Single images can be proposed for valued image (VI) status. Candidates must be proposed as being the most valuable of all Commons' images within a specified scope. Judging is carried out according to the valued image criteria.
A Most Valued Review (MVR) is opened where there are two or more candidates competing within essentially the same scope.
An image which has previously been declined can be renominated within the same scope only if the issues leading to the original decline have been addressed. Previously nominated images that were closed as "undecided" can be renominated at any time. Once a candidate achieves VI or VIS status it can normally be demoted only if some better candidate replaces it during an MVR.
If you would like to nominate an image for VI status, please do so following the instructions below. If you are proposing a better candidate within essentially the same scope as an image which already has VI status, please open an MVR.
Nominations will be evaluated using the criteria listed at Commons:Valued image criteria. Please read those criteria before submitting an image to help cut down on the number of candidates that have a low chance of success. Make sure you understand the concept of scope and how to choose the correct scope for your nomination.
Please make sure that your proposed image fulfills all of the necessary criteria before nominating it. For example, if it needs to be geocoded, do that in advance. If no appropriate categories exist, create and link them beforehand. Although some reviewers may help by fixing minor issues during the review process, it is your responsibility as nominator to ensure your image ticks all the necessary boxes before you propose it. If you nominate an image that ignores one of the criteria, don't be surprised if it fails VI review.
Adding a new nomination (image)
Step 1: Copy the image name into this box (excluding the File: prefix), at the end of the text already present in the box, for example, Commons:Valued image candidates/My-image-filename.jpg. Then click on the "Create new nomination" button.
Step 2: Follow the instructions on the page that you are taken to, and save the resulting VIC subpage.
Step 3: Manually add the candidate image towards the end of Commons:Valued image candidates/candidate list (under the heading "New valued image nominations"), as the last parameter in the VICs template. Click here, and append the following line as the last parameter of the relevant section:
|My-image-filename.jpg
so that it looks like this:
{{VICs
...
|My-image-filename.jpg
}}
and save the candidate list.
Renomination
DeclinedVICs can be renominated by any registered user, but only after one or more of the root cause(s) leading to a decline has/have been addressed. UndecidedVICs can be renominated as is although it is still recommended to consider and fix issue(s) which may have hindered a promotion of the candidate in the previous review.
Besides fixing issues with the previous nomination the following procedure shall be followed upon renomination.
Step 2: Replace the previous nomination date and time by pasting in
|date={{subst:VI-time}}
Step 3: Replace the "undecided" or "declined" status with "nominated" (or "discussed" if you intend to add it to a Most Valued Review).
Step 4: If the previous nominator was a different user replace the nominator parameter with
|nominator=~~~
Step 5: If the candidate does not already have an archive link to previous reviews: Create one using the following procedure.
Cut the text in the previous review section (leave the closing braces "}}")
replace the review parameter with
|review=
{{subst:VIC-archive}}
}}
Save the page.
There is now a red link to Previous reviews. Click the link to create the archive subpage and paste in the previous reviews.
Save the previous reviews archive page
Step 6: Add the candidate to the candidates list.
How to open a Most Valued Review
There must be at least two candidates competing within essentially the same scope to open an MVR. Each needs its own VIC subpage, which should be created as above if it does not already exist, but with status set to "discussed". Then, add the following section at the end of the page Commons:Valued image candidates/Most valued review candidate list:
where Scope is the scope of both images, and candidate1.jpg and candidate2.jpg are the respective candidates. If need be, also remove the relevant image(s) from the list in Pending valued image candidates
If one of the candidates is an existing VI within essentially the same scope, the original VIC subpage is re-opened for voting by changing its status to status=discussed and new reviews are appended to the original VIC subpage. However, any original votes are not counted within the MVR.
The status parameter of each candidate should remain set to "discussed" while the MVR is ongoing.
How to review the candidates
How to review an image
Any registered user can review the valued image candidates.
Comments are welcome from everyone, but neither the nominator nor the original image author may vote (that does not exclude voting from users who have edited the image with a view to improving it).
Nominations should be evaluated using the criteria listed at Commons:Valued image criteria. Please read those and the page on scope carefully before reviewing. Reviewing here is a serious business, and a reviewer who just breezes by to say "I like it!" is not adding anything of value. You need to spend the time to check the nomination against every one of the six VI criteria, and you also need to carry out searches to satisfy yourself on the "most valuable" criterion.
Review procedure
On the review page the image is presented in the review size. You are welcome to view the image in full resolution by following the image links, but bear in mind that it is the appearance of the image at review size which matters.
Check the candidate carefully against each of the six VI criteria. The criteria are mandatory, and to succeed the candidate has to satisfy all six.
Use the where used field, if provided, to study the current usage of the candidate in Wikimedia projects. If you find usage of interest do add relevant links to the nomination.
Look for other images of the same kind of subject by following the links to relevant categories in the image page, and to any Commons galleries.
If you find another image which is already a VI within essentially the same scope, the candidate and the existing VI should be moved to Most Valued Review (MVR) to determine which one is the more valued.
If you find one or more other images which in your opinion are equally or more valued images within essentially the same scope, you should nominate these images as well and move all the candidates to an MVR.
Once you have made up your mind, edit the review page and add your vote or comment to the review parameter as follows:
You think that the candidate meets all of the six mandatory criteria.
If the nomination fails one of the six criteria, but in a way that can be fixed, you can optionally let the nominator know what needs to be done using the {{VIF}} template.
Your comment goes immediately before the final closing braces "}}" on the page.
How to update the status
Finally, change the status of the nomination if appropriate:
status=nominated When no votes or only neutral votes have been added to the review field (blue image border).
status=supported When there is at least one {{Support}} vote but no {{Oppose}} votes (light green image border).
status=opposed When there is at least one {{Oppose}} vote but no {{Support}} votes (red image border).
status=discussed When there is at least one {{Oppose}} vote and one {{Support}} vote (yellow image border).
Remember the criteria: 1. Most valuable 2. Suitable scope 3. Illustrates well 4. Fully described 5. Geocoded 6. Well categorized.
Changes in scope during the review period
The nominator is allowed to make changes in scope as the review proceeds, for example in response to reviewer votes or comments. Whenever a scope is changed the nominator should post a signed comment at the bottom of the review area using {{VIC-scope-change|old scope|new scope|--~~~~}}, and should also leave a note on the talk page of all existing voters asking them to reconsider their vote. A support vote made before the change of scope is not counted unless it is reconfirmed afterwards; an oppose vote is counted unless it is changed or withdrawn.
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of the river. The river passes through the town of Kratovo and is famous for its numerous bridges. See the previous nomination here. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Open for review. May be closed if the last vote was added no later than 17:52, 25 December 2025 (UTC)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of the power plant. The power plant has significant contribution to the country's energy production. See the previous nomination here. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Open for review. May be closed if the last vote was added no later than 17:52, 25 December 2025 (UTC)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of the church. The church was built in the 19th century. See the previous nomination here. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Open for review. May be closed if the last vote was added no later than 17:52, 25 December 2025 (UTC)
- Photo reproductions of the painting referred to as Still Life with a Self-portrait by Pieter Claesz in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum
- Photo reproductions of still life paintings with a reflected self-portrait
Reason:
The official photograph of this painting at the museum's website. It has the highest resolution and sharpness when compared to other images of this painting which are blurred or overexposed. -- Mari-massu (talk)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of the winery. The picture nicely depicts a building of a winery. See the previous nomination here. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of the church. The church was built in 1925, and its architecture is a blend of multiple styles. See the previous nomination here. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of the church. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
best in scope, but that church is from 2015. "Not any church is worth a Valued Image scope" (COM:VIS) it is "a pilgrimage place, being really famous, being architecturally exceptional"? --Gower (talk) 14:20, 21 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]
@Gower: Yes, it’s a ‘pilgrimage place’ where liturgies take place regularly as it’s the only church in the village (note that the church has an apse containing the altar that is used for worshipping rituals). The village has always been inhabited by a majority of Turks (Sunni Muslims) and a minority of Macedonians (Orthodox Christians), so it used to have a mosque long before the church was built in 2015. Furthermore, the foundation stone of the church was consecrated by the Metropolitan of the Diocese of Bregalnica of the Macedonian Orthodox Church Hilarion, and the church is documented in reliable sources so it’s notable enough for a stand-alone Wikipedia article. --Kiril Simeonovski (talk) 14:39, 21 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Comment@Kiril Simeonovski: , thanks for explanation; pilgrimage place for me is something like Fatima or Lourdes, not ordinary village church. I've read article about that church in Wikipedia and notability wasn't proven in my opinion, sorry. Foundation stone is almost always blessed by someone important. --Gower (talk) 16:43, 21 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]
@Gower: I think you’re trying to apply criteria based on superficial and out-of-context comparisons to Catholic churches. In Orthodox Christianity, every church with an altar (and thereby apse) has regular liturgies and is used for weddings, baptisms and funerals. As this church is dedicated to Saint Demetrious, there’s also a regular gathering on his feast day (note that there’s a secondary building with a refectory in the church’s yard that is used for celebrating feast days). The rule that ‘Not every church is worh a Valued Image scope’ in this context applies to Orthodox Christian chapels (for instance, this, this and this) that are minor isolated religious buildings and are not worth stand-alone Wikipedia articles. The phrase ‘ordinary village church’ sounds harsh and insulting. People from vilages are Christians in the same way as people from towns, so their churches cannot be diminished just because they’re located in villages. Moreover, you shouldn’t forget that Macedonia was part of a Muslim country until 1912 and an atheist country from 1945 to 1991, so churches in many places were built for the first time after 1991 and, therefore, the year of construction is completely irrelevant. If you think that notability wasn’t proven in the Wikipedia article, you’re encouraged to nominate it for deletion. --Kiril Simeonovski (talk) 17:46, 21 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Comment@Kiril Simeonovski: , thanks for your further explanation; I'm from village so phrase ‘ordinary village church’ is neutral to me; in Poland we have tens of thousands of ‘ordinary village churches’ so I look at it from my Polish point of view. Every Catholic parish church also "has regular liturgies and is used for weddings, baptisms and funerals" and a regular gathering on patron's feast day. In Polish Wikipedia article about that kind of church, no matter Orthodox or Catholic, would be probably deleted (btw, we have strong group of deletionist Wikimedians). Let's wait for other voices in that nomination. I won't have a problem if this good and valuable photo gets VI. --Gower (talk) 19:16, 21 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of the church. The church built in the 9th century in the middle Byzantine style, and it is a national cultural heritage site. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of the altar. The church is famous for its relatively well-preserved frescos from the 14th century, especially in the altar. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of the church. It was built in the 9th or 10th century and is a national cultural heritage site. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Support Useful & Used. Siku is the precise term, as it is the principal instrument of sikuri, a musical genre traditionally found throughout the Andes, specific to the Aymara music of the Lake Titicaca region. --Pierre André (talk)22:43, 24 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]
@Charlesjsharp: I wasn't familiar with this subject. For me, everything was just 'pan flute'. But clearly it's a very complicated world; the names vary according to the era, the region, and the subtle modifications to the instrument. --Archaeodontosaurus (talk) 07:15, 27 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of this 17th-century church, which is a national cultural heritage site. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of this 14th-century church, which is a national cultural heritage site. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of this 14th-century church, which is a national cultural heritage site. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of this 19th-century church, which was built on the site of a complex of Roman villas from the middle of the 2nd to the end of the 3rd centuries. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of this 19th-century church, which was built on the site of a large complex of Roman villas from the middle of the 2nd to the end of the 3rd centuries. It is particularly famous for its stone-carved decoration with Greek inscription next to the entrance and its in-hill construction. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Reason:
Cultural heritage monument in Poland. Former Medieval mill, now museum of amber. Interior is very dark due to concept of exhibits. -- Gower (talk)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of this 19th-century church. It is particularly famous for its interesting architecture as the closed narthex in front of the main building gives the appearance that the church consists of two merged uneven parts. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of this 17th-century church. It is particularly famous for its interesting architecture as the closed narthex in front of the main building gives the appearance that the church consists of two merged uneven parts. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Reason:
I think this is the most representative picture of this 14th-century church, which is a national cultural heritage site. -- Kiril Simeonovski (talk)
Reason:
Municipal cultural heritage monument in Poland, building from 1904 with Wikipedia article, one of the most impressive façades in Katowice. -- Gower (talk)
Reason:
Cultural heritage monument in Poland, my picture shows all three listed buildings of the former port and inner basin, also within the area of listed complex. -- Gower (talk)
Reason:
This aerial photograph documents the complete structure and star-shaped layout of Fort Jay on Governors Island. It shows the fortification's geographic context within New York Harbor and is used to illustrate the corresponding article on the Arabic Wikipedia. -- SebastianBlumeArt (talk) 19:10, 26 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]
All open candidates in an MVR have to have their status set as "discussed" while the review is ongoing. Only when all candidates are due for closure can the MVR be closed.