Author Topic: Did editorial caption requirements change recently? (Read 6676 times)

Desintegrator · « **on:** June 06, 2023, 17:18 »

Just got all my editorial photos and videos rejected for editorial caption.

I've written them the exact same way as i had been for many many years.

Example:
Valmeinier, France - Circa 2023:

Does anyone know about any rule change?

wds · « **Reply #1 on:** June 06, 2023, 18:39 »

Quote from: Desintegrator on June 06, 2023, 17:18

Just got all my editorial photos and videos rejected for editorial caption.

I've written them the exact same way as i had been for many many years.

Example:
Valmeinier, France - Circa 2023:

Does anyone know about any rule change?

I have always put a specific date, never "Circa xxxx"

SuperPhoto · « **Reply #2 on:** June 06, 2023, 21:39 »

Shutter stock actually has said (for at least a couple years), format is something like: city, state/province, country yyyy mm dd (don't recall if that is the exact format, but it is in their docs). You may have just gotten lucky all this time, and now they are being more 'stringent'...

Quote from: Desintegrator on June 06, 2023, 17:18

Just got all my editorial photos and videos rejected for editorial caption.

I've written them the exact same way as i had been for many many years.

Example:
Valmeinier, France - Circa 2023:

Does anyone know about any rule change?

Her Ugliness · « **Reply #3 on:** June 07, 2023, 00:40 »

Officially the rule for editorial captions was always "City, State / Country - Month Day Year: Description"

So your "Valmeinier, France - Circa 2023" was never really according to the rules.

But in the past they used to accept captions without the exact day for me. I've always written my captions like "Valmeinier, France, June 2023" and they have always accepted that. The exact day is so pointless in many cases. Like, photographing a shop sign for example. What does it matter whether that photo was taken on the 6th or 20th of a month?

But I only tried to submit an editorial images a couple of days ago and it was rejected for wrong caption. It's my first rejection in over a year. So I resubmitted with day and it got through. So maybe the reviewers got some memo to be more strict with the editorial caption rules.

....and since I can't be bothered to look up the exact date, since the exact date was of no relevance to the photo and since Shutterstock can't be bothered to extract the date form the image file data like iStock, I just made up a random date. Happy, Shutterstock?

gnirtS · « **Reply #4 on:** June 07, 2023, 09:34 »

All i can think of they're enforcing the capital letters now?

"Circa 2023" is perfectly within their own guidelines ( https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/creating-the-perfect-editorial-caption )

cascoly · « **Reply #5 on:** June 07, 2023, 12:01 »

they've been enforcing the all-caps requirement - maybe haphazardly. but don't think circa x was ever acceptable. they also reject vintage slide scans from the 70-80s as too old! non-editorial from those shots easily accepted, even if date was in the description

Unamas · « **Reply #6 on:** June 07, 2023, 12:48 »

There are plenty of "circa" photos.

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/bergamo-italy-circa-2023-view-intersection-2284479737
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tibet-china-circa-2023-off-road-2309743883

alijaber · « **Reply #7 on:** June 07, 2023, 13:08 »

I put "Circa" most of the time without problems, but I didn't submit anything for several months now...

Belish · « **Reply #8 on:** June 07, 2023, 13:55 »

"Circa" is acceptable for photos captured decades ago. Especially photographed on film where the is no automatic timestamp embedded in the file.
"Circa 2023"... In what hypothesis you took a picture this year and you do not know the exact date?

Unamas · « **Reply #9 on:** June 07, 2023, 15:32 »

Quote from: Belish on June 07, 2023, 13:55

In what hypothesis you took a picture this year and you do not know the exact date?

it's easier to describe photos. Just copy paste "Valmeinier, France - Circa 2023" after description and done, instead of wasting time on exact date. Of course there are cases when you want to have exact date, but in most case "circa" is enough.

Schadenfreude · « **Reply #10 on:** June 07, 2023, 17:04 »

Per the website:

CITY, STATE/COUNTRY – MONTH DAY YEAR:

Unamas · « **Reply #11 on:** June 07, 2023, 22:01 »

Quote from: Schadenfreude on June 07, 2023, 17:04

Per the website:

CITY, STATE/COUNTRY – MONTH DAY YEAR:

Look at reply #4

gnirtS · « **Reply #12 on:** June 07, 2023, 22:53 »

Quote from: cascoly on June 07, 2023, 12:01

they've been enforcing the all-caps requirement - maybe haphazardly. but don't think circa x was ever acceptable. they also reject vintage slide scans from the 70-80s as too old! non-editorial from those shots easily accepted, even if date was in the description

Circa has always been accepted (i have plenty using it).

Their blog on writing a caption also says its ok:- https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/creating-the-perfect-editorial-caption

Schadenfreude · « **Reply #13 on:** June 08, 2023, 04:35 »

Quote from: Unamas on June 07, 2023, 22:01

Quote from: Schadenfreude on June 07, 2023, 17:04
Per the website:

CITY, STATE/COUNTRY – MONTH DAY YEAR:

Look at reply #4

For 10 years, I too have used "Circa," but absent an explanation from SS, I'll have to try what their requirements say. I don't really care if there has been a change, but a forewarning or notice would be nice

KimC · « **Reply #14 on:** June 08, 2023, 08:23 »

I have also got away with the "circa" statement in an editorial caption, if the time was some years back. Your images are from this year, so they may consider it laziness from your side. The exact date should be somewhere in the exif's.

Big Toe · « **Reply #15 on:** June 08, 2023, 10:31 »

Quote from: Unamas on June 07, 2023, 15:32

Quote from: Belish on June 07, 2023, 13:55
In what hypothesis you took a picture this year and you do not know the exact date?

it's easier to describe photos. Just copy paste "Valmeinier, France - Circa 2023" after description and done, instead of wasting time on exact date. Of course there are cases when you want to have exact date, but in most case "circa" is enough.

For some photos, the "circa" may be enough, for others, the buyer may appreciate to know the exact date. Shutterstock probably does not want to waste time making a judgement call on each submitted photo into which category the photo falls, and expect the exact date on photos taking recently. It's not that hard to provide it.

Unamas · « **Reply #16 on:** June 08, 2023, 16:30 »

Quote from: Big Toe on June 08, 2023, 10:31

It's not that hard to provide it.

It's much faster to just add "Circa 2023" to your photos rather than look for specific date.

kuriouskat · « **Reply #17 on:** June 09, 2023, 07:50 »

Quote from: gnirtS on June 07, 2023, 22:53

Quote from: cascoly on June 07, 2023, 12:01
they've been enforcing the all-caps requirement - maybe haphazardly. but don't think circa x was ever acceptable. they also reject vintage slide scans from the 70-80s as too old! non-editorial from those shots easily accepted, even if date was in the description

Circa has always been accepted (i have plenty using it).

Their blog on writing a caption also says its ok:- https://www.shutterstock.com/blog/creating-the-perfect-editorial-caption

But that article is from 2010, so plenty could have changed since then.

My understanding is that Circa is acceptable if the date is unknown, such as with vintage editorial but, if you know the date, but can't be bothered to check it and include it, you will get a rejection.

gnirtS · « **Reply #18 on:** June 09, 2023, 09:36 »

Just test submitted a editorial from last week with Circa.

It got approved.

If its not recurring i'd be tempted to put it down to SS AI or reviewer randomness.

Last week i had quite a few pictures of empty beaches rejected with "Translation Required" which all in after immediately resubmitting with no changes for example.

cascoly · « **Reply #19 on:** June 09, 2023, 12:40 »

Quote from: gnirtS on June 09, 2023, 09:36

...

Last week i had quite a few pictures of empty beaches rejected with "Translation Required" which all in after immediately resubmitting with no changes for example.

were the locations 'foreign' words? i've had that happen too - and for a long time had 'Newport, OR' rejected as trademark violation

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #20 on:** June 09, 2023, 13:19 »

Quote from: Schadenfreude on June 07, 2023, 17:04

Per the website:

CITY, STATE/COUNTRY – MONTH DAY YEAR:

Funny thing is, last week I submitted one and used the format, which I agree, has not changed, but it did pop up and said do not use "/"

I never used a / but I did last Saturday.

It's not likely to be the CIRCA as I have many of those. Funny how the thread just went off when someone guessed that. It's never been all caps, even though the examples were, I mean I never used all caps. I also guess that foreign language and some dumb AI. However Circa 2023? I mean, really? Just put in a month and that will pass without the exact date. I hate to say this, but you can make up a date, and no one knows.

I supplied a date, around the exact one, I guessed the date. No one else cares, except IS used to look.
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/plymouth-wisconsin-usa-may-11-2019-1396580876

Did anyone notice that they disabled right click and copy link on SS. Finally!

Quote from: cascoly on June 09, 2023, 12:40

Quote from: gnirtS on June 09, 2023, 09:36
...

Last week i had quite a few pictures of empty beaches rejected with "Translation Required" which all in after immediately resubmitting with no changes for example.

were the locations 'foreign' words? i've had that happen too - and for a long time had 'Newport, OR' rejected as trademark violation

Oh yeah, cigarette brand name. And beaches? I saw a few of those, some hotties with cowboy boots on, last weekend.

For the OP, just resubmit and then write to [email protected] because they know the party line for these things. It's fun to read the answers.

gnirtS · « **Reply #21 on:** June 09, 2023, 13:24 »

Quote from: cascoly on June 09, 2023, 12:40

Quote from: gnirtS on June 09, 2023, 09:36
...

Last week i had quite a few pictures of empty beaches rejected with "Translation Required" which all in after immediately resubmitting with no changes for example.

were the locations 'foreign' words? i've had that happen too - and for a long time had 'Newport, OR' rejected as trademark violation

From memory "Deserted tropical beach and clear ocean fringed by palm trees"

Not sure what they want that translated into. Klingon?

Sent from my SM-T725 using Tapatalk

KimC · « **Reply #22 on:** June 09, 2023, 15:20 »

Quote from: Unamas on June 08, 2023, 16:30

Quote from: Big Toe on June 08, 2023, 10:31
It's not that hard to provide it.

It's much faster to just add "Circa 2023" to your photos rather than look for specific date.

But, the purpose of the editorial caption is to prove where and when it was taken. If te picture was taken 10 years ago, and the exact time is not important, the circa statement may work. But for an image taken in 2023 the circa statment is pure laziness. If I was the reviewer, I'd booted the image with the same reason. So why not just stick to the standard format?

Unamas · « **Reply #23 on:** June 09, 2023, 16:39 »

Quote from: KimC on June 09, 2023, 15:20

But for an image taken in 2023 the circa statment is pure laziness.

I have a photo of Coca-Cola can. What difference the exact date will make, except Coca-Cola changed the design recently?

Unamas · « **Reply #24 on:** June 09, 2023, 16:41 »

Quote from: KimC on June 09, 2023, 15:20

If I was the reviewer, I'd booted the image with the same reason. So why not just stick to the standard format?

What is the standard format? I see approved photos dated as 06/01/23. Is this standard?

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Author Topic: Did editorial caption requirements change recently? (Read 6676 times)

Desintegrator

wds

SuperPhoto

Her Ugliness

gnirtS

cascoly

Unamas

alijaber

Belish

Unamas

Schadenfreude

Unamas

gnirtS

Schadenfreude

KimC

Big Toe

Unamas

kuriouskat

gnirtS

cascoly

Uncle Pete

gnirtS

KimC

Unamas

Unamas

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