Hi All,

I have been rejected 4 times by iStock so far and I stopped trying but I want to get into istock. I tried again but at fotolia and following photos were selected. Can you please guide me which ones should I submit to iStock?
http://au.fotolia.com/p/202779889?order=popularity

Thanks

You will need more variety - the gull and the sunsets are NOT suitable (too common) and the rest are basically landscapes.

They like to see different subject, so, one landscape, one with people, another of something like still life/wildlife/city scene - just something different.

I don't think you have sufficiently different subjects there.

Your gull has no chance. The background is far too busy, with no reason for it to be so (no story relating the gull to the background). You haven't even made the effort to identify it for fotolia. Find out what species it is and include that in your keywords. Then look at other photos of that species on the agencies. If it's mega rare you 'might' get a sale or two, otherwise study the competition. Also, you could consider adding seagull, as sea gull isn't the way it's usually written, at least hereabouts, and people searching seagull can't see your file. Check out seagull (photos) by downloads. (H*LL, Fotolia is even worse spammed than some others! Honestly, the first site that sorts the keywording issue is made.)
OTOH,  I tried searching 'seagull' on iStock and the wheel is still going round after a minute.  Might still be worth looking at best match and downloads for seagull (photos) on iStock to see what sells.
I don't know why I'm telling you this. I have gull pics and don't need the competition. 

Agree with the above.
One of your landscapes might be OK. You'll also need (for example) A shot of some people actually doing something (I wouldn't just use figures in a landscape) and possibly a still life. As already said, show some diversity.

Thanks for your advice.  I like landscape photography but it seems it doesn't sell. I'll try to do some still pics. Will post few pics here before posting at iStock

Bear in mind that, for the purposes of the application, you don't need to worry about model or property releases, and that iStock do take editorial too.

So, you can use images which perhaps may not otherwise be acceptable, if you don't have releases - just try to give them three well composed, well lit and interesting photos, of a variety of subjects and/or techniques.  They want to see what you can do.

How do I put this delicately?

Look at your 13 images on Fotolia and divide them into categories like landscape, landscape, landscape, landscape, landscape, landscape, landscape, landscape, landscape, landscape, landscape, landscape and wildlife.

Now you're asking us which images to use to apply to iStock?

iStock is one of the hardest agencies to get into (as you have noticed...). One reason being is that you shouldn't submit 3 images of the same kind. If you have to, submit only ONE landscape shot but make sure it's absolutely stunning.

iStock wants to see your creativity, they are interested in highly commercial photos that are in great demand.

Therefore it's better to submit images that are more unique perhaps macro, portraits, lifestyle, business, industrial etc.

As always any contributor who wants to apply to IS should stop by here first and present their application images for critique.

The forum members here will give you valuable feedback to improve your chances of getting accepted.

Good luck!

Quote from: Nikd90 on October 17, 2012, 12:48
Thanks for your advice.  I like landscape photography but it seems it doesn't sell. I'll try to do some still pics. Will post few pics here before posting at iStock

Landscapes can sell very well - take a look at AVTG's stunning portfolio that's almost all landscapes. Or at ooyoo - nature shots as backgrounds as well as landscapes

If you want to shoot outdoors, there are some landscape subjects - such as well known places - that have larger potential markets than random scenery.

I agree that other than picking one of your landscapes, you should find two other photos for an iStock application

I merged both of the threads that were identical.  Please only start one thread per topic.

Finally got selected in iStock

Quote from: Nikd90 on April 18, 2013, 08:47
Finally got selected in iStock

A muffled cheer. Well done for getting in  , but ... 

Enjoy your 15%

Quote from: Nikd90 on April 18, 2013, 08:47
Finally got selected in iStock

Congrats.... send us a link to your portfolio... would love to see it!

QuoteEnjoy your 15%

Enjoy your 25c from SS too.

Here is my portfolio.

So far I have got 4 downloads of 25c each. I thought SS payout is better than other micro stock websites

http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-1249963p1.html

Quote from: vlad_the_imp on April 18, 2013, 16:12

QuoteEnjoy your 15%

Enjoy your 25c from SS too.

As a Newbie I much prefer my 25c from SS vs the 0.00c I get from iStock

Quote from: vlad_the_imp on April 18, 2013, 16:12

QuoteEnjoy your 15%

Enjoy your 25c from SS too.

I'm actually averaging 37c per DL so far.
very soon to be much higher.

Quote from: aeonf on April 18, 2013, 19:18

Quote from: vlad_the_imp on April 18, 2013, 16:12

QuoteEnjoy your 15%

Enjoy your 25c from SS too.

I'm actually averaging 37c per DL so far.
very soon to be much higher.

Clearly it's different on any site if you're starting with a large, established portfolio.

I am surprised FT took your landscapes, I cant get any accepted, except from the occasional one, and my landscape photos are certainly not worse.

And the landscape ones have sold so far. I know ft is not accepting landscapes

I think that it's fairly clear that FT is not big on landscapes and VERY selective on what they let in.  Their core customers, in their eyes, must not demand for these kind of shots.  Some I get in, some I don't.  With FT I try a second time and whatever gets in great, but that's it.  I stop trying.  They are a very "secretive" agency and operate within the cone of silence, communication to their contributors through polished words in their newsletters.  I still upload there, yes, because I still make money, but it fluctuates a lot.  $50 a month to $200 a month, somewhere around there.  If they are marketing to buyers here in the US, and they must since I believe they have a US office, I would loosen up acceptance on the nature, landscape shots if they are good.  My other shots do fairly well on other sites like SS and are moistly purchased in the ISA according to that little picture pop up map thingie on SS.  I am certain there is a way for them to conduct category management and thus measure new revenue tied to this category to measure success.  Maybe they already do this and that's why they reject so many, who knows. Operating in the cone of silence, we may never know, agents.

FT need to get rid of their insane categories as well... its a freaken scientific process to find the correct category.

Confused  - Is this thread about IS, SS or FT?

@Ponke - just put everything in a single generic category, no problem 

Heywoody, are you sure if there is any disadvantage of putting under a general category. ?