Bib-number search works by reading the number printed on your race bib in every photo, then letting you type that number to pull up the photos it was found in. It is fast and exact when the bib is clearly visible. It finds nothing when the number cannot be read, which is why a selfie search is worth running too.
What happens to a photo
When a photographer uploads a gallery to Fotto, each photo is processed automatically:
- The software looks for bibs in the photo.
- It reads the characters on each bib it finds.
- The numbers are stored against that photo.
The photographer does not tag anyone by hand. When you type your bib number on the event page, you get the photos where that number was read.
Why a bib is sometimes missed
A number can only be found if it can be read in the photo. Common reasons it is not:
- Folded or crumpled bibs. A bib folded to fit a race belt often hides a digit.
- Covered bibs. Arms, a jacket, a hydration vest or another runner in front.
- Bibs not on the chest. Pinned to shorts, the hip or the back.
- Small or far away. In a wide shot of a pack, each bib is only a few pixels tall.
- Motion blur, glare and deep shade. Early-morning starts and reflective bib material both make digits harder to read.
- Unusual bib designs. Decorative fonts, busy backgrounds or low-contrast colours are read less reliably than plain dark digits on a light background.
A partly read number is a different number. If a digit is hidden, the photo will not appear under your bib.
What to do as a runner
- Search by selfie as well. Selfie search matches your face, so it finds photos where your bib is hidden or unreadable.
- Pin the bib flat on your chest, all four corners, and keep it outside your jacket or vest.
- Do not fold it. If the bib is too large, ask the organiser where to wear it.
What helps as a photographer
- Frame so the chest is visible, especially at the finish.
- Avoid shooting straight into low sun where bibs glare.
- Upload at full resolution. Small, heavily compressed files make digits harder to read.
Bib or selfie?
Use both. On Fotto, both are on every event, and when several photographers covered the same event one search covers all of them. You always confirm which photos are yours before buying.
Looking for your photos now? Find your event.