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Messages - SLStudios

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51
Stocksy / Stocksy Sent Me A Blank Email
« on: July 03, 2014, 09:13 »
So I a assuming I did not get into to Stocksy this time around but I got an email from them with a subject line that read, "Thanks for your interest" and a blank body......

Is that their way of saying my images are so bad there are no words?

52
Software / Re: Apple announces death of Aperture & iPhoto
« on: June 28, 2014, 09:58 »
I never used either products but I agree that the concept of Adobe having an even bigger stranglehold on photographers  does not make me fell all warm and fuzzy. I like Lightroom and I use it as a primary tool for post but I would like to have other options available to me. Realizing that there are a few products out there that are competitors, none are in close competition like Aperture was. Sad really.

53
I agree. I am starting to see more get through. What a pain in the arse though. I has taken a lot of work lately to get simple stuff through..... Hope this is a good omen.

54
I have been submitting really small batches of 1 to 5 images a day and that is getting it done but I also went to shooting on a tripod and tethered so I can see exactly what I am getting right away and adjust on the fly. I shoot mostly food so that works for me.

55
You should add Safari into the poll if you really want to see how many Mac/Safari users are out there. I use Safari on my Mac more than anything else. Firefox is second and chrome is not getting installed on it EVER. Chrome is heavy and uses way to many resources for it to be a worthy browser. It is just another example of an over-bloated Google product if you ask me.

56
They just got me again but this time for focus. The images were shot at ISO100, f/8, on a tripod and are sharp on my monitor. Seriously considering being done with them. what shutter stock? Seriously?

57
Ok, here is a perfect example. Go to the Shutterstock main home page, scroll down a bit and click on the Photos tab. On the left hand side there is a very nice photo of asparagus.

Now, I dare anyone to try to duplicate that photo and get it passed the SS reviewers now.   I can almost guarantee that it will be refused for a) poor lighting (shadows) and/or b) cropping.

Something happened to the review system a few months ago. What used to go though approved before, will more than likely be rejected now. Everything is taken too literally. That sweet little asparagus photo would not exist there today, if left up to the current review system.

I think it would Anja :)

Kati Molin is one of the best food photographers on SS (and elsewhere).

I have been following her for years - in a purely professional capacity of course :)

I think she was once the featured photographer on Shutterstock too, in fact, if I remember correctly it was after reading her interview/bio on SS I 'checked her out' and clicked on follow, and that was about three years ago.

However, back on topic, I understand what you're saying. Images that 'push the envelope' do run the risk of being rejected for lighting issues, but there again, they always have done.

In the past, generally, even in those specific cases, they could get through because the reviewer would hopefully appreciate the aesthetic quality of an image, and commercial value. That might well have changed now.

But, your point is well taken and possibly true, I just doubt it would would apply to Kati Molin's stuff that's all.

Edit: I just checked her recent stuff on SS (although I'm a follower I am a little tardy in checking every week) her new stuff is a great example of 'pushing that envelope'. Lovely use of light and (extreme) shallow DOF. She knows what she's doing and clearly is getting the stuff accepted.

There again, of course we don't know how much is thrown back at her from reviewers, but judging what they have passed (recently) it's all looking good :)

Kati Molin is a great photographer but for the life of me, I can't see how you could get shots like that through. I have had so many rejected for focus because I chose a to use a shallow DOF and poor lighting for shooting with some shadows in the image. All in the last couple of months too but I am not near as talented as Kati so it could just be me. I don't think that is the case though.

58
I had a couple random images approved today out of a set that had previously been 100% rejections. While I am not complaining, it is odd that the rest of the groups was rejected then these went right through.

59
got slammed again for poor lighting. Time to take a break from this ordeal...

I am nearly at the point of giving up completely. This is getting so freakin' old.

60
Reviewers shouldn't be active contributors at the same time. Their ports should be disabled if they are reviewing. There's a clear conflict of interest for reviewers who have the power to keep out images that would compete with theirs.

I agree but I don't think that is the case. I think I read somewhere that you can be both.

61
Didnt think of it that way before.. :) thanks for sharing your thought.. Are you using the pc version?

Yes.

62
I use lightroom and the dang thing adds keyword categories and related words a lot. Some don't apply and since it does it on export

user error :)

Nope. The newest version does this on export.

63
...this is just an additional tool to review/change the keywords before uploading.

it allows to keyword a single image, to keyword multiple images at the same time, to copy kewords from one image to many, to reorder them, and to choose between add or replace keywords from multiple images..

:)

It is not a replacement for LR in my mind. What it is though, is a tool that allows you to fine tune your keywords. I use lightroom and the dang thing adds keyword categories and related words a lot. Some don't apply and since it does it on export, I use the keyword tool to remove the junk BEFORE I upload the files.

I see it as an additional tool, not a replacement tool.

64
Hi guys,
 
We've been in the process of creating a more detailed FAQ on Review, but to answer the basic question(s) in the meanwhile:
 
We welcome review disputes and feedback when you're unhappy. You guys put a lot of work into image creation and we respect that. Many people on the team are photographers, videographers and illustrators themselves and appreciate the effort that goes into content creation.

There are three basic scenarios that we find when we research review disputes:
 
1. Youre 100% right and there was an error made during the process. Please let us know. Well fix it.
2. The review determination was on the line and could be viewed either way.  A more forgiving second review can result in the images being approved.  This is a long-standing policy.
3. The original review determination was correct.
 
In terms of communication, we have individuals participating in the various forums.  For example, Vincent administrates the SS forums, Anna participates in the Russian-speaking forums, and Ill often respond to inquiries at MSG. We have over a dozen different communication channels, ranging from the blogs, social media, forums, workshops, contributor meetups, email tickets and more.     
 
We read all of that incoming feedback, but we often dont participate in review threads.  We also ask that support questions only go to our email address.   Why?     
 
With a large team of individual reviewers, over 55,000 contributors and millions of images passing through this process, every single case is different.  We also need to see the exact images in question.
 
The only "official" process at the moment for handling review feedback is to contact Support.  That logs a trackable ticket in our system which we can then assign to our review coordinators; the "Tier 2" leaders who work directly to evaluate, train, and mentor specific reviewers. They also own the maturation of our guidelines and standards. Tickets can be tracked, escalated, closed, and have the full history of the questions and feedback. We can tie the issue or question to a specific group of images and a specific reviewer.
 
We track the number of issues on a daily and weekly basis, as well as many metrics that allow us to analyze the review process. Statistically speaking, we receive very few complaints to Support relative to the many millions of images that we process, but any number of issues greater than zero is too many and we always want to improve.   
 
As always, if you have a specific batch that was an issue, please let us know at [email protected].  We're happy to help.

As mentioned, we're also writing up a more extensive FAQ to supplement what's found on the Contributor blog and in educational materials such as our Success guide. We don't want this process to feel mysterious. More to come.

Best,

Scott
VP of Content

What I don't get is how I went from getting 90% of my work approved to 100% rejection OVERNIGHT! I am quite sure I don't just all of a sudden suck at what I do. Something changed on SS end of the process and a lot of people are getting screwed by it.

65
Dreamstime.com / Re: "Confidential" email from Dreamstime
« on: May 28, 2014, 20:07 »
I opted out too.....

They just want the images free to test in Beta.... lol. I have seen sites stay in beta for years..... Not no, but HELL NO!

66
Ever since I avoided weekend reviews my approvals seem to be ok.

The stuff that I had rejected today was submitted yesterday but reviewed this afternoon......

67
Well, there it is..... They rejected the whole batch from the weekend for noise and lighting. All shot at ISO 100 and lite very precisely. This is getting old.

68
I uploaded a small batch today. This is the first in about 2 weeks. I am waiting to see what happens with them but after the replies here, I am half suspecting they will get tossed. Time will tell.

69
Well if it's any consolation used to get tons of rejections but they are falling off these days purely because:

A. I custom white balance each shooting session.
B. Manual focus everything (auto is just too inaccurate)
C. Blown highlights are avoided as are clipped blacks so hand held metering for everything.
D. Shoot everything on a tripod at ISO100

E. Most importantly I've done test shots at all apertures on the lens selections I have and found the optimum point for DOF and focus before circle of confusion sets in for each lens.

F. Never bother processing and submitting borderline photos.

G. Proper keywording so none of this keyword spam crapola.

H. A little selective sharpening (30~40% opacity) makes things look clean and clear.

And lo and behold rejections have fallen off and the ones I get I tend to agree with.  ;D

I also find small batches submitted often works wonders too. 

I tend to wait for batches to get through approval before submitting the next one that way you avoid the scattergun rejection approach some reviewers seem to use.  :-\

Thanks for sharing your workflow here. It could really be helpful to some. Interestingly enough, alot of what you mention, I am already doing. I have even taken to shooting tethered a lot so I can get a good look at each image as it is created.

70
I have always assumed it was people that were at the root of the problem simply because it is so inconsistent. Seriously, if a piece of software was being this erratic, I would scrap it and find a better way.

71
I am not sure about the automation thing but maybe. All I know is that I can not seem to get a shot in there lately. Sad too. Some of what has been rejected has sold on other agencies so I feel like it might have done well on SS.

I guess I will take a break this week. Maybe I will go ready my camera's operation manual and see what all those buttons and stuff are for. Maybe I turn the wrong dil or hit the wrong button.......  ;D

72
I am working on adding a few images but need to go dig out some stuff that is more fitting to their site.

Here is what I have so far: https://crated.com/ChristopherKimball

73
Same here today 100% rejected, focus issue.. and they are not!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

frustrating isn't it? I just got new glasses so they can't tell me I can't see. Lol

74
It does seem like if you use any selective focus or shallow DOF, they are kicking those back as "focus not appropriate" or out of focus. I do like a shallower DOF but just as a test I sent some in that were shot at f/11 with everything in the image in focus and they booted those too. Yup, for focus. Lol.

75
Well, it is at least comforting to know it isn't just me. I was starting to think I forgot how to use my camera while I was sleeping or something.

Thanks for the replies......

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