Sorry, but I never click on a link that I don't know where it is actually taking me.

The lower left corner is out of focus, which kind of spoils the whole image for me.
I am not sure about its microstock potential anyway.
The toning limits its sale potential, on microstock colourful images tend to sell much better.

It's a nice "art" image, but it ain't stock.

Thanks everybody for your critique but I am now confused even more.

The photos I am to submit for application are supposed to be my best work and should should show my true potential as a photographer. At this stage I was not under the impression that I should submit 'stock' images. but instead images that best represent my photography skills.

Can somebody please put the record straight and let me know should I be submitting a stock image or an image that best represents my ability - it wont help if you say both.

Thanks 

In the application you're supposed to prove that you won't be wasting their time by continuously submitting images that won't get approved or that nobody will buy. You're supposed to prove that you understand more or less what stock photography is.

Right,
besides your technical skills of mastering exposure, focus, composition etc. you also have to show that you can produce images that sell.

Don't just apply with pretty, artsy pictures. The agency wants to see your conceptual potential, that' where the money is.

Thanks everybody for your critique but I am now confused even more.

The photos I am to submit for application are supposed to be my best work and should should show my true potential as a photographer. At this stage I was not under the impression that I should submit 'stock' images. but instead images that best represent my photography skills.

Can somebody please put the record straight and let me know should I be submitting a stock image or an image that best represents my ability - it wont help if you say both.

Thanks 

The application should show your best work and true potential as a photographer who:
1. Can produce technically good images with proper focus, lighting, exposure, etc
2. Can produce images that have value to commercial or editorial buyers

I like it. It would look great hanging on a wall in some rich guys yacht or at a yacht club. For stock, I see little to no value.

Thank you for the invaluable guidance. It is important that I get an approval on this next submission.

This is my second option - much more stock like

http://www.fablephotos.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Calligraphy2.jpg

I understand that the rope image is more arty rather than stock. If you could look and give you views on the above image i would be most grateful.

Thanks 

It's a macro shot that anyone can easily do. However, if you want to submit it, better focus on the pen nib rather than the double "L". Also, in the upper left side of the photo you have some nasty banding and artefacts.

I think the second image is more 'stock' or at least sellable but it does have its faults. I shall have to rethink this one too. Like I say I need this next one fly through without any flaws.

Thanks for your help.

FWIW - I prefer the second image although your first was good too - but as already stated over and over it probably isn't a stock image.
In regard to the second I agree with the point about the focus with one qualification - the focus on the word might be OK if that's the main message of your theme.

Whether calligraphy (as a word/theme) is stock worthy I am not sure.

As an alternative suggestion, using a similar theme to what you have is changing the text to something like "Last Will & Testament' with sharp focus on Last Will. That might be of interest to designers with law firm clients.

Alternatively, 'we the people...' although that would restrict the image a bit toward the US.

There's nothing to stop you (once you're accepted) in doing a series of phrases in the same style. But just don't try submitting more than one image to Dreamstime - they despise with rapture two images that even look remotely similar to each other.

Good luck, I would have like to have seen the two images that were accepted - why don't you post them? I'm sure we'd all like to see them.

An addendum
Just a point you might wish to consider when posting images here (or anywhere for that matter) placing a watermark on your picture (just your forum name will suffice). I doubt very much any members here would 'lift' one of your pictures but this site is also accessible to members of the global public and they (might) be tempted to copy one of your pictures and use it themselves. Better to be safe than sorry.

Quote from: Art Benco on August 07, 2011, 13:43

Thank you for the invaluable guidance. It is important that I get an approval on this next submission.

This is my second option - much more stock like

http://www.fablephotos.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Calligraphy2.jpg

I understand that the rope image is more arty rather than stock. If you could look and give you views on the above image i would be most grateful.

Thanks 

It's a macro shot that anyone can easily do. However, if you want to submit it, better focus on the pen nib rather than the double "L". Also, in the upper left side of the photo you have some nasty banding and artefacts.

The selling point of the image is about the text "Calligraphy"  and not the pen nib. It is very well composed imo.

Ok I am going to submit either the cow or the calligraphy image - which one should I go with?

Cow  - http://www.fablephotos.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Cow1.jpg

Calligraphy - http://www.fablephotos.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Calligraphy2.jpg
 

Dear Stewart

I have to say I am a little confused, on two levels, well 3 actually. I responded to your initial request for feedback on the calligraphy image. When I looked again at (all) your posts there is one in the newbie forum (now deleted?) that goes into a little more detail about your photographic abilities. In that post you tagged a link here www.fablephotos.co.uk/wordpress which goes to a very professional looking website of a photographer (with six years freelance experience) and also a guy that does on-site tutorials in both Photography and Adobe CS5. I noticed your rope image is on this site together with a collection of other very nice images - so it 'must be you'?

My confusion is 1. Why does someone with your obvious talent need to critique of the members of this site? and 2. Why are you suggesting posting an image of a herd of cows where clearly the focus is off (or as SS would say "where we feel it does not where it works best".

After looking at 'your site' a few days ago I had the sneaking suspicion you're pulling our chain, and am even more suspicious after your posting of the cow images today.

I will feverishly apologies if I am mistaken in my suspicions but can you really explain why someone of your quite obvious talent is still struggling to get an acceptance to iStockphoto?, your images (if they are yours on www.fablephotos.co.uk/wordpress) are im some ways already superior to what is already on iSP from other contributors.

3. Finally in that ? deleted ? message in the newbie forum mentioned above you said your forum name in iSP is Art Benco. I checked a few days ago, it appears not to exist unless I'm spelling it wrong.