Quote from: kmlPhoto on November 06, 2015, 12:24
I think you should focus on learning good composition and honing your storytelling skills with the point and shoot and wait until you have a good DSLR or mirrorless before trying stock. You will have trouble getting high quality images with a point and shoot. Other than the technical problems with this image, it could work as part of a series. Try giving yourself an assignment. Imagine you have been hired to photograph a day in the life of a bug, dog or any other item. Then spend the time and energy to capture as many images as you can of that subject doing all the things a bug, dog... does. Then look at the shots and see which work and which contribute to a story. I try to upload a series of images that tell as story. I get single downloads, but also get sales of the entire series.

This last tip is great!!!! Thanks!!!

Quote from: micsmt on August 21, 2015, 01:16
I´m a newbie, be my guest to criticize...

I 'm not trying to start a controversy here, just bring hope and PERSPECTIVE that someone , somewhere, may be looking for an image that no one imagines.
I sold two photos that no one imagined it would be sold someday.

Hi!
I always try to look at the good side of everything and even some rude coments  helped me some way. I know I need to study and practice a lot but I am already uploadind some pictures and sold 14 photos.
Today I received a tripod a bought in the internet!
Can wait to start using it!
Looking foward to improve!
Thanks for the coments!!!

http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?gallery_id=3571025

This is the link to my firsts photos at Shutterstock. Again, critics and tips are very welcome.

Just sold my first photo (first 0,48 cents) at Fotolia and Shutterstock finally acepted 9 of my 10 first pictures. I know I am just taking my first steps but feels so good to see some results...

Now that I am taking lots of photos everyday, I wonder how great the old school photographers had to be. I try over and over (not whith satisfactory results yet, of course) but I don´t spend any money or time to see the results so I can keep trying...
Hope someday I will take photos as good as this photographer (who took the pictures of the link in 1913)
http://mashable.com/2015/04/23/autochrome-photos-ogorman/

https://500px.com/micsmt

Quote from: Difydave on August 24, 2015, 13:46
Seems to me that you're following the well worn path of a new photographers thinking there is a quick fix to taking good images.
Forget that. There is no "quick fix"


Berries : So you're trying to learn, but you start with one of the more difficult types of photography. "Macro" All sorts of difficulties with that. Selecting the correct aperture, depth of field, focussing in the right place, lighting. You need a solid tripod, and a remote shutter release at least to do any good. Lots of light too. The problems with your shots have already been pointed out.

Beads: Again the problems have been pointed out. None of your shots look very sharp to me. They need to be pin sharp at the point of focus when viewed at 100% All in camera processing like sharpening should be turned off. No good really posting these images that are little more than thumbnails. To have any real chance of seeing what is going on, you need to post full sized images, with the EXIF intact, and preferably watermarked.

The shot has a nasty yellow tint, as well as being "flat and grey" lacking contrast. As already said it looks "cheap" "Diamonds" on a black velvet background would be OK. Yellow plastic beads on "white" look cheap.

Seems to me (and without the EXIF I'm guessing) that you're still using either centre weighted or evaluative exposure metering. Try using spot metering on the actual subject for these type of things, along with manual settings. You don't have to use manual focus, although for some macro work it becomes necessary. For most subjects, single point auto focus will be enough.

Read The Friendly Manual. . .

Difydave
I know I have a long, long way and I am not even thinking about upload anything soon.
I have no words to thank your patient and atention, not to mention you hability to teach. Everything you said will be processed and studied over and over.
I will control my anxiety now and upload something just when I really think I will have taken my first step in the right way.
Thanks again!!

This time I worked on the focus and the subject...

Quote from: Hongover on August 23, 2015, 20:34
You need some serious work on your compositions. I can see why some people think you're trolling because it look like you just a got a budget DSLR from your parents/friends as a gift and you just started to take photos.

You have your camera on auto focus and you're shooting these berries without any considerations. Don't just snap the first thing your viewfinder sees, let it refocus on the foreground object before hitting the button.

Start reading stuff on the internet otherwise you'll never get the basics.

Dear Hongover
I swear that I had my camera on manual focus, that I´m doing lots of researchs on the internet and taking a lot of photos. I just want to show I took the advices I got here very seriously and started right away.

I´m trying to start from the very beginning. Please, ignore the subject. I tryed to concentrate on the focus and the light. I know I have a long way but my anxiety is bigger than me and I had to make this post to show you my first baby step. Season of critics is open.
The second picture is a crop I did in the photo in 100% so you can analize the focus and the noise.

Difydave, ShadySue and Hongover
I agree with everything you posted. Strong criticsm and hard opinions are excelent if they really are made to help.
I realised I have to take baby steps in all the aspects: tecnique, self criticsm, market etc. (I have to improve my english too, I´m loosing a lot of information because my poor english)
I want you to know how much your opinion affected me in a good way. Hope get back and show some photos you aprove some day.
Thanks for the tips and for the critics.

Dear 4seasons
This session is called photo critique and not photo ofense. I am shure i will improve but not thanks  to someone like you. I do no think people are waisting their time trying to help me. They really helped me think which should be my next steps. I understand you have issues with beginers but try to be a litle more polite next time.
See you in a few photos.
And, by the way, I am a she, no a he.

I´m from Brasil, can you give me tips of what kind of photos from here are comercialy viable? Regional dishes? Large plantations? Nature?

Thanks for the tips, I´ll practice a little more and hope to bring better pictures in the future...

I think I started with the wrong foot. And would you upload photos like this?

Quote from: micsmt on August 21, 2015, 12:46
I have just being acepted at IStock and would like to know if is recomended to upload a lot of photos to have a few aproved or we have to select the ones to upload? Is it bad to have a lot of pictures rejected? They become more selective?

I have just being acepted at IStock and would like to know if is recomended to upload a lot of photos to have a few aproved or we have to select the ones to upload? Is it bad to have a lot of pictures rejected? They become more selective?

Why do you think this is a troll? I´m a beginner and have no intention to fool anyone, just trying to improve.

It is a fountain I have at home, I did not think about who would need a photo like that but thanks for the tip. And what about the quality of the picture and the treatment at Photoshop? Here is the original...

I´m a newbie, be my guest to criticize...