I got some images reviewed today, and all the shots I took on a beach were rejected. I can see that I should have done some spring cleaning on the beach before this shot (hence the rejection for composition), but I can't really understand that it should be rejected because of a low color profile? My monitor is not the best or easiest to calibrate visually, so it could be the problem. Do I need to get a new monitor, or is the entire problem in the person in front of the computer?
(I didn't see the point in including a 100% sample, since the rejection reasons were color and composition).

If you're feeling a bit grumpy today, you're welcome to point out all the other mistakes in the rest of my portfolio too.

Hi Gaja,

Quite interesting, I think this image has potential - and it's quite easy to do some 'spring cleaning' even now. I am not sure it's a "low" color profile problem, it may be that the baby and the beach have about the same level of color intensity (I'd lighten up the beach and clean up all the twigs etc with a healing/cloning tool), I also see a somewhat yellow-ish ting in the entire image (I just calibrated my monitor a few days ago and based on the feedback I got, it's pretty accurate). I wonder if something like this'd get this image approved:

Thank you both for very helpful tips! I am taking in all the information, and am very happy to get the opportunity to learn!

The only things I did with the raw file was changing the color temperature to ca 6000, I can a agree that that was a bit high, it looks much better when it's less yellow. Then I upped the saturation a bit, and tweeked the levels to get rid of the greyness. But very careful tweeking. No curves, no color change, no burn tool or coloring.

This is from the original raw file, on my screen it is very blue.

If you shoot in raw, you can put the exposure quite a bit up, before noise and artefacts become too strong. So you can always get back to the original. However I also discovered that at least with the canons  images are a third to 2/3 stops underexposed. So I always overexpose 1/3 or 2/3 while shooting. Never had problems loosing detail. But you can always look at the histogramm which will show you if you loose detail. I do not know what kind of equipment you have, but if you use a fast lens wide open, these images would become more pleasing, because the background would not distract so much. Attached is my take on the image. The warm tone is ok in my opininion, but the colors are dull and could use a bit more pop. This is overall an unexiting image. If the lighting would be better a reviewer might find another reason to reject it. like the dirt in the sand. Just think of how a buyer want to use that image. I could think of someone working for a hotel wanting to show the sandy beaches or the beautiful playground. The sand is full dirt it would be no good advertisement and I would never want to advertise with such an image.