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Microstock Photography Forum - General => Photo Critique => Topic started by: rpishere on March 15, 2017, 11:06

Title: Please look at my portfolio
Post by: rpishere on March 15, 2017, 11:06
Hi All -

Fairly new into Stock photography. I got accepted in Shutterstock and iStock. In last 2 months, I have around 15 downloads but not sure if I'm headed in the right direction. If you could look at my portfolio and provide any feedback:

http://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/ravphotographix (http://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/ravphotographix)

Cheers,
Rav
Title: Re: Please look at my portfolio
Post by: alexandersr on March 23, 2017, 19:55
Nice pics, but i suggest to you try to do more photos who like microstock. ;)
Title: Re: Please look at my portfolio
Post by: rpishere on March 27, 2017, 15:27
Hi Alexander,

What do you mean by that? Meaning photos that have high chances to do well in stock?
Title: Re: Please look at my portfolio
Post by: Brasilnut on March 27, 2017, 17:59
Quote
Fairly new into Stock photography. I got accepted in Shutterstock and iStock. In last 2 months, I have around 15 downloads but not sure if I'm headed in the right direction. If you could look at my portfolio and provide any feedback:

Hi Rpishere, welcome!

First of all 65 pics over 2 months and 15 downloads is way too soon to judge if you're in the right direction. Need more like 1,000 images.

Anyway, from your sample, I have the following comments:

1. Most of your images lack copy space. One notable exception is "NYC Skyline by Twilight with full moon". I'd suggest you try ensure that all your images have enough "breathing room" like this one.

These lack serious copy space:
- Lombard Street or Crooked Street, San Francisco
- Freedom Tower & Downtown NYC by night
- George Washington Bridge by Twilight
- High Rise Buildings with beautiful tree in middle

2. Next, your composition is poor or awkward at best. Worst of all is that you're chopping off bits of the images (Fixing 1. above would help), such as in:
- Freedom Tower & Downtown NYC by night
- Toronto - Night Shot
- George Washington Bridge by Twilight
- Tropical Palm Trees
- NYC Midtown by Twilight with Empire State Building
- Natural Juice served in Pineapple
- Fresh Bread Basket - French Baguette (also flag lighting)
- Cafe with Outside Seating Area with a Teapot (awkward composition)

Try your best to keep images clean and free from clutter. The worst offender being:
- Natural Juice served in Pineapple

3. These generally look like snapshots which appear to lack commercial value - how popular would be a lamp or some leaves and random plants?

One exception would be some of the long exposures which are slightly better and have slightly more commercial value as well as "Amazing Midtown NYC Skyline by Twilight" which is probably your best image especially if you fix the composition.

4. There's some flat lighting and probably focus issues but I think that's enough critique for now :)

Good luck

Brasilnut

p.s Istockphoto would have rejected most of the photos only a few years ago, now they seem to accept everything! This industry is going down the drain...
Title: Re: Please look at my portfolio
Post by: rpishere on March 28, 2017, 09:08
Thanks for taking the time for such detailed criticism. I truly appreciate all the feedback because that's how one grows.

You are correct in saying my photos don't appeal commercially and the plain reason is they are not shot with commercialism or stock in mind, thereby lack of copy space. I recently started shooting with these aspects and earlier I was just clicking around what I seem to like.

Many of the composition errors you explained are also result of some early days photography when I was just starting to pick up camera and learn (for e.g. natural juice served in pineapple shot). While I don't agree with all the pictures you selected for composition errors, some of them are selected and liked by prestigious photographers but hey photography is subjective. What one likes is distasteful to other. This is not to say feedback you provided is not helpful. It certainly is.

Thanks again. Cheers!

Quote
Fairly new into Stock photography. I got accepted in Shutterstock and iStock. In last 2 months, I have around 15 downloads but not sure if I'm headed in the right direction. If you could look at my portfolio and provide any feedback:

Hi Rpishere, welcome!

First of all 65 pics over 2 months and 15 downloads is way too soon to judge if you're in the right direction. Need more like 1,000 images.

Anyway, from your sample, I have the following comments:

1. Most of your images lack copy space. One notable exception is "NYC Skyline by Twilight with full moon". I'd suggest you try ensure that all your images have enough "breathing room" like this one.

These lack serious copy space:
- Lombard Street or Crooked Street, San Francisco
- Freedom Tower & Downtown NYC by night
- George Washington Bridge by Twilight
- High Rise Buildings with beautiful tree in middle

2. Next, your composition is poor or awkward at best. Worst of all is that you're chopping off bits of the images (Fixing 1. above would help), such as in:
- Freedom Tower & Downtown NYC by night
- Toronto - Night Shot
- George Washington Bridge by Twilight
- Tropical Palm Trees
- NYC Midtown by Twilight with Empire State Building
- Natural Juice served in Pineapple
- Fresh Bread Basket - French Baguette (also flag lighting)
- Cafe with Outside Seating Area with a Teapot (awkward composition)

Try your best to keep images clean and free from clutter. The worst offender being:
- Natural Juice served in Pineapple

3. These generally look like snapshots which appear to lack commercial value - how popular would be a lamp or some leaves and random plants?

One exception would be some of the long exposures which are slightly better and have slightly more commercial value as well as "Amazing Midtown NYC Skyline by Twilight" which is probably your best image especially if you fix the composition.

4. There's some flat lighting and probably focus issues but I think that's enough critique for now :)

Good luck

Brasilnut

p.s Istockphoto would have rejected most of the photos only a few years ago, now they seem to accept everything! This industry is going down the drain...
Title: Re: Please look at my portfolio
Post by: Brasilnut on March 28, 2017, 09:15
You're welcome :)

I look at my first 60 pics and they look cringe-worthy to me now. At the time I thought they were great  :o

Good luck and keep shooting + submitting!

I used to also struggle with composition. Here's one from my early days, surprised to got through QC!

Brasilnut
Title: Re: Please look at my portfolio
Post by: rpishere on March 28, 2017, 10:48
Interesting. As many have said, its a marathon not a sprint so I'm trying to improve 1% in whatever I'm shooting next.

Your website is great. I liked your portfolio and blog.

Cheers

You're welcome :)

I look at my first 60 pics and they look cringe-worthy to me now. At the time I thought they were great  :o

Good luck and keep shooting + submitting!

I used to also struggle with composition. Here's one from my early days, surprised to got through QC!

Brasilnut
Title: Re: Please look at my portfolio
Post by: Brasilnut on March 28, 2017, 13:45
Quote
Interesting. As many have said, its a marathon not a sprint so I'm trying to improve 1% in whatever I'm shooting next.

Your website is great. I liked your portfolio and blog.

Cheers

Thanks! It's a tough business and I often feel like it's 2 steps forward and 1 step back, but at least I enjoy it.