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Author Topic: keyword guidelines?  (Read 3646 times)

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« on: October 16, 2009, 13:32 »
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I'm finding myself gridlocked in trying to submit object shots to IStock because I don't understand how the 'controlled vocabulary' is supposed to be applied.  I see some keywording guidlines on their site, but they're vague and only include a couple of examples.

I'm completely confused as to whether conceptual keywords can be applied if they don't describe the literal content of the image.

I'm done (for now) with ranting about the CV system.  I just want to play the game. But I don't know what the rules are.
« Last Edit: October 16, 2009, 13:42 by stockastic »


« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2009, 13:44 »
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Most 'object' shots do not need conceptual keywords.  Posting a sample with your rejected words would make this easier to help.   The rant, though, is not about the cv unless the words you need are not in the cv.

« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2009, 14:01 »
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Rather than post specific images here and get specific advice on what might be accepted -  I want to learn the rules, whatever they are, and avoid rejections.   My real complaint is that the keyword guidelines on the site seem to be inadquate and I am wondering if there is better information, somewhere. 

One of their examples shows a young guy in a pose of despair.  'Sadness' is allowed. 'Suicide' is not, although teen suicide is certainly a hot conceptual topic.  No explanation is given.  I can appreciate that the photo 'shows' sadness but doesn't 'show' suicide, but I'd like to see these guidelines spelled out.


RacePhoto

« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2009, 01:15 »
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Rather than post specific images here and get specific advice on what might be accepted -  I want to learn the rules, whatever they are, and avoid rejections.   My real complaint is that the keyword guidelines on the site seem to be inadquate and I am wondering if there is better information, somewhere. 

One of their examples shows a young guy in a pose of despair.  'Sadness' is allowed. 'Suicide' is not, although teen suicide is certainly a hot conceptual topic.  No explanation is given.  I can appreciate that the photo 'shows' sadness but doesn't 'show' suicide, but I'd like to see these guidelines spelled out.


Grief, depression, sadness, or despair are emotions. Suicide is an act.

A photo of suicide would possibly be someone hanging by a rope, not a facial expression.  ;)

Did that help?

CV is limiting in some cases, but in other ways, it makes the searches more organized for buyers. I agree that some wods don't exist which can be frustrating. At the same time, it prevents massive bad search results and gives the buyer a better selection. Since the rules are the same for everyone and so are the words, there's no advantage to spamming up keywords with concepts and words that are distant stretches. Level playing field.

« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2009, 07:13 »
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Rather than post specific images here and get specific advice on what might be accepted -  I want to learn the rules, whatever they are, and avoid rejections.   My real complaint is that the keyword guidelines on the site seem to be inadquate and I am wondering if there is better information, somewhere. 

One of their examples shows a young guy in a pose of despair.  'Sadness' is allowed. 'Suicide' is not, although teen suicide is certainly a hot conceptual topic.  No explanation is given.  I can appreciate that the photo 'shows' sadness but doesn't 'show' suicide, but I'd like to see these guidelines spelled out.

Ok then, keyword what you see, and not what you associate.  Then you're safe.

For specific advice, post specific examples.  Learn by trial.

Dan

« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2009, 07:52 »
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  suicide   would  not  be  allowed  on  many  site  for  such  a  photo.  Racephoto  is  right  -  suicide  is  an  act  not  an  emotion.

« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2009, 18:42 »
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I wonder if the words in the title show up in the search. For instance, I have a photo of a bowl of cat food. It's called Cat Food Bowl. But the word "cat' was rejected as a keyword.

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup.php?id=10770253

« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2009, 19:53 »
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If you can't use 'cat' for a bowl of cat food, what's left?  

The photo I described doesn't "show" sadness, it shows body language that could b be associated with sadness, with despair, or with thoughts of suicide. A search for "teen suicide" on IS turns up lots of photos with keywords like 'suicide', all presumably submitted before the CV jihad began.   So those are the images that will be available to buyers; no new photos can compete in that topic today.  

If I posted images, you more experienced people would all give me your expert opinions on what IS might or might not accept. But what I really want is for IS to tell me that, in the form of a clear set of guidelines.  I guess that isn't going to happen, and they'd rather just have contributors guessing, and reviewers spending time rejecting keywords or images.
« Last Edit: October 17, 2009, 19:56 by stockastic »

« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2009, 20:03 »
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You use "cat food".  A term in the CV.  There is no cat in the image.

« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2009, 08:25 »
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Thanks sjlocke. "Cat food" is acceptable. Also changed the title to "Cat Food in a Bowl".


 

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