I made an experiment with two stock photography providers after choosing 30 pictures, non commercial pictures good an bad, uploaded them and waited for their approval and I had a quite interesting response from both companies.
Where one company rejected a picture the other accepted it and vice versa. Of course that there are some pictures rejected or accepted by both companies. One thing was funny because one said that one specific picture is out of focus and blurry and not good while it was accepted on the other site the same with one image that was considered to be a snapshot or with other that was considered a low interest or too artistic.
The refusal messages were like this:
- Low interest: Probably little demand/selling potential for this image. Try for more marketable shots.
- Not usable. Only submit vertical images in vertical format not flipped sideways.
- Needs More Keywords: Please add as many applicable keywords as you can so that your photo can be easily found by users, the submitted keywords are not sufficient.
- Snapshot composition: This image is more of a snapshot than a marketable stock image. Overall problems can include poor lighting, poor composition, non-interesting subject matter, etc.
- Poor optical performance due to low lens quality, such as lens fringing, chromatic aberrations, uneven sharpness in focus area.
- Poor composition/Cropped subject: Chopping off part of subject makes photo harder to use generally
- Your image does not meet our current standards because its composition and lighting are below the average for this subject. Note that when it comes to well covered or low demand subjects the overall quality and concept of the image is very crucial and our requirements are higher. Otherwise your image will not stand the competition and may never sell. A well planned and executed commercial image needs to have an attractive and engaging composition which at the same time does not limit the image's potential use by the customers. The lighting in commercial images is also very important. Your image needs to be well lit according to its concept but in all cases retain proper detail throughout the entire frame. It is highly recommended that you see the quality aspects of our best selling images and strive to achieve similar or better results.
- The image contains elements that might be protected by copyright/trademark (logos, brands, specific buildings etc.), can identify a property/product (letters, numbers), or could raise usage problems, therefore it doesn't qualify as a RF stock image. Analyze the photo closely and remove these elements if possible or try to obtain a property release.
- The image contains a large amount of noise artifacts. Please fix this issue using noise-removal software and resubmit.
- White balance parameter was not correctly assigned.
- Image is not RF stock oriented or its sales potential is too low at this stage. Please note that Stock photography is a commercial type of imagery, so, snapshots are not Stock. There are several vital requirements that an image must meet in order to be stock oriented. An image must serve a purpose, must have a concept, must have a good technical execution in terms of composition, exposure, light setting, optical performance. Creativity is a keyword for a successful stock image, as well.
It is also very important to understand that Art and Stock are two fundamentally different categories of imagery, that only meet when an artwork can adapt to a wide range of commercial usage.
- Artifact Problems: Noise/Grain/Chromatic or other artifacts due to low light, blue or purple fringing, high ISO, over-sharpening or post processing techniques. Please view image at 100% prior to submission.
So, as a conclusion … acceptance rate was around 30%.
If you want to sell your pictures and score better than me then you should take pictures having in mind the commercial aspect not the art aspect. A very good artistic picture is not stock as they say “It is also very important to understand that Art and Stock are two fundamentally different categories of imagery, that only meet when an artwork can adapt to a wide range of commercial usage”.
They also have an interesting option if you want to sell your picture only with them or not, if you let them have exclusive right to sell your picture then you should not use it with other company and they will offer you higher rates per sale. Other option is to sell the rights of the picture and when you have a buyer you will lose any rights over that picture. I will treat this subject later.
Overall the interaction with both companies, until now was quite smooth and clear with small differences in their acceptance but hey, then they will have the same content and where will be the difference?
To be continued
Showing posts with label stock photo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stock photo. Show all posts
Sunday, 1 May 2011
Saturday, 23 April 2011
Stock photo tips
Tips for stock photography (out of my experience)
Quality – even if is a shitty photo the quality is important, must be a quality shit not a regular shit.
Composition / Idea – if your photo is more art than “buy me” is not good, they don’t accept images that don’t have potential to sell.
Noise – noise is a big NO, well it should be a big no for any wannabe photographer … if it has noise is trash.
JPEG artifacts – also a big NO.
Light - overexposure, lens flare or too much brightness is not acceptable also shadows that are not part of composition are a good reason to be rejected.
Ok, maybe the above are rules of common sense if you are a wannabe photographer and your photo will have good chances to be accepted. Next filter is what I like to call a commercial filter. Even if your friends are impressed by that particular photo and maybe you received some positive feedback from other photographers it doesn’t really matter. Your photo could win some photo contests and still not be good for stock photography. Why? Simple! It will not sell!!! Your photo is not what you can find on a flyer or website! Yeah, is true, art doesn’t sell! You must think commercial!
Some advices:
- Your photo must have a story behind, not just a snapshot, so that the web designer / print designer could find it useful.
- Can be used on multiple projects
- No logo or identifiable trademark
- Nudity is accepted with some rules regarding what is seen or not (no genitals, erotic pictures etc.)
- Pictures like autumn / winter landscapes or sunsets / sunrises are submitted in large numbers so your photo must stand out in order to be accepted.
- No recognizable faces unless you have written permission from those persons (even if is a big crowd and you can see clearly 20 faces you have to obtain permission from all 20 … yeah it is crap, I know).
- Landmarks only if they are different and not tourist-like photo (everybody has a picture with Eiffel tower that looks nice).
- Minimum 3MP at highest quality
- Minor Photoshop touch-ups can be accepted
- Good keywords and description.
Happy shooting everybody!
Keep you posted ;)
Quality – even if is a shitty photo the quality is important, must be a quality shit not a regular shit.
Composition / Idea – if your photo is more art than “buy me” is not good, they don’t accept images that don’t have potential to sell.
Noise – noise is a big NO, well it should be a big no for any wannabe photographer … if it has noise is trash.
JPEG artifacts – also a big NO.
Light - overexposure, lens flare or too much brightness is not acceptable also shadows that are not part of composition are a good reason to be rejected.
Ok, maybe the above are rules of common sense if you are a wannabe photographer and your photo will have good chances to be accepted. Next filter is what I like to call a commercial filter. Even if your friends are impressed by that particular photo and maybe you received some positive feedback from other photographers it doesn’t really matter. Your photo could win some photo contests and still not be good for stock photography. Why? Simple! It will not sell!!! Your photo is not what you can find on a flyer or website! Yeah, is true, art doesn’t sell! You must think commercial!
Some advices:
- Your photo must have a story behind, not just a snapshot, so that the web designer / print designer could find it useful.
- Can be used on multiple projects
- No logo or identifiable trademark
- Nudity is accepted with some rules regarding what is seen or not (no genitals, erotic pictures etc.)
- Pictures like autumn / winter landscapes or sunsets / sunrises are submitted in large numbers so your photo must stand out in order to be accepted.
- No recognizable faces unless you have written permission from those persons (even if is a big crowd and you can see clearly 20 faces you have to obtain permission from all 20 … yeah it is crap, I know).
- Landmarks only if they are different and not tourist-like photo (everybody has a picture with Eiffel tower that looks nice).
- Minimum 3MP at highest quality
- Minor Photoshop touch-ups can be accepted
- Good keywords and description.
Happy shooting everybody!
Keep you posted ;)
Earn money with your hobby
How to make money out of your hobby, out of photography … can be a reality or a dream?
How to earn money with photography? Well is a question I still ask but seems that there is room for everyone. Of course I am not rich and I don’t earn money out of my photography because I was quite ignorant and I am not really enjoying making photos that businessman will love … all that corporate bullshit we all see in bank, real estate, big companies, insurance, legal advice or other leaflet / flyer / promo material … all those fake smiles, business look, business related objects and so on.
BUT … because there is a big but (and maybe a big butt that will make big money on your back) … fortunately there is stock photography. Like its name suggests if you have a big stock (pile) of pictures you can make some money with no effort.
Why?!? Thanks god that are lazy people who prefer to buy than to make.
Who? Usually small businesses because is cheaper to buy stock photos than to pay a photographer (1$ for a photo versus more $)
Where? Internet, low budget printouts, local ads and the list can go on.
How much you can earn? Well, it depends can be almost near 0 or some internet sources like to brag that they earn 3 to 4 figures per month. May be, I’m not making their financial reports to see if it is true or not.
My own experience …. Using several stock photography providers and a shitty (yeah, it is crap) photo I manage in 5 years to gain the impressive amount of …. $1.98. If I think that if only one picture in the big ocean of pictures can perform like this ... Ok you can do the math ... 1 picture in 5 years results 1.98 … think now how many pictures having the same “success” like this one you should have in order to buy a meal. On the other hand I have done nothing and I have earned $1.98.
What is the catch? It is one big catch … because you receive around 25% of the real amount. If you think about it … it is outrageous … they earn 75% just for displaying your picture. At a second look you can think at the costs of maintaining a website as a beginner in this branch are quite high and maybe nobody will land on your page and even if they will and they will buy your photo it is quite hard to get that money out of one photo after 5 years. I don’t say that I like them very much but I still think that for a beginner it is a good start.
I really think about going to research more this opportunity as my camera is really old and I cannot afford to buy a new one so … I must try the sea with my toe in order to see if it is as advertised or not.
Below you can find two good websites for starters.
I will keep you posted with my research.
How to earn money with photography? Well is a question I still ask but seems that there is room for everyone. Of course I am not rich and I don’t earn money out of my photography because I was quite ignorant and I am not really enjoying making photos that businessman will love … all that corporate bullshit we all see in bank, real estate, big companies, insurance, legal advice or other leaflet / flyer / promo material … all those fake smiles, business look, business related objects and so on.
BUT … because there is a big but (and maybe a big butt that will make big money on your back) … fortunately there is stock photography. Like its name suggests if you have a big stock (pile) of pictures you can make some money with no effort.
Why?!? Thanks god that are lazy people who prefer to buy than to make.
Who? Usually small businesses because is cheaper to buy stock photos than to pay a photographer (1$ for a photo versus more $)
Where? Internet, low budget printouts, local ads and the list can go on.
How much you can earn? Well, it depends can be almost near 0 or some internet sources like to brag that they earn 3 to 4 figures per month. May be, I’m not making their financial reports to see if it is true or not.
My own experience …. Using several stock photography providers and a shitty (yeah, it is crap) photo I manage in 5 years to gain the impressive amount of …. $1.98. If I think that if only one picture in the big ocean of pictures can perform like this ... Ok you can do the math ... 1 picture in 5 years results 1.98 … think now how many pictures having the same “success” like this one you should have in order to buy a meal. On the other hand I have done nothing and I have earned $1.98.
What is the catch? It is one big catch … because you receive around 25% of the real amount. If you think about it … it is outrageous … they earn 75% just for displaying your picture. At a second look you can think at the costs of maintaining a website as a beginner in this branch are quite high and maybe nobody will land on your page and even if they will and they will buy your photo it is quite hard to get that money out of one photo after 5 years. I don’t say that I like them very much but I still think that for a beginner it is a good start.
I really think about going to research more this opportunity as my camera is really old and I cannot afford to buy a new one so … I must try the sea with my toe in order to see if it is as advertised or not.
Below you can find two good websites for starters.
I will keep you posted with my research.
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