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Author Topic: My images always refused by fotolia  (Read 23628 times)

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Poncke v2

« Reply #25 on: May 02, 2013, 13:14 »
0
I keep hitting BMEs on FT, so I wont drop them, their pricing isnt all too bad considering 123 and BS. I am just going to enjoy the sales, and ignore the rejections. I feel so much better about it now.


« Reply #26 on: May 02, 2013, 21:14 »
+3
What else can you realistically do?  Your photo might be the best seller in the world, but you're not entitled to have Fotolia (or any agency) accept it.  Choosing to sell your image is the perogative of the agency and I personally don't see the point in fighting it.  Move on.  Either stop uploading to them, or continue and accept the rejections.  It's not like there aren't plenty of other agencies to choose from.

For the record Fotolia is my lowest acceptance rate too.  Reading this forum taught me that this isn't personal, so while I do try to learn from my rejections so I improve my technique (I'm very much a newbie), I don't take a rejection from any one single agency to heart.

« Reply #27 on: May 02, 2013, 22:03 »
+1
They accept most of my illustrations, and reject most of my photos. If I were mainly a photographer, I probably would have given up on them by now.

« Reply #28 on: May 02, 2013, 23:45 »
+2
On my last upload I got 100% acceptation at Alamy (new agency for me)
You do realize that on Alamy it is either 100% approved or 100% failed?  And they do not care at all what you upload as long as the image meets their technical requirements.

On FT I have a very high acceptance ratio, better than most other sites.  Not that my images are particularly good, just that I seem to take things they like to accept.  I have learned a little: never send FT flowers ;D and never send them isolated fruit.  It will get rejected.  Despite the given rejection reasons I think on FT they look more at what the image is than other sites do and they reject things they do not want.

As Poncke has already said, if it is rejected either ignore it and take the sales from the other sites.  Or learn what the site wants and adapt, your choice.

gillian vann

  • *Gillian*
« Reply #29 on: May 03, 2013, 01:29 »
0
i'm still trying to work out what their "flavour" is. I don't do flowers, and only a bit of fruit every now and then (only if I'm shooting it for a client). did someone once say they don't like travel/landscapes?
they don't like backgrounds either (overfull category perhaps?)
my health/beauty stuff seems to be the only files that sell well.

« Reply #30 on: May 03, 2013, 04:55 »
+1
On my last upload I got 100% acceptation at Alamy (new agency for me)
You do realize that on Alamy it is either 100% approved or 100% failed?  And they do not care at all what you upload as long as the image meets their technical requirements.

Alamy has a far superior system! Most microstock companies that reject good photos are crazy!
Sell them on Alamy, better pay. How do these companies know what clients are looking for? By previous sales?
Most of what I sell on Alamy has been rejected on other sites. Don't get me wrong I make money on micro sites which adds up but when you sell a photo that has been rejected and sold on Alamy and you get $5, $20 or even $100 or more for that one sale it's a good feeling.

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #31 on: May 03, 2013, 06:58 »
0
Most of what I sell on Alamy has been rejected on other sites. Don't get me wrong I make money on micro sites which adds up but when you sell a photo that has been rejected and sold on Alamy and you get $5, $20 or even $100 or more for that one sale it's a good feeling.
Indeed, and I like Alamy, but the sales are relatively sparse, and they don't always make more than you'd get on the micros (usually I do, but there are some very low value sales with wide usage (RM). I have read that non-micro-style RF gets more money on Alamy, though.
Alamy does have a far better understanding of natural light, which is a Good Thing (if you shoot natural light).

« Reply #32 on: May 07, 2013, 10:22 »
0
 :o I usually complain about Fotolia, however, today I am shocked. Submitted 15 photo the other day and 13 out of 15 where accepted  ??? Go figure!

OM

« Reply #33 on: May 07, 2013, 17:56 »
0
On my last upload I got 100% acceptation at Alamy (new agency for me)
You do realize that on Alamy it is either 100% approved or 100% failed?  And they do not care at all what you upload as long as the image meets their technical requirements.

On FT I have a very high acceptance ratio, better than most other sites.  Not that my images are particularly good, just that I seem to take things they like to accept.  I have learned a little: never send FT flowers ;D and never send them isolated fruit.  It will get rejected.  Despite the given rejection reasons I think on FT they look more at what the image is than other sites do and they reject things they do not want.

As Poncke has already said, if it is rejected either ignore it and take the sales from the other sites.  Or learn what the site wants and adapt, your choice.

LOL. Got 2 out of 2 flowers accepted today at FT. I was shocked!

« Reply #34 on: May 08, 2013, 04:45 »
+1
I had 4 landscape images accepted 3 weeks ago. I'm still recovering from the shock!

« Reply #35 on: May 12, 2013, 11:40 »
0
You must have gotten the lucky reviewer on the landscapes.   Sigh.  I submitted a batch from my recent trip to Hawaii, and they rejected 3/4 of them.   The ones they kept were the ones I thought were the weakest images. 

The rest they rejected for being "too similar - subject oversaturated" or whatever.   So, apparently, they have tons and tons of aerial photos of Kauai already and don't need any more  (A search reveals a grand total of 49 in the database  ::) )   

I had stopped contributing to them because I was getting so annoyed by the rejection rate, especially since I mostly do landscapes.   But I dropped iStock after the Getty/Google debacle, so I am back to dealing with Fotolia to make up the difference.   The kicker is the few landscape images of mine they do allow in the database always end up selling very well - so its not like their customers don't like them.  Maybe I should think of that as some sort of weird advantage - the few landscape images they do let in are competing in a much smaller pool than at the other agencies so they sell well.   

« Reply #36 on: July 02, 2013, 10:21 »
+4
I usually have mixed feelings about Fotolia, but after my last submissions I am completely convinced the reviewers are playing stink finger while reviewing the photos.
I always submit to Fotolia last, I want to see what the other 18 companies I submit too do with my photos.  I submitted 150 photos to 18 other companies and had a 92% approval, except for istock and shutterstock which were at 87% for istock and 85% at shutterstock.
Now for Fotolia, 3 out of 150 got accepted what is that something like less than 2%, WTH is wrong with them? I think I am done with them now!
Just had to vent.

« Reply #37 on: July 02, 2013, 11:09 »
0
That sort of image is better off at Alamy.

« Reply #38 on: July 02, 2013, 13:09 »
0
That sort of image is better off at Alamy.

Alamy is my favorite, of course they accepted all 150 photos. I will also bet that the rejected photos that were accepted by Alamy will sell within a few weeks.

marthamarks

« Reply #39 on: July 02, 2013, 16:57 »
+2
I've been subscribed to this site for some time, listening, not saying anything. But this thread is suddenly "important" to me, since I just started uploading to Fotolia. Whew!

With over 1,400 images currently earning 33% royalties on SS http://www.shutterstock.com/g/marthamarks, I'm not a rookie, but I'm not super-experienced either. My port's on SS, DT, PhotoDune, Pond5, and Veer... and it was on iStock too until they dropped indie royalties to 15% 2-3 years back. Not worth the hassle and aggravation, so I left.

Every summer, I pick a new agency or two to expand my reach. This year, I chose Pond5 (which has taken almost everything I gave 'em but hasn't sold anything yet) and Fotolia.

Last week, I uploaded to FT the 1,642 images in my "official stock portfolio", all of which have been accepted somewhere or other. So far, FT has taken exactly 250 images http://us.fotolia.com/p/203392298, rejected about 900, and is still working its way through the remainder, so I've got under 30% acceptance to date.

I will give FT lots of credit for really fast turnaround!

Still, I've been stunned and disappointed by such a low rate, especially considering that these images have all passed muster somewhere else. Reading this thread has helped me feel soooo much better.

Yes, FT appears to be unfathonable and fickle, as somebody said. FT has rejected my best-sellers on SS and DT and accepted some that I almost didn't bother uploading. FT says "similar image" even when I can't find anything remotely resembling my image on their site. FT points to "technical problems" as the reason for rejection, but then lists so many possibilities that it's a stab in the dark to guess which one is the culprit. Aaargh!!!

So, thanks to all of you for your insights and words of comfort. :-)

WarrenPrice

« Reply #40 on: July 02, 2013, 17:06 »
0
Looked at your port on SS; excellent work.  We seem to have similar interests.

I had a problem with ethics at FT.  I stopped uploading but left some of my images.  I "think" I finally learned what might be accepted.  Just that I lost interest in slow sales and small commissions.

PS:  Nature/wildlife doesn't work very well.




marthamarks

« Reply #41 on: July 02, 2013, 18:02 »
0
Thanks, Warren, for your compliments. You're very kind!

Based on what I've seen these last two days, I suspect you're right about FT's lack of interest in wildlife and nature. I'll see how sales go and may not upload any more if they don't sell well.

Correction... I'm at 33 *cents* on SS, not 33 *%*. There really is a difference!

« Reply #42 on: July 02, 2013, 22:30 »
0
My recent upload of 20, I had a grand total of 1 accepted by Fotolia.  My lowest acceptance rate yet!

marthamarks

« Reply #43 on: July 02, 2013, 22:38 »
0
Hey, Silky, thanks (I think) for that news. Now I really don't feel so bad.  =:-0

« Reply #44 on: July 03, 2013, 02:34 »
0
Martha, good work. I looked at your DT profile.  Sharp and clean images. I am far behind to achieve this level of quality images. I added as you Fav in DT.

« Reply #45 on: July 03, 2013, 05:54 »
+1
Just got the last few rejections back from Fotolia, I'm done with them!
Photos rejected for blur and out of focus reasons. They seriously need to get a clue. I checked my photos at 100% (Actual Pixels) and beyond.
You can see pores on my models skin and peach fuzz hair on her face in focus, their reviewers have some serious mental issues from playing stink finger, maybe it that throttled their brains and affected their eye site!
Maybe it's time to boycott them for a while!

Tryingmybest

  • Stand up for what is right
« Reply #46 on: July 03, 2013, 06:16 »
0
Fotolia has a rigid line on many types of images. I almost always get rejections from them for seamless pattern designs. However, when it comes to cartoons of people or animals, I have no problem.

Keep working your style and keep submitting. Most of all, enjoy what you do and let the rejections slide (especially if they are not your biggest source of microstock income). Do what you can to provide what they need, from image type, to technical things.
 8)

I am very puzzled why fotolia refuses my images systematically. They are accepted between 50% to 80% at other sites and they are selling. My best selling images have been refused at fotolia and I feel they put a red flag on me for some odd reason. Does anybody else experience the same problem?

I sent them an email for clarification and here is the answer (just a generic answer - probably a cut and paste sentence): "Thank you for your e-mail. Please note that all of your files have been reviewed by our selection team. Also note that the selection team is a separate department, so we have no influence on their decision. The main criteria for validation or rejection are: the quality of the image/video, the technical requirements, the similarity to existing Fotolia photographs and the image's/video's sale potential. We know that it can be difficult to have an image or video rejected but please bear with us. You would be able to view your deleted files by going to: "My Files > Manage My Files > Show Deleted Files (green button located on the right side)". We encourage you to continue uploading your images and videos."

I have attached some samples of refused files:

« Reply #47 on: July 03, 2013, 06:22 »
+1

I will give FT lots of credit for really fast turnaround!



LOL, they were rejecting photos as I was uploading them. That is a fast turnaround.

« Reply #48 on: July 03, 2013, 06:26 »
0
I'm mostly wildlife and nature and they reject most of my images. I still upload them there anyway. It's just part of my workflow. I don't take rejections personal, just keep moving on.

« Reply #49 on: July 03, 2013, 06:38 »
0
I'm mostly wildlife and nature and they reject most of my images. I still upload them there anyway. It's just part of my workflow. I don't take rejections personal, just keep moving on.

Me too. They accept my illustrations, and reject photos. Dreamstime accepts photos and reject illustrations, so I assume DT+FT as a single agency for me.

But recently FT rejected many images from me, and at the same time I have 8 days in a row without a single view to my portfolio. Coincidence or search rank depends from acceptance ratio?


 

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