Gallery Photo Guide for the XJS Soft Tops Club
Gallery Photo Guide
What is a Gallery Photo?
A Gallery Photo is a simple way for a member to share one memorable photograph of their Jaguar and tell other members a little about the story behind it.
It might be a photograph taken at a classic car show, during a holiday, on a favourite driving road, outside the place where the car was bought or simply a photograph that captures the car particularly well.
Gallery Photos are deliberately less structured than Car Albums. You do not need to write the history of the car or create a detailed chapter. One photograph and a few words explaining why it is worth sharing can be enough.
Taken together, the Gallery creates a visual snapshot of the cars, places and experiences that make up the worldwide XJS Soft Tops Club.
What Makes a Good Gallery Photo?
There are no strict rules. The photograph does not have to be professionally taken and the car certainly does not have to be concours perfect.
What usually makes a Gallery Photo interesting is that there is something to say about it.
That might be:
- Your car at a Jaguar or classic car show
- A photograph from a memorable drive or holiday
- The day you collected the car
- A particularly attractive location
- A photograph taken during restoration or repair
- A meeting with another XJ-SC Cabriolet or XJS Convertible
- A photograph that simply shows your Jaguar at its best
The story does not have to be long. A few sentences explaining where the photograph was taken, when it was taken and why it matters to you can make an otherwise ordinary photograph much more interesting to other members.
Gallery Photo, Car Album or Activity Report?
These features are designed to complement one another rather than compete.
A Gallery Photo is ideal when you have one photograph and a short story you would like to share.
A Car Album is the long-term home for the history of your Jaguar — its specification, restoration, maintenance, modifications, journeys and ownership story.
An Activity Report is best when you want to tell members about something you have recently done with your car, such as a drive, show, meeting, holiday or visit, particularly where you want to include several supporting photographs.
In simple terms:
Gallery Photo — one photograph worth sharing.
Car Album — the continuing story of your car.
Activity Report — something you have been out doing.
When Was the Photograph Taken?
Gallery Photos include an optional photograph date.
If you know when the photograph was taken, you can add that date to give other members some useful context. If you do not know the exact date, or it is not particularly relevant, you can simply leave it blank.
The Gallery itself is arranged by the date on which each Gallery Photo is published to the Club website. This means that a photograph taken several years ago will still appear amongst the newest Gallery contributions when you first add it.
The photograph date therefore describes the image, while the Gallery ordering reflects when members have shared new content with the Club.
Want to Share Your Own Gallery Photo?
Gallery Photos are contributed by registered members of the XJS Soft Tops Club.
Membership is completely free and gives you access to the Club’s interactive features, including Car Albums, Gallery Photos, Activity Reports and Discussion Forums.
Once logged in, this Guide also includes additional information explaining how to create, save and update your own Gallery Photo records.
Already a member?
Log in to see the full Gallery Photo Guide
Every Photograph Adds Something
The Gallery works best when it contains more than polished show
photographs.
Restorations, journeys, everyday drives, unusual locations and
simple snapshots of cars being enjoyed all help tell the wider
story of the XJS Soft Tops Club.
If you have a photograph with a story behind it, consider sharing
it.
Somebody else in the Club will probably enjoy seeing it.