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Show us the image.  Really, I think it depends sometimes.  But 99% of the time, a fake added shadow looks pretty cheesy.  If it has a natural shadow, I leave it or tone it down.

hey whitechild, you can try using a reflector to soften (lighten) the shadows.
and once that is done, maybe if you still think the shadows are too much,
you can dodge them off in PS.
as for flares, i usually use a gobo . something dark to "go between: the path of the light so it does not splash too much on to the background.
hope i explain correctly.

You can also use a natural shadow and add a clipping path which eliminates the shadow. This is the most versatile file to offer. I agree with Sean about adding a fake shadow. If I really want that, I can do it myself.

Just a point to bear in mind - a clipping path is only available for the largest size image. As soon as a smaller jpg is made from a large one, the clipping path is lost.

averil, does it mean that if you have clipping path on your images, there is more possible that you will sell more L and XL files because of usefulness of clipping path?

Yes, and there have been plenty of designers who have stated that when presented with two similar objects and one has a clipping path, they will choose the one with the clipping path. If they want to drop an object into an existing composition, it will save them a lot of time if they do not have to create their own.

That being said, I have downloaded medium sizes several times and the clipping path has been intact even though I didn't expect it to be.

To answer your question, Madelaide, it would be pointless to take the time to create a clipping path if you are not going to include it in the title and description of the image. Yes, the inspectors will check to make sure that it isn't a crappy clipping path with a bazillion points that you've created with your magic wand tool. As stated before, plenty of designers consider the clipping path a valuable time saver, even if you personally do not.

Once I got a file rejected by SS for lacking of shadow,which was an isolated image with clipping path.then I put the shadow back and it got approved.but was only one time experience so I still try to avoid shadows.

There are two different usage for a designer for an "isolated" image: use it as it is on a white background (on a web site, a magazine or a newspaper... shadow is required here) or use it as a design element (no shadow).

I always keep some shadow on my isolations because I think it is very difficult to add a realistic fake shadow while it is quite easy to remove a light shadow by using simple Photoshop adjustments.

And I think that the market for the first usage of isolations is bigger than the market for the second usage, but this is just my guesstimate.

Concerning the fact that you cannot call "isolation" a photo with a shadow, it depends on the definition of the word "isolation" I've never had any rejection for that reason.

I can't understand the rejection...the isolation appears to feathered or rough,when the object is not isolated.I shoot against white cardboard and blow out the background using my speedlight off camera.I usually remove and shadow in adobe.
Just had a first sale on some childrens wooden building blocks with the word 'boy' in blue letters.
I once was told when i started on istock it would be difficult to come up with new idea's...What utter nonesence as the human mind has no bounds to it's imagination..
Nb i just got a total rejection replaced with an acceptance from  Scout.3 hardback books isolated on white.Her explaination said...i have had another look and although there is pinning of the highlights in the image it is a usable image and has been added to your portfolio...

and in the title, if you can. That way when it's next to a similar image, a designer who prefers a clipping path may choose yours just because of that. I have two similar images in my portfolio. One with a clipping path (titled " xxxx w/clipping path") and one without. The one with the path outsells the other by more than 4x. This could be due to other factors, but I think at least part of it is the clipping path.