istockphoto - I got rejected three times!

I just looked at your flickr stream -- your photos look very good to me! Probably some snobby judges over there.

LeicaFoReVer said:
I heard that site a lot and at the end I wanted to give it a try to sell my photos. I got rejected three times and annoyed with the comments from their judges saying my photos dont measure up the quality, bla bla...then one time telling me that all the photos I uploaded are about the same subject matter and they want to see the diversity of my work bla bla...

Has anyone have any experience on this site? Any one selling on the site?

I know ok stock photography is a different era and photos need to be really good but I believe I have some good work and I see some crappy photos some members post on istock....

So what is going on? Shall I give up?
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anu L ogy said:
Wont model mayhem reject you for stupidity, like having the wrong avatar size and what not?
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I don't know what their deal is. But a friend told me to sign up and I didn't have enough people pics. And I was like of course not, that's why I signed up so I could start doing that kind of work. And the second time I think I actually did upload a bunch of people pics but again they weren't up to snuff. These were all street style photos mind you. So yeah, I see the point that my images aren't in line with the typical model mayhem thing. But again, that's why I wanted to join so I could start photographing people in that way and get more experience. A Catch 22 scenario if there ever was one.
 
antiquark said:
You hear stories of people who can make a living from it, but it's not something they do in their spare time. They consider stock photography to be their day job.
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I think there was a whole story about this in PDN. About a handful of people who actually made a decent living on one image that sold thousands of times over. A total fluke situation. Like these people didn't even intend for it to be stock stuff but put their work on the site just because.

If you do it don't expect a fortune. I think the majority of people just get a $50 check in the mail every few months or something like that from what I remember about the story. It's extra money for stuff you did in your spare time.

As for doing it 40 hours a week. I'm sure there are people trying but I imagine the effort outweighs the reward.
 
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Sorry to hear, but the stock industry is been ruined by it's parent company (who shall remain nameless) and it's no longer about quality, but about images that sell, even for as little as they sell for.

If they rejected your images don't take it personally it's a reflection on subject matter, not quality of your work.
 
Here are the last 3 photos I uploaded:

IMGP1703.JPG


img052.jpg


img022_psp2.jpg
 
filmfan said:
Those last three photos look very "stock". They would go well with the handshake photo. I am surprised they did not get accepted.
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Not to be blunt but I'm not at all surprised that these didn't get accepted. Simple fact is these are easy stock shots that yes would have been accepted when micro stock was first starting out. But not today as they already have more then enough similar images to meet current demands.
 
Mcary said:
Not to be blunt but I'm not at all surprised that these didn't get accepted. Simple fact is these are easy stock shots that yes would have been accepted when micro stock was first starting out. But not today as they already have more then enough similar images to meet current demands.
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My comment was an attempt to call the photos bland/generic without being so blunt. I guess I failed to pull it off.
 
Maybe I'm wrong, but it looks like the second shot has dust marks or something on it? All of the stock places I've looked at call that out as a specific issue they'll turn down shots on.

The door shot has some appealing characteristics but doesn't leave much space for adding text, etc. Personally, the shot would have been a bit more appealing if it were more symmetrical or less straight on but thats just personal aesthetic.

The jellyfish shot is likely too much like images they already have in their catalog. I still can't sort out how shots like this work from a release standpoint. The release issue alone is what drove me away from anything stock related.

In the end, I think you may have started out with one strike against you and nothing which was exceptional enough undo it. Thats just my guess though.
 
To succeed at stock photography, you will have to change how you look at the world. When you're walking around you must constantly ask "how would this look in a powerpoint presentation?"

Then, when you raise the camera to your eye, make sure to frame so there's a little clear space near the top corner, for some overlaid text. Ideally, you would think of a business cliche and visualize the text along with your image. So if you took a picture of someone smiling, you'd visualize the text "the customer is always right!" or "people first!"

After practising like that for a few months, you might start selling stock photos... however, you would also grow to hate your hobby. 🙂
 
Thank you very much for the comments...The dots in the second photo are the reflection of sand particles on the beach sand not dust...well some oversaturation might be present in the first one but third is how it really looks like...First one is digital from a pentax dslr, second is from leica iiif and third is from M6 and canon 50mm f1.2 (kodak ultramax 400) in vancouver aquarium, available light. It might be true that they already have lots of similar photos...
 
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LeicaFoReVer said:
Thank you very much for the comments...The dots in the second photo are the reflection of sand particles on the beach sand not dust...well some oversaturation might be present in the first one but third is how it really looks like...First one is digital from a pentax dslr, second is from leica iiif and third is from M6 and canon 50mm f1.2 (kodak ultramax 400) in vancouver aquarium, available light. It might be true that they already have lots of similar photos...
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Their response would have been chosen from an "A,B,C" list of rejection reasons. So, not precisely applicable to your pictures.

Their page says they need the following shots:
http://www.istockphoto.com/needed.php
Corporate shots
Groups & Teams
Concept Stock
Sports
Rare Artifacts
...etc...
​
So if I were to get into stock photography, the first thing I'd do it gather up my photogenic friends, put them in business suits, and take pictures of them sitting in offices, shaking hands, and standing in groups or teams. 🙂
 
antiquark said:
Their response would have been chosen from an "A,B,C" list of rejection reasons. So, not precisely applicable to your pictures.

Their page says they need the following shots:
http://www.istockphoto.com/needed.php
Corporate shots
Groups & Teams
Concept Stock
Sports
Rare Artifacts
...etc...
​
So if I were to get into stock photography, the first thing I'd do it gather up my photogenic friends, put them in business suits, and take pictures of them sitting in offices, shaking hands, and standing in groups or teams. 🙂
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Also get the ones with kids to meet you at the local park and or play ground as kids and family pics sell very well as stock.
 
🙂)

well too much headache for 100$...then you need model appearance papers bla bla...

antiquark said:
Their response would have been chosen from an "A,B,C" list of rejection reasons. So, not precisely applicable to your pictures.

Their page says they need the following shots:
http://www.istockphoto.com/needed.php
Corporate shots
Groups & Teams
Concept Stock
Sports
Rare Artifacts
...etc...
​
So if I were to get into stock photography, the first thing I'd do it gather up my photogenic friends, put them in business suits, and take pictures of them sitting in offices, shaking hands, and standing in groups or teams. 🙂
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Mcary said:
Also get the ones with kids to meet you at the local park and or play ground as kids and family pics sell very well as stock.
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I have very nice examples of this kind of shots but dont I need model approval or whatever it is, paper or not? It is impossible to find those people and kids I shot 🙂
 
Probably it's safer to get a release signed if kids are involved even the shots were taken in public place.

And be sure to check the aquarium (if you took the jellies shot in one) website or documents if you could use material taken at the aquarium for commercial use. Many don't let you.

I use stock photos including istockphoto regularly for work. There are types of photos that I can find too easily and have to spend long time choosing the right one, and there are photos that I have hard time finding any at all. Maybe you can come up with some scenarios, try to find photos, then see what type of photos are lacking thus needed? Kid/family photos are definitely one of them.
 
coelacanth said:
Probably it's safer to get a release signed if kids are involved even the shots were taken in public place.

And be sure to check the aquarium (if you took the jellies shot in one) website or documents if you could use material taken at the aquarium for commercial use. Many don't let you.

I use stock photos including istockphoto regularly for work. There are types of photos that I can find too easily and have to spend long time choosing the right one, and there are photos that I have hard time finding any at all. Maybe you can come up with some scenarios, try to find photos, then see what type of photos are lacking thus needed? Kid/family photos are definitely one of them.
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Do you know if I submit some examples of kid photos for approval if they are going to ask for permission papers at the first hand? Or those examples I submit to apply are just for application purpose if I dont sell them...
 
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