Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic

lessthanempty · Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:33 am

I friggin' love strawberries!

On a side note: Is there such thing as too much porn? Hmm...

bluerabbit · Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 813 Location: Colorado

Thanks so much for posting this! It would be great to make arrangements with the author to have this witty, honest essay available on the site permanently. I would like to know, before I start setting up shots, what has already been overdone.

I know how artists feel when they hear about limitations. For example, in a current writing project, I was asked not to use US sports, money, or historical references. My first thought was, my gosh, what am I going to do? Then I started to laugh. The world is huge and various.

I am not a reviewer, but I spend some time every day following several sites (and uploading--winks). When microstock sites started building their libraries, they needed (good) shots of many of the things listed in the essay. They also liked sunsets and flowers, at first. Now, they already have them. Lots of them, and any new ones must be exceedingly professional.

Think about it. If you had ten excellent books about butterflies in your home library, would you buy another one that wasn't as good the the ones you already had? Now, you might have bought that book when you first started your collection of butterfly books; you might have even referred to it every day, making it one of the most used books in your library, but you don't need to buy it now, because you have others that are superior.

I do not agree that the author of the essay is burned out. She seems to enjoy looking at good pictures. She's just trying to avoid having to look at so many bad ones. If we photographers (and that includes me) listen, it can save all of us time, and improve our sales. This is business.

shaz · Joined: 21 Aug 2005 Posts: 23

Thought provoking thread, I can see everyones point of view.
But... designers are the customers, quality of the shots, shutterstock reviewers job. 'Subject' matter , who knows, designers choice.
I have had only one reject in the short time I have submitted.I am very concientous, about what I submit quality wise (amatuer with much to learn).
But have been very surprised at the shots that have sold.
I hate to see reviewers disrespected on forums.
But at the same time, I 'cant' fell sorry for them. It must be tiresome and frustrating at times.
But life is never easy.
As had been said before, there are many other professions that require dedication and hardwork, without any complaint.

Sharon

reviewer · Admin Joined: 01 Jan 2005 Posts: 1633

Ha! They forgot date stamps and sea gulls....oooooo the sea gulls!

mmepaquin · Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Posts: 203

rinder99 · Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:53 am

Just a follow up, This is a woman and she is anoymous for obvious reasons just like all reviewers are. And she is real and not imagined by me and I did not post this piece to "Get in" politically with any reviewer or any site, And I take offence to that statement. Like always some of you totally got the intention wrong, Maybe it hit to close to home? Lighten up guys, it was meant to show you what there lives are like and maybe, just maybe we all could think a little more about what You and I submit. There is a high turnaround of reviewers because of burnout and no wonder. She didnt mention it but I know for sure when she does see something original and fresh and properly exposed and framed it gives her goose bumps and that makes her want to continue.This wasn't meant to target anyone but, Like they say "If the shoe fits" Just in 24 hrs shes got offers to publish this many times. Now, were's those strawberries Im shooting today. Peace, Laurin

www.rinderart.com

lessthanempty · Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:02 am

rinder99 · Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:11 am

Hey guys, The lady reviewer has been watching this thread and wanted to clear up a few things, She asked me to post this for you all. Read it.

Some of the people on the forum think that I don't like my job, I'm angry, I'm stressed, I need a vacation, I don't like them ... etc, etc.

Not true. Wow. They've missed the point of the article! The point being to experience, and get a laugh from, what a reviewer sees on a typical day of reviewing. Nothing more, nothing less.

I love reviewing! What I hate is having to refuse an image, I absolutely hate it ... even more than looking at USB plugs, tall crooked buildings and that one man's screwdrivers! *I'm smiling!*

It gets frustrating when I have a day like that one where I've seen more bad images than good ones out of the thousands that I looked at that day ... because I hate to have to click that refusal button! The frustration comes from not being able to approve the images, from seeing the same old stuff come in over and over again, from seeing no improvement in the quality of the images or in the creativity of the photographers.

I stay at it all day and into the evening not because I need the little amount of money that I'm paid to do the job, but because the job is addicting as heck and I love doing it! I love looking at other people's images, I always have, ever since I was a child digging through my grandma's box of black and white, yellowed images of her as a little girl. It's interesting to see what other people point their cameras toward. It's interesting to see how much alike we all are even though we've never met each other. Reviewing is like digging for gold, you know it's in there somewhere. The "gold" is when I finally come across some awesome images and get to click ACCEPT on every single one of 125 images in that person's latest upload.

I did not write that piece in anger nor was I stressed, in fact, I was having a great time writing it and I laughed the entire time. If someone reading my words didn't laugh along with me, perhaps the anger is inside them because it's not coming from me, I promise.

The writing of the article is not a clue that I need a vacation, although I wouldn't mind a nice couple of weeks in Maui. If my husband can take the time off, I'll gladly pack up my cameras and go! *** Please send all donations for my vacation to Mr Rinder, and thanks in advance! ***

I do like photographers, really I do! I'm a photographer! I'm training my daughters to be better "point and shooters", (they can't afford dslr cameras yet and they don't submit to stock agencies).

It's difficult to know how the author of any written piece is "saying" the words he's written. The inflection isn't there in the written word. Each person who reads something puts a different slant on the reading, based on their own feelings at the time, their own life experiences, etc. When I read something aloud, it sounds entirely different than how my husband sounds when he reads the exact same words aloud.

I understand.
They can't see my smiling face, my sparkling eyes, the kindness in my face. They don't know my free-spirited, fun personality and my quirky sense of humor. I love to laugh, I love to make others laugh. They don't get to see how much fun and laughter is shared between myself and my husband over some of their images, the bad ones and the good ones. His computer station sits behind mine in our home office and he often works while I review. He gets to hear a lot of my comments and when I double over in laughter he has to come take a look at what's making me laugh so hard the tears stream down my cheeks. Sometimes I just say "WTF is THIS! Holy crap!" And he just comments, "click the WTF button!" ... and I think ... "man, if only there was one". If I shriek and bolt out of my seat, running for the door, he knows I'm looking at something disgusting and again, he has to take a look. This job is one of the most fun things I've done in my life, besides being behind my own camera, which is absolutely #1 for me. I think a reviewer has to have a good sense of humor and an easy-going personality in order to do this type of work or they WILL get burned out and quit. So far, I'm still having fun.

On the more serious side, sometimes an image of an animal or a child is so darn cute that it brings tears to my eyes and melts my heart into a puddle. And there have been some photos of handsome men ... that are SO handsome ... that my jaw drops and I can't stop looking at him. (My daughter wants to know where in the world a girl can find men that look like that and what his mama is feeding him! I look at the model release and tell her that he's not anywhere near our area of the world, settle down, besides, you're married, remember?.)

Some photographers take the most beautiful photos I've ever seen. In focus, no noise, perfect composition, perfect color, clean, clear, beautiful images that just take my breath away and stop me dead in my little reviewer tracks. Those are the gems, the gold, that I wade through the rest of the stuff to get to. I know, by name, the good photographers and the bad ones. I don't even have to look at the images, just the name tells me what I'm about to see in that person's latest upload. Very few have actually improved their work, but I could also name those few who have showed improvement over the months. I get so excited when I come upon someone who normally sends in technically horrible images and I see entirely beautiful images in their latest batch! The first thing I check is what camera they're shooting with now, and sure as shooting, they've upgraded to a dslr from a point and shoot. These people are really trying, they're serious about photography. I never see posts with them complaining about their rejections in the forums. They're the "lurkers" who read everything the successful photographers have to say, take it to heart, go out and practice what they've learned and apply it. The really "get it", they understand that nothing comes free, that if they work at it, they'll become successful photographers. They're now getting lots of downloads and making money, and I get the joy of clicking the APPROVE button on all of their images. I do the job because of people like them. I do the job because I just plain love it.

leapdragon · Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 81

mmepaquin · Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Posts: 203

shaz · Joined: 21 Aug 2005 Posts: 23

Strawberries and cream now all consumed, have a few seagull shots tho ? :P.

sharon

elenathewise · Joined: 05 Dec 2005 Posts: 115 Location: Toronto, Canada

My approval rating is from 80 to 96% depending on the agency, so no, this is not "too close to home". I do think it's misleading for beginners to say that some subjects shouldn't be submitted. Like i said some people take that literally instead of thinking - as long as it is a great photo and has a lot of potential uses, I should send it in, no matter if its a flower or a friggin seagul:) They should educate themselves on what a great photo is by reading books and magazines, taking courses and such, practicing and being critical to their own work. That's the point. When I see a reviewer posting something like "pictures of swans make me puke" I always think of the poor beginners who are not necessary bad people, just unexperienced, but being scared to submit thier good work because the subjects get ridiculed. I have to admit i do laugh tho:) I did have a few good laughs when reading this post, took nothing personally (although I know i have lots of room to grow myself, there is always that room:)). Maybe if people saw examples of pics that reviewers are talking about it would eliminate all misunderstanding, they'd look and say - "WTF" with the reviewer instead of thinking - oh my god, i just did some strawberry pictures, i better throw them away immediately:) One of the sites has "today's worst image" thingy, when i saw i couldn't belive my eyes, it never even occur to me that people can possibly submit "that". Like i said there will always be people who don't get the point, don't improve, ignore all guidance. But let's not scare away the good ones!:)

leapdragon · Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 81

mmepaquin · Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Posts: 203

leapdragon · Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 81