I'm new to 123RF, and it appears that they have, by far, the worst uploading/editing process I've encountered.

I only upload a few images at a time, so I'm not too interested in the CSV import. 

Here are the problems I'm having:
1.) There's no useful ID number next to the image as I edit the metadata.  "Stephenkirsh123456" isn't searchable on their website, so I don'tk now why they use that.
2.) Once done editing the metadata, clicking "Save" doesn't change the status of the images.  They were "Pending" before, and they remain "Pending."  There's nothing to tell me the image was submitted.
3.) There's no easy way to add releases to images individually.  The system they use is so terrible, I feel like I have to be doing it wrong.
4.) I don't get any notifications, of any kind, when images are approved/rejected.

Do you guys have any tips for solving these issues?

Thanks!

If you're editing the metadata after you upload, you're doing it the hard way.  Always put titles, descriptions and keywords into your images via an IPTC editor before you upload.  I use Graphic Converter for the Mac, but there are plenty of other applications that will do the job.

My workflow is as follows:

  1. Edit my images (Adobe Camera Raw -> Photoshop).
  2. Add titles, descriptions and keywords (Graphic Converter)
  3. Upload via FTP (Transmit)
  4. Use a web browser to transfer my images from the FTP server to the queue
  5. Go to the Releases page
      5.1 If it's a new model, upload the new release and then click on the check boxes
            for each image of that model.
      5.2 If it's a model whose release is already uploaded, find it in the list and click the
            first icon under Actions.  Click on the check boxes.

It's about as easy as it gets.

LOL, I think 123 has the easiest upload process of them all, together with CanStockPhoto and GL

Hm ok, I guess I'll look into changing my work flow instead.  Thanks!

your not on istock then.

Yes I am, and I get emails from them for every image.

Hm ok, I guess I'll look into changing my work flow instead.  Thanks!

Quote from: qwerty on April 30, 2013, 21:13

your not on istock then.

Yes I am, and I get emails from them for every image.

You think the uploading process for Istock is easier than 123rf ?
Each to their own.

I never said Foap was good, or that I like it, or that I even actively upload to it any more.  Simply that it exists and I've uploaded in the past.  Foap's a toy, basically, but since there's SO many different forums on this site, I thought there might be interest and helpful to the group to add a forum.  It's interesting to see how the community has handled the suggestion, though.

For iStock, I use DeepMeta which makes iStock's process just as fast or slow as the others.

iStock, SS, Fotolia, DP, Pond5, etc have a much more sophisticated uploading process with many more options, such as categories.  123RF made me feel like I was doing something wrong because of the reasons I listed above.  I came here to ask for some guidance and got a little bit, but it was mixed in with ridicule. 

I came here to ask for some guidance and got a little bit, but it was mixed in with ridicule.

yeah, that tends to happen here. sorry.

use stocksubmitter
http://microstocksubmit.com/title.php?tmp=702713664

Agree with Gillian, the MR process on 123 is tedious, all the rest is fine

The reason why we need releases to be files in this basis is because we can actually search for the number of people within the photo and also show the "More images of this model" section.

Alex.

well other sites also do this, without the same tedious upload. (although admittedly, with the irritating categories)

however, news of change and improvement is good.
cheers,

Upload as editorial

Thanks, I didn't spot that option. But now my initial submission of 10 files are in the Pending queue, one of them was intended as an editorial and It doesn't look like there's any way to change it.