Well, as usual half my recent jpgs were rejected for "poor rasterization" while the vectors sailed through. They've now stopped responding to my emails as well.

Quote from: Elenathewise on May 13, 2015, 18:08

Quote from: LesPalenik on May 13, 2015, 14:56
b) Another clue pointing to automated reviews could be the recent change in submission comments from a free-form text field to a drop-down menu with just a few standard (and useless) options.

Yup means no human is expected to read it... agreed. It's like automated "customer service" for most companies these days - they don't even give you an option for "operator" anymore (although stubbornly pressing "0" about 25 times sometimes still works:))

Well, as I've mentioned in past threads their IPO documentation cited "new proprietary automated inspection software", so I think that the probability of rejections due to software decision interface is VERY HIGH.

Once shareholders are involved we all know that ways and means have to be found to demonstrate operational costs are being driven down - so they can pay for all the new Vice Presidents of this that and the other, plus ping pong tables and foot massages in the breakout area.

It would make sense then to use software to try and streamline the review process and perhaps one day, allow them to take a scythe to the inspector cadre and thin the herd.

In the meantime I'll continue to fight my corner on work that I am convinced passes muster.

Quote from: Red Dove on May 14, 2015, 15:46
In the meantime I'll continue to fight my corner on work that I am convinced passes muster.

I agree with your assessment of how this is happening and why.

But I'd love to know how you continue to fight for your work? How does one do that with this increasingly impersonal and unresponsive site?

Quote from: marthamarks on May 14, 2015, 15:59

Quote from: Red Dove on May 14, 2015, 15:46
In the meantime I'll continue to fight my corner on work that I am convinced passes muster.

I agree with your assessment of how this is happening and why.

But I'd love to know how you continue to fight for your work? How does one do that with this increasingly impersonal and unresponsive site?

I'm still using submit@shutterstock - although response times have drifted out to a week plus of late. Probably backlog.

My rejections have all been in the editorial space, either for focus or noise. On second opinion, about half of them have got through. I personally believe that SS are struggling to cope with the workflow and this has forced a knee jerk decision on acceptance criteria - but they will never tell.

If i were seeing large batches kicked back I might take a different approach - but this is a problem as you have correctly pointed out - SS have become largely incommunicado....on everything.

Quote from: Red Dove on May 14, 2015, 17:00

Quote from: marthamarks on May 14, 2015, 15:59

Quote from: Red Dove on May 14, 2015, 15:46
In the meantime I'll continue to fight my corner on work that I am convinced passes muster.

I agree with your assessment of how this is happening and why.

But I'd love to know how you continue to fight for your work? How does one do that with this increasingly impersonal and unresponsive site?

I'm still using submit@shutterstock - although response times have drifted out to a week plus of late. Probably backlog.

My rejections have all been in the editorial space, either for focus or noise. On second opinion, about half of them have got through. I personally believe that SS are struggling to cope with the workflow and this has forced a knee jerk decision on acceptance criteria - but they will never tell.

If i were seeing large batches kicked back I might take a different approach - but this is a problem as you have correctly pointed out - SS have become largely incommunicado....on everything.

Which to me is VERY,VERY sad. Scott was just starting to come out, then Boom. Maybe someone upstairs put out a directive for everyone to keep there Mouth shut on anything. Why would a company do that?

Quote from: Rinderart on May 14, 2015, 18:16

Quote from: Red Dove on May 14, 2015, 17:00

Quote from: marthamarks on May 14, 2015, 15:59

Quote from: Red Dove on May 14, 2015, 15:46
In the meantime I'll continue to fight my corner on work that I am convinced passes muster.

I agree with your assessment of how this is happening and why.

But I'd love to know how you continue to fight for your work? How does one do that with this increasingly impersonal and unresponsive site?

I'm still using submit@shutterstock - although response times have drifted out to a week plus of late. Probably backlog.

My rejections have all been in the editorial space, either for focus or noise. On second opinion, about half of them have got through. I personally believe that SS are struggling to cope with the workflow and this has forced a knee jerk decision on acceptance criteria - but they will never tell.

If i were seeing large batches kicked back I might take a different approach - but this is a problem as you have correctly pointed out - SS have become largely incommunicado....on everything.

Which to me is VERY,VERY sad. Scott was just starting to come out, then Boom. Maybe someone upstairs put out a directive for everyone to keep there Mouth shut on anything. Why would a company do that?

Because there is a lot more bad news to come.

If bad news means 20% increased sales, like in the last two months (and how it's going so far, this month also), then bring 'em on.

20% on 500 images is a difference of 30$ per month which is basically just normal swings in todays volatile pattern of sales. Next month expect to be down a tenner or 2.

Quote from: Semmick Photo on May 14, 2015, 19:21
20% on 500 images is a difference of 30$ per month which is basically just normal swings in todays volatile pattern of sales. Next month expect to be down a tenner or 2.

Exactly.  I've read a lot more about sales going down the last couple of months than going up.  Which matches my experience.