Quote from: sshoults on April 25, 2019, 10:54

I'm having the same issue - largely with Dreamstime, Alamy, 123RF and Pond5. Some are being submitted but I can't work out how to try and force submit - do I just click the 'upload/submit' button again? I can see a batch of images on my DT account that haven't been submitted from an upload a few weeks ago.

Please PM me your registration e-mail and an example of a file ID that didn't get submitted to DT.

I think it may have resolved as I just had a number of notifications through from DT. Thank you

I have taken shots on my Pixel 2 which have sold on stock sites. It's no substitute for a DSLR or MFT, but something else, an extra tool perhaps. Particularly for covert shots and those moments when you don't have a 'proper' camera handy. What's that quote about the best camera being the one you have in your hand?

Overall I'd prefer to be shooting for stock with a camera, but a saleable shot is do-able in a pinch with a good smartphone, IMO.

Thanks all for the very useful feedback.

Re: the tight cropping, that is definitely something I am trying to improve on, adding 'copy space' and flexibility. Having spent most of my photography life being trained to 'get closer' it's a tricky one to un-learn!

Is it worth taking down the really bad ones? Or does it not make much difference?

Interesting - thanks, I will try to look at it from a different point of view.

Hello, and happy new year!

Well I have been uploading to microstock sites slowly for about 9 months now and have got up to 300/400 on most of the major sites. I'm quite pleased that I can definitely see an improvement in my work from the initial batches I submitted (in fact some I am pretty embarrassed to have submitted now - but a lot were accepted so there we are!!).

I'm not making many sales, although I know most of my work is not very stock-y so this is to be expected. Time to be brave and ask for critique! Some comments would be useful to help improvement, if anyone would be so kind? I'm not expecting to make my fortune, just a bit of pocket money for camera gear really

https://www.shutterstock.com/g/sophieshoults

Thanks!

Hi all,

I've got around 120 images live on Shutterstock and others now, after signing up a couple of months ago. Now I'm now seeing some flaws in the editing of my earlier efforts though; they are suffering with compression and artifacts due to my newbie-ness in using the wrong program/machine/poor display to edit.

Frankly now that I see them on a big screen (revived a 'vintage' 27" imac for the purpose) I'm embarrassed to have submitted them, and only marginally less embarrassed for Shutterstock for having accepted them.

The images started life well, however, so I'd like to edit properly and resubmit. My question is, should I leave the previous versions up there, or delete them first? Anyone else have any experience of this? I know there are certain agencies that won't accept variations on a single image so obviously for those I'd have to delete first.

Thanks!

On Adobe do you mean? I know a lot of them result in very poor % return but given that I'm just starting out I figured I'd apply to as many as possible, see which work, which don't and where it's worth putting my energy. Discovered stocksubmitter now too which cuts down on a lot of legwork.

What's your recommendation for the best return?

It varies, my main camera at the moment is Olympus OM-D EM5 mk2, 17mm f1.8 lens; sometimes I use a smartphone (Pixel 2) but usually submit those just to smartphone-specific agencies. I've got some older images too taken on a Canon DSLR.

Sometimes I can see the noise and understand the rejection, other times I can't see it. Maybe I jut need to train my eye better, but if there are 'technical' ways to check such as graphs that would be helpful.

Interesting thread - I was also rejected from DP, tried again (still waiting for response), but if it's not really worth the bother then I won't sweat any more over it! I felt quite despondent over the row of 'no commercial value' feedback ahahah. But some of those photos have sold elsewhere so I guess it's just a matter of taste between agencies.

I'm finding it very curious (and frustrating!) how much variation there is between what agencies will accept/reject certain images, or require releases or not for some.