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Agency Based Discussion => iStockPhoto.com => Topic started by: Nikd90 on October 17, 2012, 03:15

Title: IStock rejection
Post by: Nikd90 on October 17, 2012, 03:15
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
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: Gannet77 on October 17, 2012, 04:16
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.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: ShadySue on October 17, 2012, 05:26
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.  ;)
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: Difydave on October 17, 2012, 05:57
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.
Title: IStock rejection
Post by: Nikd90 on October 17, 2012, 06:48
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
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: Gannet77 on October 17, 2012, 08:14
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.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: click_click on October 17, 2012, 10:06
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!
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: Jo Ann Snover on October 17, 2012, 10:23
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  (http://www.istockphoto.com/search/portfolio/416793)that's almost all landscapes. Or at ooyoo (http://www.istockphoto.com/search/portfolio/993404#f5a8e75) - 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
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: leaf on October 17, 2012, 11:57
I merged both of the threads that were identical.  Please only start one thread per topic.
Title: IStock rejection
Post by: Nikd90 on April 18, 2013, 02:47
Finally got selected in iStock
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: ShadySue on April 18, 2013, 06:27
Finally got selected in iStock
A muffled cheer. Well done for getting in  :), but ...  :o
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: aeonf on April 18, 2013, 06:38
Enjoy your 15%
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: The Mighty Jungle on April 18, 2013, 09:34
Finally got selected in iStock
Congrats.... send us a link to your portfolio... would love to see it!
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: vlad_the_imp on April 18, 2013, 10:12
Quote
Enjoy your 15%

Enjoy your 25c from SS too.
Title: IStock rejection
Post by: Nikd90 on April 18, 2013, 11:12
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
Title: IStock rejection
Post by: Nikd90 on April 18, 2013, 11:12
http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-1249963p1.html
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: grsphoto on April 18, 2013, 12:36
Quote
Enjoy 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
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: aeonf on April 18, 2013, 13:18
Quote
Enjoy your 15%

Enjoy your 25c from SS too.

I'm actually averaging 37c per DL so far.
very soon to be much higher.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: ShadySue on April 18, 2013, 13:23
Quote
Enjoy 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.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: Poncke on April 18, 2013, 14:13
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.
Title: IStock rejection
Post by: Nikd90 on April 18, 2013, 20:44
And the landscape ones have sold so far. I know ft is not accepting landscapes
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: Mantis on April 19, 2013, 06:20
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.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: Poncke on April 19, 2013, 11:54
FT need to get rid of their insane categories as well... its a freaken scientific process to find the correct category.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: heywoody on April 19, 2013, 13:43
Confused  :o - Is this thread about IS, SS or FT?

@Ponke - just put everything in a single generic category, no problem  :)
Title: IStock rejection
Post by: Nikd90 on April 20, 2013, 03:21
Heywoody, are you sure if there is any disadvantage of putting under a general category. ?
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: Poncke on April 20, 2013, 04:24
The general idea is that buyers/designers dont use categories to find images. Agencies should do away with them altogether. But it looks pretty on the site, to offer categories. Its a pain in the hole, thats all categories are.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: Mantis on April 20, 2013, 07:16
The general idea is that buyers/designers dont use categories to find images. Agencies should do away with them altogether. But it looks pretty on the site, to offer categories. Its a pain in the hole, thats all categories are.

When Peter at Stockfresh built that site he did away with categories and openly stated in MSG that they don't bring any value. I agree Ponke, they are extra work for no return on our time.....that I know of anyway. It would be really be interesting to hear site owners/key people chime in on categories.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: ShadySue on April 20, 2013, 08:22
(as this started as an iS thread ...)
iS said over a year ago, maybe more like two, that they were thinking of doing away with categories, but far from abolishing them, the categories now seem to appear on a file's homepage keywords.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: gillian vann on April 23, 2013, 03:58
I don't understand why they aren't using categories in the search.

on eBay if you do a search you can refine it further via categories.
on iS all the categories are listed so if you click one - thinking it'll narrow the results - it can result in a 0 items page. then you have to unclick that out of the search terms (once you work out to do that, the first time I just started from scratch). sure, it does refine the search if you click on one that has files in it, but it's unsophisticated.

I'd still vote Fotolia's categories as far more annoying.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: packerguy on April 23, 2013, 07:51
Unless things have changed, at fotolia selecting a catagory is not required in order to submit an image.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: gillian vann on April 23, 2013, 17:18
Unless things have changed, at fotolia selecting a catagory is not required in order to submit an image.
I havent' found that. And once you select a category you have to keep going and choose sub categories, even when they don't really fit.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: Poncke on April 23, 2013, 17:31
Unless things have changed, at fotolia selecting a catagory is not required in order to submit an image.
OMG !!!!! I didnt  know that. I just tried. Aaaaahhhhh its not needed. Dang
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: dbvirago on April 23, 2013, 17:34
It's not needed, but you have to click None. That was put into place a few months ago. Before that, you could ignore them altogether.

I have always thought categories was a waste of time. Only thing that makes me wonder is on DT where they show the words used in a search. What about the ones without keywords. Did they get there via scrolling categories?
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: gillian vann on April 23, 2013, 18:54
oh, i didn't see that but I often use the indexing feature to do a bunch at a time. I'll have to look harder for the "none"

edit: there appears to be no "none" when you do the batch edit?
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: Ariene on May 26, 2013, 11:48
If we are talking about iStock rejections... Is it only me having 100% accepted, I mean is it normal since now? It is absolutely first time (joined in 2008 and always had some % rejected), it is big batch, and I just don't know what to think... to be affraid of new coming soon or what??
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: gemmy12 on May 26, 2013, 13:37
Does istock send test results on weekends as well ?
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: ShadySue on May 26, 2013, 15:32
Does istock send test results on weekends as well ?
Yes.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: gemmy12 on May 26, 2013, 21:58
Does istock send test results on weekends as well ?
Yes.
oh thanks. I did not know that.
Title: IStock rejection
Post by: Nikd90 on May 26, 2013, 22:01
If we are talking about iStock rejections... Is it only me having 100% accepted, I mean is it normal since now? It is absolutely first time (joined in 2008 and always had some % rejected), it is big batch, and I just don't know what to think... to be affraid of new coming soon or what??
Yes.  Recently the acceptance rate for me has gone up. I thought I had improved me skills and now know what agencies are lookin for till I saw your post.
Title: Re: IStock rejection
Post by: Pauws99 on May 27, 2013, 04:35
Me too thought I had become a master photographer overnight!!! They did say they would be loosening up - I suspect they may have gone too far and the pendulum may swing back a bit.