Author Topic: Fotolia, harder than the others? (Read 2448 times)

Gti861 · « **on:** February 29, 2012, 08:11 »

Hi All;

I am uploading photos to Fotolia. But I think Fotolia is approving the images very rare.

Does anybody has any idea why? Because same images of mine approved by the other image stock sites.

Pls. advice.

gostwyck · « **Reply #1 on:** February 29, 2012, 09:19 »

I think FT are particularly harsh on new contributors. Once you are established with a decent sales record then they reject very little. I know that's not going to help you much with your current predicament but it seems to me that it is what happens.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 29, 2012, 09:35 »

they are, over IS, SS, DT, over all perhaps.. they need to like the subject not only the picture itself.. isolations, people, food is approved "easily", travel/nature/animals/borderline pictures they are a lot more harsh, study what they have approved you

wut · « **Reply #3 on:** February 29, 2012, 09:44 »

I shoot lifestyle and have 99%+ approval rate. A lot higher than at SS or IS, where my approval rate is just 95% or even lower. These are not lifetime approval rates, but lets say for the last 6 months or so. If I remember correctly my approval at IS was just 60% or so in the first year, they were a lot tougher than others, FT and DT used to accept everything you threw at them back in 2010, just like the mid/low tier do now (because they want to grow their libraries as fast as they can, so the quality really suffers)

luissantos84 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 29, 2012, 10:03 »

sorry but thats not true wut, I don´t know a top5 agency that approve everything you throw at them, thats far from the reality, you can say sometimes they approve LCV and this and that but not everything, 2010 ain´t 2005

steheap · « **Reply #5 on:** February 29, 2012, 10:10 »

I think Fotolia have decided they have enough of certain types of image - I uploaded about 180 shots from a trip to Hawaii and I think about 150 were rejected. Shutterstock was the reverse. I just upload and ignore - why get worked up about what different sites want and like?

Steve

wut · « **Reply #6 on:** February 29, 2012, 10:17 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on February 29, 2012, 10:03

sorry but thats not true wut, I don´t know a top5 agency that approve everything you throw at them, thats far from the reality, you can say sometimes they approve LCV and this and that but not everything, 2010 ain´t 2005

Indeed, they accepted everything I threw at them and CS, DP etc still do. They need decent lifestyle photos so they accept everything). BTW I generally don't consider isolated lifestyle good, but on location, with decent models, light and posing. I just checked my approval ratio and it's 90% at CS, but only due to a couple of batches being rejected for not meeting resolution requirements, because of a site bug. At DP a small batch was rejected because the content wasn't suitable (violence) and I didn't know that, since I don't bother reading anything at low earning sites. The acceptance ratio there is indeed well over 98%.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 29, 2012, 10:22 »

Quote from: wut on February 29, 2012, 10:17

BTW I generally don't consider isolated lifestyle good, but on location, with decent models, light and posing.

sorry, not following, what does that have to do with the discussion here? we are discussing FT reviewing not if you think isolated lifestyle is good or not, who are you to say whats good or bad?

Gti861 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 29, 2012, 10:27 »

Thanks every one who tells their thoughts. As a newbie here I need to discuss and learn.

I decided to try upload FT anyway

wut · « **Reply #9 on:** February 29, 2012, 10:36 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on February 29, 2012, 10:22

Quote from: wut on February 29, 2012, 10:17
BTW I generally don't consider isolated lifestyle good, but on location, with decent models, light and posing.

sorry, not following, what does that have to do with the discussion here? we are discussing FT reviewing not if you think isolated lifestyle is good or not, who are you to say whats good or bad?

Apparently you didn't get a grasp on my post. I was just explaining I made a mistake in saying anything you threw at them, instead of anything I threw at them and what I shoot and why they accepted anything I threw at them. To make it even simpler to understand; virtually everybody can do isolations, that's why the libraries are more saturated with them then with good on location shots, with good models, not someone who doesn't have a clue what she/he's doing and bad or boring lighting. The location itself can make all the difference, that's why lagereek for instance virtually doesn't have competition on MS when it comes to industrial (inside of power plants, offshore oil rigs and such) shots

luissantos84 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 29, 2012, 10:40 »

Quote from: wut on February 29, 2012, 10:36

To make it even simpler to understand

I wasn´t going to reply but you are so well-educated, thanks for the explanation

luissantos84 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 29, 2012, 10:43 »

Quote from: wut on February 29, 2012, 10:36

that's why lagereek for instance virtually doesn't have competition on MS when it comes to industrial (inside of power plants, offshore oil rigs and such) shots

actually lagereek pics are used over and over, its the same guy in every pic, not saying its not smart, sure it is but it doesn´t show how great he shoot "people" ON location

Eireann · « **Reply #12 on:** February 29, 2012, 13:05 »

Hi there Gti

,
this comes from my experience with Fotolia, where, over the past 3 years, I have one of my highest rejection rate.
655 files submitted
554 accepted
(many vectors - vectors always get in easier).
This is what Fotolia accepts in my case:
- anything isolated over white, be it an onion or a person.
It doesn't matter, as long as it's a true isolation over white, it gets in.
- people - both portraits or 'in action', doing something
Again it doesn't really matter what the model is doing, as long as you have a human being in the photo, it gets accepted
- vectors.
They're getting stricter on vectors, but they used to accept almost anything in vector form. Be warned: this is not valid anymore. However, vectors still have an easier time than photos.
And that's about it.

If you're going to upload landscapes, architecture, nature, and the such, unless your images are extraordinary, expect lots of rejections.
At least that's what happens to me

Hope I've been of some help, good luck

lisafx · « **Reply #13 on:** February 29, 2012, 13:29 »

Great summary Eireann. That matches my experience exactly.

CD123 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 29, 2012, 14:40 »

Quote from: lisafx on February 29, 2012, 13:29

Great summary Eireann. That matches my experience exactly.

+1
I have added image ranges (Vectors) as extensions on existing good selling themes the last month. All 14 of the sites I submit to excepted them, except FT, who threw out every single one of them (and these images where my best seller range at FT as well!). Definite policy change!

Gti861 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 29, 2012, 15:30 »

Quote from: Eireann on February 29, 2012, 13:05

If you're going to upload landscapes, architecture, nature, and the such, unless your images are extraordinary, expect lots of rejections.
At least that's what happens to me

Hope I've been of some help, good luck

Hi and thank you Eireann...

I see clearly cause that was what I have faced like you said.

other MS accept but FT not....

I hopeI will increase my accepted photos on Fotolia.

leaf · « **Reply #16 on:** February 29, 2012, 16:14 »

.. two posts removed for needles back and forth bickering.

Microstock Posts · « **Reply #17 on:** February 29, 2012, 16:26 »

Quote from: leaf on February 29, 2012, 16:14

.. two posts removed for needles back and forth bickering.

I thought that's why we were all here.

heywoody · « **Reply #18 on:** February 29, 2012, 19:26 »

Quote from: Microstock Posts on February 29, 2012, 16:26

Quote from: leaf on February 29, 2012, 16:14
.. two posts removed for needles back and forth bickering.

I thought that's why we were all here.

On topic, I find FT to be the least picky but, like SS, I think well covered subject matter may receive harder scrutiny

Paulo M. F. Pires · « **Reply #19 on:** March 02, 2012, 06:34 »

"Ironical", FT was first agency that I start with ( back to Oct 2010 ). Acceptance rate falls each month ( 50% by now ), but mostly because I still send similar images to previous refused ones...

But... only last month ( I mean Jan. ) the sales start appearing more regular... "weekly'O'Daily" ( far of daily ones on SS ). And yes, the best sellers go first, but the few others are old files ( back 2010 ).

Nature and Architecture need to be "specific" ( yet again same that sells good in all "tiers" )

But if sales keep going as jan/fev I hope it bronze soon and be rich...

csproductions · « **Reply #20 on:** March 03, 2012, 06:37 »

Personally, I find the FT review and approval process to be completely irrational and unpredictable, but I don't lose sleep over it. As a result, FT is a low-priority site for me because it's a low earner and the upload mechanism, while certainly not the worst (hello, Istock!), is still a PITA. I submit, they take what they want, reject the rest, and life goes on.

Mantis · « **Reply #21 on:** March 03, 2012, 07:37 »

Quote from: csproductions on March 03, 2012, 06:37

Personally, I find the FT review and approval process to be completely irrational and unpredictable, but I don't lose sleep over it. As a result, FT is a low-priority site for me because it's a low earner and the upload mechanism, while certainly not the worst (hello, Istock!), is still a PITA. I submit, they take what they want, reject the rest, and life goes on.

I agree completely with your assessment. I have noticed a lot more "too similar" rejections, too. The last shake-up they had for contributor income took me from about $200 a month to $80 a month, then took me from a ranking of less than 1000 to like 1400. DL's down, money down, acceptance rate down as of just about 6-8 months ago. Used to have near 100 percent acceptance. The rejections are no biggie, I can accept those. What I don't get is are their too similar rejections related to their collection as a whole or too similar to some of my other images. It can't be my other images because when I submit, say photo X, and have no other photo x's in my port and it gets rejected for too similar, I suspect it's too similar to other images in the FT collection. Like DT, rejections are becoming more common.

OM · « **Reply #22 on:** March 03, 2012, 09:57 »

Quote from: Eireann on February 29, 2012, 13:05

Hi there Gti ,
this comes from my experience with Fotolia, where, over the past 3 years, I have one of my highest rejection rate.
655 files submitted
554 accepted
(many vectors - vectors always get in easier).
This is what Fotolia accepts in my case:
- anything isolated over white, be it an onion or a person.
It doesn't matter, as long as it's a true isolation over white, it gets in.
- people - both portraits or 'in action', doing something
Again it doesn't really matter what the model is doing, as long as you have a human being in the photo, it gets accepted
- vectors.
They're getting stricter on vectors, but they used to accept almost anything in vector form. Be warned: this is not valid anymore. However, vectors still have an easier time than photos.
And that's about it.

If you're going to upload landscapes, architecture, nature, and the such, unless your images are extraordinary, expect lots of rejections.
At least that's what happens to me

Hope I've been of some help, good luck

Concur! I regularly view the 'Recently Accepted' file and despite the occasional addition of what to my eyes is a real asset to the collection, there is just so much nondescript 'pablum' getting in..........indeed, almost anything isolated on white but absolutely guaranteed when it's a human form on white.

lagereek · « **Reply #23 on:** March 03, 2012, 10:26 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on February 29, 2012, 10:43

Quote from: wut on February 29, 2012, 10:36
that's why lagereek for instance virtually doesn't have competition on MS when it comes to industrial (inside of power plants, offshore oil rigs and such) shots

actually lagereek pics are used over and over, its the same guy in every pic, not saying its not smart, sure it is but it doesn´t show how great he shoot "people" ON location

Wut! youre right, no competition what so ever BUT! forget the people, they play a secondary role here, Its the locations! it is strictly a matter of getting in to places ( in my case via commissioned work).
I bet Im one of the few that can walk straight into any Shell, Exxon or BP, refinery or installation in the world, I have even got press-passes for every one of them. This is because of years of mutual photographer/client trust, I have had them as clients since 1996.
Originally my people are ofcourse shot by myself and I use some of them very often, why? because they have the appropriate protective clothing that you MUST have inside giant industries or else the picture isnt worth anything. Ive got thousands of people shots but few where the protective clothing is 100%, workers themselves tend to ignore this.

As far as oil, gas, nuclear, offshore, car-production plants, aerospace, no I have virtually no competition but as said, the actual people play second fiddle here, its mainly the locations.
At, SS for example, 80% of my shots are sold through the search-words, oil, gas, industry, chemical and petrochemical.
So as usual, take no notice of this Luis boy, he is still a bit green.

PS/ if you ever find a nieche, explore it to a 110%, cram the life-blood out of it and more and more, you will be laughing to the bank.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 03, 2012, 10:41 »

Quote from: lagereek on March 03, 2012, 10:26

Quote from: luissantos84 on February 29, 2012, 10:43
Quote from: wut on February 29, 2012, 10:36
that's why lagereek for instance virtually doesn't have competition on MS when it comes to industrial (inside of power plants, offshore oil rigs and such) shots

actually lagereek pics are used over and over, its the same guy in every pic, not saying its not smart, sure it is but it doesn´t show how great he shoot "people" ON location

Wut! youre right, no competition what so ever BUT! forget the people, they play a secondary role here, Its the locations! it is strictly a matter of getting in to places ( in my case via commissioned work).
I bet Im one of the few that can walk straight into any Shell, Exxon or BP, refinery or installation in the world, I have even got press-passes for every one of them. This is because of years of mutual photographer/client trust, I have had them as clients since 1996.
Originally my people are ofcourse shot by myself and I use some of them very often, why? because they have the appropriate protective clothing that you MUST have inside giant industries or else the picture isnt worth anything. Ive got thousands of people shots but few where the protective clothing is 100%, workers themselves tend to ignore this.

As far as oil, gas, nuclear, offshore, car-production plants, aerospace, no I have virtually no competition but as said, the actual people play second fiddle here, its mainly the locations.
At, SS for example, 80% of my shots are sold through the search-words, oil, gas, industry, chemical and petrochemical.
So as usual, take no notice of this Luis boy, he is still a bit green.

PS/ if you ever find a nieche, explore it to a 110%, cram the life-blood out of it and more and more, you will be laughing to the bank.

you haven´t understand what I have said, read again

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Author Topic: Fotolia, harder than the others? (Read 2448 times)

Gti861

gostwyck

luissantos84

wut

luissantos84

steheap

wut

luissantos84

Gti861

wut

luissantos84

luissantos84

Eireann

lisafx

CD123

Gti861

leaf

Microstock Posts

heywoody

Paulo M. F. Pires

csproductions

Mantis

OM

lagereek

luissantos84

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