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Agency Based Discussion => Alamy.com => Topic started by: c2.beverly on December 12, 2016, 19:30

Title: Awaiting QC
Post by: c2.beverly on December 12, 2016, 19:30
What are the steps that Alamy QC goes through?  I'm wondering if there is another stage between processing and awaiting QC. 


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Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Hildegarde on December 12, 2016, 20:18
The more times you pass QC. the faster your work will be reviewed in the future.
After you submit work, you get an email whether you passed or not.  If passed, then you keyword by going to MyAlamy and clicking on Manage images,
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: FlowerPower on December 13, 2016, 10:18
The more times you pass QC. the faster your work will be reviewed in the future.
After you submit work, you get an email whether you passed or not.  If passed, then you keyword by going to MyAlamy and clicking on Manage images,

If one fail all fail and you might wait up to a month for that email. They don't like to look at every image or sort for us. If you are rejected, whole batch, the first photo showing will be the one that caused rejection. All other waiting batchs will be rejected. Don't send questionable images in a big upload or while any other batch are being reviewed.
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Grizz on December 17, 2016, 05:45
What are the steps that Alamy QC goes through?  I'm wondering if there is another stage between processing and awaiting QC. 


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There's no stage between processing and QC.
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: noodle on December 17, 2016, 09:02
Really makes you scrutinize your images for technical soundness, and thats the way our workflow should be all the time
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Fred on December 26, 2016, 14:18
Is Alamy review staff off for the holidays?  Have an upload batch waiting for QC for 10 days.  Usually reviewed in 4 or 5 days max. 

Anyone else experiencing unusual delays?

fred
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: noodle on December 26, 2016, 15:01
Ibeleive they announced that reviewers would be on break for the holeidays so that review times would take longer than normal.
It may take some time for them to get cauht up and to normal speed after new years
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: sgoodwin4813 on December 26, 2016, 15:43
They might be slow for the holidays or possibly you failed and are in QC purgatory for 30 days
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Fred on December 26, 2016, 15:49
Thanks for the info.  Must have missed the announcement - unless I'm in purgatory!

c h e e r s
fred
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: dpimborough on December 26, 2016, 15:58
They are back on January 3rd.

I get my approvals in less than 24 hours and for archive/reportage it's instant.
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Uncle Pete on December 20, 2019, 14:03
Ibeleive they announced that reviewers would be on break for the holeidays so that review times would take longer than normal.
It may take some time for them to get cauht up and to normal speed after new years

Yes I know, old thread alert, but the Subject fit so I'm continuing. 1PM Eastern time USA, note posted, gone for the weekend, back Monday. Until last week, I didn't know they took a break from reviewing on weekends. And now the holidays are coming, I'd expect more vacation/holiday time off.

Good news, my last submission passed, before they left. I don't have to spend days wondering if I got a batch rejection. Not that I get that often, or maybe never, but I have uploaded singles as a test, which got rejected. That always takes days and days. An Alamy way to give us a time out, to think about self review and standards.

Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: ShadySue on December 20, 2019, 14:26
Ibeleive they announced that reviewers would be on break for the holeidays so that review times would take longer than normal.
It may take some time for them to get cauht up and to normal speed after new years

Yes I know, old thread alert, but the Subject fit so I'm continuing. 1PM Eastern time USA, note posted, gone for the weekend, back Monday. Until last week, I didn't know they took a break from reviewing on weekends. And now the holidays are coming, I'd expect more vacation/holiday time off.

Good news, my last submission passed, before they left. I don't have to spend days wondering if I got a batch rejection. Not that I get that often, or maybe never, but I have uploaded singles as a test, which got rejected. That always takes days and days. An Alamy way to give us a time out, to think about self review and standards.
How many QC stars have you got? If you are 5*, your files are accepted and you can manage them within seconds/minutes depending on batch size, and they go live at the next database update.
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Hoodie Ninja on December 20, 2019, 19:49
How many QC stars have you got? If you are 5*, your files are accepted and you can manage them within seconds/minutes depending on batch size, and they go live at the next database update.

I believe the max number of stars is 3. 
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: ShadySue on December 20, 2019, 20:21
How many QC stars have you got? If you are 5*, your files are accepted and you can manage them within seconds/minutes depending on batch size, and they go live at the next database update.

I believe the max number of stars is 3.
It's 5.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0)
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: pancaketom on December 20, 2019, 20:50
In the past I have noticed that images often pass QC a day or more before I get the notice, but after reading this thread (and uploading a batch this afternoon), I checked and sure enough they were up and ready to manage. I then looked around and eventually found the 5 star QC rank. nice.
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Hoodie Ninja on December 21, 2019, 00:44
How many QC stars have you got? If you are 5*, your files are accepted and you can manage them within seconds/minutes depending on batch size, and they go live at the next database update.

I believe the max number of stars is 3.
It's 5.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0)

I stand corrected.  I was just going by the Alamy site.  They only mention up to 3 stars.
(https://i.postimg.cc/mgDKgNbn/Alamy-rank.jpg)
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: trabuco on December 21, 2019, 03:47
I have 3. Never got a rejection.

QC use to be 36 hours for me, not on weekend. I really like their human operated system.
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Uncle Pete on December 21, 2019, 09:36
How many QC stars have you got? If you are 5*, your files are accepted and you can manage them within seconds/minutes depending on batch size, and they go live at the next database update.

I believe the max number of stars is 3.
It's 5.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0)

Yes I've read that and on the Alamy forum, but apparently not for everyone. Maybe it's a rolling update?

Maybe someone can explain why I have different numbers of images, 82 more, when I look at Image Manager than when I look at the total on Contributor Dashboard or my portfolio?
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Mimi the Cat on December 21, 2019, 09:52
How many QC stars have you got? If you are 5*, your files are accepted and you can manage them within seconds/minutes depending on batch size, and they go live at the next database update.

I believe the max number of stars is 3.
It's 5.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0)

Yes I've read that and on the Alamy forum, but apparently not for everyone. Maybe it's a rolling update?

Maybe someone can explain why I have different numbers of images, 82 more, when I look at Image Manager than when I look at the total on Contributor Dashboard or my portfolio?

Maybe but looking at the forum the ones who have 5 stars are the ones who have been submitting a long time with next to zero QC rejections.

I myself have 5 stars but a relative who doesn't upload much is still on 3 stars
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: ShadySue on December 21, 2019, 14:34
How many QC stars have you got? If you are 5*, your files are accepted and you can manage them within seconds/minutes depending on batch size, and they go live at the next database update.

I believe the max number of stars is 3.
It's 5.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0)

Yes I've read that and on the Alamy forum, but apparently not for everyone. Maybe it's a rolling update?

Maybe someone can explain why I have different numbers of images, 82 more, when I look at Image Manager than when I look at the total on Contributor Dashboard or my portfolio?
If you haven't deleted them yourself, have you ever had a rejection? Say you uploaded a batch of 82 and had one rejection, you'd have to upload them all again, and forever more you'd have 82 more pics in IM, as they'd show in your rejected batch and in your reuploaded and accepted batch. (or more rejections/smaller batches).
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: ShadySue on December 21, 2019, 14:39
How many QC stars have you got? If you are 5*, your files are accepted and you can manage them within seconds/minutes depending on batch size, and they go live at the next database update.

I believe the max number of stars is 3.
It's 5.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0)

I stand corrected.  I was just going by the Alamy site.  They only mention up to 3 stars.
(https://i.postimg.cc/mgDKgNbn/Alamy-rank.jpg)
Ha! Not everything that Alamy says is borne out in reality, but the 5* thing is only a couple of weeks old, so they probably just haven't updated that page yet.
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Uncle Pete on December 22, 2019, 06:42
How many QC stars have you got? If you are 5*, your files are accepted and you can manage them within seconds/minutes depending on batch size, and they go live at the next database update.

I believe the max number of stars is 3.
It's 5.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sjltxqgo32rupg/FiveStar.jpg?dl=0)

Yes I've read that and on the Alamy forum, but apparently not for everyone. Maybe it's a rolling update?

Maybe someone can explain why I have different numbers of images, 82 more, when I look at Image Manager than when I look at the total on Contributor Dashboard or my portfolio?
If you haven't deleted them yourself, have you ever had a rejection? Say you uploaded a batch of 82 and had one rejection, you'd have to upload them all again, and forever more you'd have 82 more pics in IM, as they'd show in your rejected batch and in your reuploaded and accepted batch. (or more rejections/smaller batches).

Interesting, if I understand you right. A rejection counts as an image in my portfolio? I can't see any way to remove them, so forever, I'll have rejected batches and images, counting in my total in Image Manager?

Well that would explain the different numbers.  :)

Back to the stars thing. I'd expect that five stars would show and then how many, will be filled in, depending on anyone's rank. As that's the way it was for three stars. Not that the button icon grows as anyone gets another star level. Just an assumption because coding it would make more sense that way.

Good news if I can move up and have less delays, because like everyone else, my work and images are all so important and amazing, they need to be activated as soon as possible.  ;)
(https://i.postimg.cc/m2g4X7Zn/pigfly.gif)

 Honestly for News that would be nice.
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: ShadySue on December 22, 2019, 07:33
Interesting, if I understand you right. A rejection counts as an image in my portfolio?
Technically no, it shows as an image in Image Manager. IIRC (?) Deleted images also stay in IM adding to your count there.

Quote
I can't see any way to remove them, so forever, I'll have rejected batches and images, counting in my total in Image Manager?
AFAIK, yes for now.
As for 'forever', who knows what they might do in the future?

Quote
Well that would explain the different numbers.  :)
Yup

Quote
Back to the stars thing. I'd expect that five stars would show and then how many, will be filled in, depending on anyone's rank. As that's the way it was for three stars. Not that the button icon grows as anyone gets another star level. Just an assumption because coding it would make more sense that way.

I have no idea, I went straight from 3* to 5*.
I know they were rolling it out, but the rollout might (?) be complete.
"If you want to get 5*, you need to upload more" is what they told someone, but he was just not in the first random batch to be upgraded and he was 5* the next day, and I was just after that.

Quote
Good news if I can move up and have less delays, because like everyone else, my work and images are all so important and amazing, they need to be activated as soon as possible.  ;)
(https://i.postimg.cc/m2g4X7Zn/pigfly.gif)
 Honestly for News that would be nice.
You don't have LiveNews uploading privileges?
If you don't, and your photos are news/sport/celebs/current events/etc, you can use the Reportage route (ask for it if it isn't automatically available, I don't know what the criteria are, I had Reportage opened when I got LN closed). The upside of that is that the files go into the next batch, just like 5* contributors' files. The disadvantage is that like LiveNews, forever afterwords there's a note on them which says they "might contain flaws" (I don't know how much that matters IRL), and, unlike LN, they are not pushed out to photo editors.
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Uncle Pete on January 20, 2020, 16:13
Just uploaded the wrong file in error, and I'm searching for how to delete the image, which is sure to fail, before it gets to review. Clicked all over, I can't find out how? Anyone know?
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: ShadySue on January 20, 2020, 16:28
Just uploaded the wrong file in error, and I'm searching for how to delete the image, which is sure to fail, before it gets to review. Clicked all over, I can't find out how? Anyone know?
https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/12443-am-i-somehow-able-to-withdraw-a-submission/?tab=comments#comment-231232 (https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/12443-am-i-somehow-able-to-withdraw-a-submission/?tab=comments#comment-231232)
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Uncle Pete on January 20, 2020, 16:51
Just uploaded the wrong file in error, and I'm searching for how to delete the image, which is sure to fail, before it gets to review. Clicked all over, I can't find out how? Anyone know?
https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/12443-am-i-somehow-able-to-withdraw-a-submission/?tab=comments#comment-231232 (https://discussion.alamy.com/topic/12443-am-i-somehow-able-to-withdraw-a-submission/?tab=comments#comment-231232)

Thank You, I searched here and there and apparently didn't use the right words to find an older question and answer. But I did get an answer from Alamy:

Mistakenly uploaded images?

    Unfortunately, our system doesn’t let us delete images during processing or quality control. If they pass QC you can delete them under the ‘optional’ tab in the Alamy Image Manager.


So I'm screwed unless they miss the bad blend of a tree trunk and out of focus "shrubbery" that I needed to clone in some sharp leaves, that weren't blowing in the wind. Lesson learned, check and re-check.  ;)
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Mimi the Cat on January 21, 2020, 04:50
Just uploaded the wrong file in error, and I'm searching for how to delete the image, which is sure to fail, before it gets to review. Clicked all over, I can't find out how? Anyone know?

You can't you have to wait until the image goes thru QC if it passes then you have the option to delete it before it goes on sale
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Uncle Pete on January 22, 2020, 10:07
Just uploaded the wrong file in error, and I'm searching for how to delete the image, which is sure to fail, before it gets to review. Clicked all over, I can't find out how? Anyone know?

You can't you have to wait until the image goes thru QC if it passes then you have the option to delete it before it goes on sale

Did that, forced to have one keyword. Then I switched it to a Pseudo - Pseudo  ;) that has no images. Checked this morning, it's apparently nowhere to be found.

Lucky me, it passed. It was just a flawed stitch, a tree trunk, I didn't like the way it looked and I didn't want a buyer to get something with a surprise up in the top left.

Old image, now I have to send out the search party for what the heck I did with the originals, and check for the one that caused the problem. Eight months later,, here I go, somewhere on the backup drive in 2019... it's not where it's supposed to be under GoPro 2019... Darn I hate it when I do that.
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Ludovic on June 25, 2020, 20:25
Question for those who have 2 stars as their level/rank on Alamy:
What is the current waiting time for QC after you upload a new batch of images (photos, not vectors)?

Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: roboz on July 01, 2020, 00:51
Does anyone had a similar experience:

I started uploading to Alamy about 3 weeks ago. So far, so good, very smooth, all accepted.

Now I received a message, that 1 image failed QC. Fair enough, I thought.

Then I checked my Account just to see that ALL remaining 22 batches with more than 900 images, have been rejected without being assessed just because 1 image failed QC. 22 batches uploaded over a period of 4 days, not related to each other, different topics, different shooting dates, all accepted at other agencies.

I contacted support, we'll see what they say. If they expect me to upload the whole lot again, the relationship will be over before it actually started.  :(
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Firn on July 01, 2020, 01:13
Does anyone had a similar experience:

I started uploading to Alamy about 3 weeks ago. So far, so good, very smooth, all accepted.

Now I received a message, that 1 image failed QC. Fair enough, I thought.

Then I checked my Account just to see that ALL remaining 22 batches with more than 900 images, have been rejected without being assessed just because 1 image failed QC. 22 batches uploaded over a period of 4 days, not related to each other, different topics, different shooting dates, all accepted at other agencies.

I contacted support, we'll see what they say. If they expect me to upload the whole lot again, the relationship will be over before it actually started.  :(

Yes, that's how Alamy reviews images. They don't look at all of your images, but just make a sample test and look at only one of your images from a batch.
 If that one gets approved, all of the images in the batch gets approved, if it gets rejected, all images get rejected.
It's how they do things and all you can do is re-upload the images again.
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: DianeLambert on July 01, 2020, 11:54
Does anyone had a similar experience:

I started uploading to Alamy about 3 weeks ago. So far, so good, very smooth, all accepted.

Now I received a message, that 1 image failed QC. Fair enough, I thought.

Then I checked my Account just to see that ALL remaining 22 batches with more than 900 images, have been rejected without being assessed just because 1 image failed QC. 22 batches uploaded over a period of 4 days, not related to each other, different topics, different shooting dates, all accepted at other agencies.

I contacted support, we'll see what they say. If they expect me to upload the whole lot again, the relationship will be over before it actually started.  :(

You never read the FAQ? https://www.alamy.com/contributor/faqs/quality-control/?section=4 (https://www.alamy.com/contributor/faqs/quality-control/?section=4)
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: roboz on July 01, 2020, 19:50
Thanks to both of you for your replies, very much appreciated.

Yes, I read the FAQs and I have read about the handling of reviews here in the forum, so I was aware about the unique review by Alamy.

But my issue is, that I had not just 1 submission but 22 submissions rejected at once. A I have mentioned above, they are totally unrelated, different shooting dates, different locations, different cameras, different models, uploaded over a period of 4 days.

So far no answer from support. I guess I won't waste anymore time on this.
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: ShadySue on July 01, 2020, 20:11
Thanks to both of you for your replies, very much appreciated.

Yes, I read the FAQs and I have read about the handling of reviews here in the forum, so I was aware about the unique review by Alamy.

But my issue is, that I had not just 1 submission but 22 submissions rejected at once. A I have mentioned above, they are totally unrelated, different shooting dates, different locations, different cameras, different models, uploaded over a period of 4 days.

So far no answer from support. I guess I won't waste anymore time on this.
That is exactly how it works. One file fails, every submission batch which is currently awaiting QC fails.
From the FAQs:
"Q. Why do you reject my whole submission if you find a problem with one of my images?
A. We receive over 100,000 images a day so it’s simply not possible for us to check every image. We check a small sample of your images and if all images in that sample are ok then we’ll pass the whole submission. If we find one failure then all images awaiting QC will fail.
We take the view that every image you submit should meet our QC standards so when we look at a random sample we expect it to represent the quality of all images submitted. Our top tip is to check all images at 100% (actual pixels) before you submit."

Advice from the forum to newbies is generally only to upload a dozen or so files at a time until you 'get' their QC.
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: roboz on July 03, 2020, 21:19
Thanks for your answer Sue,
I don't want this to become an endless story, it's not that important. But just for your info: I uploaded again 4 batches, 4 submissions. 1 image has been rejected, the rest accepted. I am confused ... but okay.

Regards,
Rob
Title: Re: Awaiting QC
Post by: Uncle Pete on July 08, 2020, 08:37
Thanks for your answer Sue,
I don't want this to become an endless story, it's not that important. But just for your info: I uploaded again 4 batches, 4 submissions. 1 image has been rejected, the rest accepted. I am confused ... but okay.

Regards,
Rob

If it's rejected for technical specifications, size, colorspace, or an upload error, then the rest go through to review. If it's rejected in review, by a human, everything waiting will be rejected.

One fail all fail applies to: "If we find one failure then all images awaiting QC will fail."

It's possible to have the intake, pre-check, for meeting technical standards, refuse a file. That's not the same as a review failure.