MicrostockGroup

Agency Based Discussion => Shutterstock.com => Topic started by: stockastic on January 19, 2013, 20:50

Title: is SS back in focus?
Post by: stockastic on January 19, 2013, 20:50
Are people still getting crazy 'focus' rejections?    A few weeks ago, I got such a run of them that I quit submitting.  I'd like to resume, but not unless things have changed.
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: noodle on January 19, 2013, 21:17
I think the rejection reasons go through phases.. focus one month, compo  or lighting the next
wait 'til IS contributors start going through the same thing...
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: CD123 on January 20, 2013, 00:42
Did not have one recently. Might not be the flavor of the month any more. That or they where right and my pictures improved  ;)
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: Pauws99 on January 20, 2013, 03:22
Not getting them with the last couple of batches
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: gnirtS on January 20, 2013, 13:37
Haven't had one for over a month.  For the last month 90% of my rejections are now "composition".
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: stockastic on January 20, 2013, 14:04
Thanks all.  Now all I need is motivation and energy. 
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: CD123 on January 20, 2013, 14:09
Thanks all.  Now all I need is motivation and energy.
Have a cure for that, maybe it will work for you as well. All I do is look at my bank balance and there I go again......  ;)
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: morning.light on January 20, 2013, 14:35
I had a rejection a few days ago that almost made me die laughing. The picture's title was BLURRY abstract shapes and it got rejected because it was blurry  :D
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: CD123 on January 20, 2013, 14:40
I had a rejection a few days ago that almost made me die laughing. The picture's title was BLURRY abstract shapes and it got rejected because it was blurry  :D

You did not perhaps had some images rejected called "Out of Focus..." as well?  ;D
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: ShadySue on January 20, 2013, 14:42
Haven't had one for over a month.  For the last month 90% of my rejections are now "composition".
On iStock, that apparently means 'lcv'. I queried a composition rejection which made no sense in terms of composition, and the answer I got was that it wasn't likely to have many sales, which I couldn't disagree with. It's interesting that any agency wants a buyer to leave and look around another agency, but there you go.
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: flotsom on January 20, 2013, 15:05
I just had my first today  ;D
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: stockastic on January 20, 2013, 15:20
I just had my first today  ;D

Your first 'focus' rejection?

Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: gnirtS on January 20, 2013, 16:02
Haven't had one for over a month.  For the last month 90% of my rejections are now "composition".
On iStock, that apparently means 'lcv'. I queried a composition rejection which made no sense in terms of composition, and the answer I got was that it wasn't likely to have many sales, which I couldn't disagree with. It's interesting that any agency wants a buyer to leave and look around another agency, but there you go.

SS also have a LCV rejection reason but i havent seen it used for over a year.  They just blanket reject whole batches even containing multiple topics with "composition" lately.

"rejection of the month" was noise, then moved to focus and now its composition.  No idea what next months winner will be.
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: stockastic on January 20, 2013, 16:45
It sounds crazy but there actually does seem to be some sort of 'rejection reason rotation'.   Certainly, it runs hot and cold.  Maybe the winning strategy is to always wait a month before resubmitting, because the criteria will have changed.
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: heywoody on January 20, 2013, 16:58
Haven't had one for over a month.  For the last month 90% of my rejections are now "composition".
On iStock, that apparently means 'lcv'. I queried a composition rejection which made no sense in terms of composition, and the answer I got was that it wasn't likely to have many sales, which I couldn't disagree with. It's interesting that any agency wants a buyer to leave and look around another agency, but there you go.

I believe it's the same with SS (means "we're not that interested in this image regardless of technical merit") - it doesn't even mean they believe it won't sell but that, if they don't accept it, the buyer will take something similar they already have
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: ShadySue on January 20, 2013, 17:15
Haven't had one for over a month.  For the last month 90% of my rejections are now "composition".
On iStock, that apparently means 'lcv'. I queried a composition rejection which made no sense in terms of composition, and the answer I got was that it wasn't likely to have many sales, which I couldn't disagree with. It's interesting that any agency wants a buyer to leave and look around another agency, but there you go.

I believe it's the same with SS (means "we're not that interested in this image regardless of technical merit") - it doesn't even mean they believe it won't sell but that, if they don't accept it, the buyer will take something similar they already have

Hmmm, in this case iStock had nothing similar or even on the same subject.
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: CD123 on January 20, 2013, 18:19
Can they all not just have a straight forward "Not commercially viable" reason? Why hide behind technical reasons, if a business decision can be just as good and does not leave the contributor confused about his/her capabilities or that of his/her equipment.  ???
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: dbvirago on January 20, 2013, 19:20
Attilla is pushing the composition button this month.
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: Silken Photography on January 20, 2013, 22:15
Can they all not just have a straight forward "Not commercially viable" reason? Why hide behind technical reasons, if a business decision can be just as good and does not leave the contributor confused about his/her capabilities or that of his/her equipment.  ???

I really wish that agencies did this. It is very confusing when you're trying to better your work and you're given an inaccurate rejection reason.  I saw a critique on the istock forum where a contributor was asking the same thing, and all the responses came back saying that the original rejection reason wasn't really the point, it was more likely that the image was low commercial value.  That's a very subjective call to make, but then so is composition, so I don't understand why agencies don't use it (or make more use of it).
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: gnirtS on January 21, 2013, 06:23
The SS rejections (ie the blanket ones for whatever reason is popular this month) don't seem to be related to anything more than a reviewer just deciding not to bother properly checking a batch and hitting the same button for all it contains without actually doing it properly.

There are LCV and "similar" rejection criteria for SS but i suspect not connected to these.

FWIW, i'd rather LCV was left out of it, allow the buyer to decide as some people want some surprisingly bizarre things at times and the reviewer has no way of knowing what those will be.  If a picture is technically correct and not obviously flawed then let it fight like the rest of them.

Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: CD123 on January 21, 2013, 08:59
The SS rejections (ie the blanket ones for whatever reason is popular this month) don't seem to be related to anything more than a reviewer just deciding not to bother properly checking a batch and hitting the same button for all it contains without actually doing it properly.

There are LCV and "similar" rejection criteria for SS but i suspect not connected to these.

FWIW, i'd rather LCV was left out of it, allow the buyer to decide as some people want some surprisingly bizarre things at times and the reviewer has no way of knowing what those will be.  If a picture is technically correct and not obviously flawed then let it fight like the rest of them.
I agree that it should not be a criteria, but as long as they are using other (wrong) rejection reasons for this purpose, I prefer to see the real reason. 
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: heywoody on January 21, 2013, 10:29
Hmmm, in this case iStock had nothing similar or even on the same subject.

You're right of course, IS just seems to take a position on what they like / don't like even if there are no actual technical issues.  SS's attitude makes more business sense as they recognise that a rare selling not well covered image can be more valuable to them than a high selling common subject matter image.
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: ruigsantos on January 21, 2013, 11:08
The other day I had a focus rejection that made me roll my eyes. It was a photo of a model holding something in her hand (I think it was a test tube or something like that), in front of her eyes, focus tack sharp on the object and low depth of field so the eyes and face where out of focus. That was enough for a "Focus is not where it feels right" rejection. I guess the reviewer thought the eyes where more important that the object that was the centre of the image itself. I resubmitted the photo and added the comment "Rejected for focus issues but the object is tack sharp so I don't know why it was rejected". A couple of day later, it was approved. Go figure.
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: Equus on January 21, 2013, 11:12
Hmmm, in this case iStock had nothing similar or even on the same subject.

You're right of course, IS just seems to take a position on what they like / don't like even if there are no actual technical issues.  SS's attitude makes more business sense as they recognise that a rare selling not well covered image can be more valuable to them than a high selling common subject matter image.

Why would you put a rare low-selling image on the micros? They are doing you a favour if they reject it - put it somewhere it will make decent money for you, on the rare occasions it sells.
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: grsphoto on January 23, 2013, 12:23
Focus is fixed... now it is poor lighting.... 8)

Just had a batch rejected for poor lighting.... oh well
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: CD123 on January 23, 2013, 12:57
Focus is fixed... now it is poor lighting.... 8)

Just had a batch rejected for poor lighting.... oh well

At this stage, congratulations on getting a batch reviewed...  ::)
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: ShadySue on January 23, 2013, 13:18
Hmmm, in this case iStock had nothing similar or even on the same subject.

You're right of course, IS just seems to take a position on what they like / don't like even if there are no actual technical issues.  SS's attitude makes more business sense as they recognise that a rare selling not well covered image can be more valuable to them than a high selling common subject matter image.

Why would you put a rare low-selling image on the micros? They are doing you a favour if they reject it - put it somewhere it will make decent money for you, on the rare occasions it sells.

Agree totally, but it was an unexpected wildlife photo (i.e. a surprise showing when I was working on something else nearer), and 400mm too often isn't long enough, so it's too small for most macros, even Alamy.
I'm not convinced that a 600mm, plus hiring a sherpa to carry it, would pay for itself in my case.
In addition, most of the pukka wildlife agencies need hundreds (200 up) unique images to start, and a promise of about the same every month or two. An odd rare photo is of no interest to most (it's not totally unique, but not common).
No matter.
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: JPSDK on January 23, 2013, 13:40
I just got my first ever 2 videos accepted.
But they were in focus.

Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: Pauws99 on January 23, 2013, 17:20
You didn't dare to have a shadow on your pics did you?
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: grsphoto on January 24, 2013, 09:13
You didn't dare to have a shadow on your pics did you?

That's my problem!!!! thanks for pointing it out. 
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: JPSDK on January 25, 2013, 00:29
he he.
And I just got a couple of focus rejections, that I had not expected.
Thats life. The pictures were not important.

Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: aly on January 25, 2013, 02:00
My last two batches were all poor lighting/composition. The whole lot regardless!! Even the abstract designs.
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: enstoker on January 25, 2013, 04:42
Focus is fixed... now it is poor lighting.... 8)

Just had a batch rejected for poor lighting.... oh well

No, it is not !

ONE CLICK on Your (or my) batch and voila, You are rejected because " focus is not located where we feel it works best".
Not WE, but HE/SHE...
 ;)
And yes, two days before a batch of similar (but different) photos was accepted 100 %.


Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: enstoker on January 25, 2013, 04:46
BTW, my video acceptance is 100 %.
How long ?
Until SS reach "critical mass" of videos.
 :)
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: nicku on January 25, 2013, 08:03
Last bunches of images shoot with shallow DOF were all accepted on SS. It's some time since last ''focus'' rejection.

here is an example ( with lowered IQ)
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: CD123 on January 25, 2013, 09:29
Very nice picture Nicku (and beautiful model)! You can be proud of your work! Can not see anything wrong with it (in any case not on this resolution).
Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: enstoker on January 25, 2013, 16:46
Nicku, this is not an image.
This is pure art !
With high stock potential.
Excellent, both, art and cute girl.
Bravo.

Title: Re: is SS back in focus?
Post by: Batman on January 29, 2013, 22:18
Nice work nicku