Author Topic: Mobile photos at Shutterstock and others, how picky are they about them? (Read 6105 times)

WalkingCameraman · « **on:** January 28, 2016, 12:21 »

I have read multiple times here and in different places that supposedly all major stock agencies accept mobile photos from contributors. Well, I personally never submitted any mobile pictures but I wonder how it works in practice. For example, let's talk about SS since it is one of the major earners for the majority of folks here. We all know they are very picky about photo quality. Many would probably say even too picky, and that is when a contributor submits shots from DSLR. So shots from mobile phones many times can be much worse in technical quality as compared to DSLR simply due to the limitations of mobile photography technology. Pictures from mobile cameras are often quite grainy, lack resolution, and prone to all sorts of technical flaws. That makes me think that the majority of mobile shots would be rejected by SS and other major agencies simply on the ground of its lack in quality even if the composition/topic/concept is worthy. What do you think? Has anyone tried submitting mobile shots and with how much success? Do people really buy them? Am I missing something maybe?

lisandrotrarbach · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2016, 12:38 »

I do not think SS accepts mobile photo. But, there are other sites that do.
DT for example. I tried some time ago, just for fun... I got 1 download... well, it is not a great one.. so, I think it is fair...

http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-sunset-porto-alegre-rio-grande-do-sul-brazil-image43650568 [nofollow]

ChrisGardinerPhotography · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2016, 15:40 »

i have yet to get a photo from my mobile accepted to SS. (i've only submitted 2 so far though, both rejected)

video on the other hand - sold my first UHD clip just today, which was shot on my cell phone. and i have more than a handful of those available... so cell phones can count for something..

good luck.

Rage · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2016, 22:03 »

Have had most of my mobile shot pics rejected by SS. might be a phone issue as well, I'm using a oneplus 2

etudiante_rapide · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2016, 00:16 »

excuse my ignorance as i do not have a mobile and does not know anything about using one, nor do i have any plans to use one like a camera.
but this is a question i need to know from you mobile users who submit mobile photos to ss.

when we submit camera photos, we submit it as jpeg. do mobile phones have a different file type or is it also jpeg???
if so, how would ss reviewer know if it is a mobile photo or a camera photos?

if there is no way for the reviewer to know the difference, then how do you know if the rejection was based on the fact that it is a mobile photos and not the fact that camera photos are usually rejected ... due to poor composition, wrong exposure, noise, fringe, chromatic aberration, etc.
.. this considering if the reviewer is one of those majority who justifiable curated the photos on an objective basis, and not one who enjoys rejection massacre like atilla does for sadistic joy.

please feel free to be frank with your answer as i am just curious objectively.

melastmohican · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2016, 00:36 »

I do not think it matters. Buyer do not see EXIF data and I am not sure if curator can see it. If they like it, it could be from any camera as long it meets their requirements. It is probably harder to take good photo with phone camera but in ideal light conditions it can happen.

MichaelJayFoto · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2016, 05:01 »

Quote from: lisandrotrarbach on January 28, 2016, 12:38

I do not think SS accepts mobile photo.

SS accepts mobile photos. They don't have a special collection for it, though. You can submit them through their app or via FTP from your desktop.

MichaelJayFoto · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2016, 05:03 »

Quote from: etudiante_rapide on February 03, 2016, 00:16

when we submit camera photos, we submit it as jpeg. do mobile phones have a different file type or is it also jpeg???
if so, how would ss reviewer know if it is a mobile photo or a camera photos?

Well, the EXIF data tells which camera has been used. Also it is rather obvious with most photos if they were shot with a dedicated camera with a larger sensor or with a mobile phone with a tiny fixed lens and small sensor.

You can shoot decent images with smart phones in good light conditions, though. And one of the advantages of small sensors is that almost everything is in focus. So no "focus issue" rejections for these images from Shutterstock.

cobalt · « **Reply #8 on:** February 03, 2016, 05:52 »

SS has accepted some of my mobile stock images and rejected others. But unless they have a dedicated mobile stock collection, I don´t see how the customer will find these files. Mobile stock is not just about images taken with a smartphone, but pictures processed with popular smartphone filters and trendy styling. So you can use any camera, itś about the look not where it came from.

Agree about the all in focus advantage of smartphones, sometimes in the studio I take a full sensor 36 MP image for stock and then take out the iphone for SS...