available on OpenSea)

Link: www.photosof.com/backend#album

Minting an NFT

Convert photos to NFT's. Turn any image into a non fungible token (NFT).

Any image that was previously uploaded to the IPFS can be minted as an NFT by clicking on the "Mint as NFT" button.

All you need to do is sign the metamask transaction and an NFT of that image will be minted.

The above image will have a red background if the transaction is rejected or if there are any errors such insufficient funds.

NFT Options

Once an NFT is minted you will be presented with the following options:

NFT Options

Transfer NFT

Transfers NFT to another wallet. Takes wallet address.

Sell NFT

Sells NFT and complete rights to image on our Marketplace. Takes selling price in MATIC.

NFT History

Shows the history of the NFT including mint date, and where it was transferred before.

View NFT on Opensea

Opens your NFT on Opensea. It may take a while for Opensea to index it.

Services

Your services section contains tabs for image marketplace data, image sharing income (in roadmap) and statistics (number of images in contract from wallet in marketplace, sharing etc.).

Image Marketplace

Image Sharing (in roadmap)

Stats

Link: www.photosof.com/backend#services