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rebecca reis · Joined: 10 May 2012 Posts: 15

I reposted some and added new pictures. I really need to get photoshop. Probably should've had this figured out before even bothered to post.

rinder99 · Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 7:06 pm

Rebecca. I wasn't being rude in the slightest nor was it an attitude. matter of fact I thought I was nice and straight to the point.I've been a working pro 40+ years been here since the beginning,sold my first stock image in 1968 and was a stock reviewer for 3+ years. I thought my critique was spot on. If you want to argue my points feel free but you seemed to agree.

You post for a critique in a stock forum, you will get a critique for stock commercial value. If I or anyone else tells you what you "wanna" hear you won't grow or stand a chance doing it like this.This is not flicker or your family or friends I told you exactly what was wrong with this work, Nothing More and nothing less.You can take it for as many grains of sand you wish. We are here to help you and for free.I will refrain from critiquing you.

Good Luck.

rebecca reis · Joined: 10 May 2012 Posts: 15

rinder99 · Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 7:53 pm

Thats cool. much worse can happen. Sometimes matter of fact and straight to the point can be misread as rudeness I assume. I teach Photography and if you've read me you would know I don't sugarcoat and im usually right in your face and I say it like it is,Not like you want it to be. never have and never will.I have close to 34,000 posts and probably 31,000+ just on the critique forum so I/we have seen a lot.I like how you called me out..Wanna know why? it shows me you care But, please do not take anything at anytime personal in any way.

Lets start with you this way after looking at your newer stuff.pick a subject you enjoy or might want to do and search for it and see whats here. Do this as much as you can for as long as you can and see what the competition is and how they frame a shot and how they process a shot. Stock sites Love Big,Bright,Bold tack sharp Images that have an instant message as to time,subject, concept and place. Stock is a "Commercial" artform it is not art perse' But an art unto itself if done well,professionally with high commercial value.All other artforms of expression is quite different and very subjective. This is about keeping it simple,easy to understand and most of all with 20 Gazillion others.... Unique to you.

There isn't one person alive that knows what will sell well but there are formulas that have proven over and over what has a better chance that is to say if, Your doing this to make money.

Good luck, Do some work and go shoot till your finger bleeds.Thats the best advice i have for you at this time, Your work speaks much louder that what you can type.The others will be along and critique your new stuff.

cpaulfell · Joined: 07 Dec 2011 Posts: 2441

digigandalf · Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 5418 Location: Twinsburg, OH

I'm glad you reposted these. (Or maybe they're new, except I remember the carnival one from when I looked in briefly this afternoon.)

Here's what I see in them:

Bristol: If this is the whole image, it's way too close in, so much so that it's hard to tell what it is. Looks like gargoyles, maybe? You need to pull back and get more of the scene. Also, keep in mind that the buyers' first view is a much smaller thumbnail, which will make it even harder to tell what they're looking at. If it doesn't grab them right away, they'll quickly go on to other images.

Frank!: Cute cat, but cropped a little too tight, and much too harsh lighting. Also out of focus. And it's usually recommended to go with color, rather than B/W, esp. for the initial 10.

Carnival: Again, hard to tell completely what it is because it's such a close-in shot, and everything looks squished into one narrow portion of the frame. Colorful, though - just need more of it. (But be aware there might be copyright issues with carnival rides. A pesky but unavoidable reality.)

Cemetery: the lighting is harsh on this one too, with a lot of blown highlights. I think it could be composed better--the two partial stones in the lower left corner are somewhat distracting, for instance. And a soft, hazy light (even foggy if you can get it) would probably work better for a cemetery shot.

St: This is the closest one you have to being a stock shot, but there are a few problems with it. One, the colors could stand to 'pop' a little more, and it looks out of focus even at this size. Also it would be better if the ship were sailing into the picture rather than out of it. (And—you won't believe this, but it's true—if the people on the boat are at all recognizable, you would need model releases. aargh!)

Church: More of an art shot than a stock shot. Looks OOF, or with a much shallower depth of field than will be wanted for this type of subject.

I would do like Laurin said in his last post. Shoot lots of things that interest you, and spend time looking at what's already up and selling. It takes some time for most people to get their heads wrapped around what makes a shot commercially viable and what doesn't.

digigandalf · Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 5418 Location: Twinsburg, OH

hhltdave5 · Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 9:21 pm

Let me jump in here. First Rebecca I have been Laurin's business partner for 6 years now and by the way he is also my cousin. It can be somewhat of a shock when they come here and ask for a critique of their images. As has been said this is very much different from non professional sites in that what we give is a more detailed technical critique of the work we see. We look at it from a different point of view than people do on other non professional sites.

As to how Laurin may come off in some of his critiques it can be at times a shock to ones system because he will say it like it is. Often he wants to get a reaction to see just how much the people want this.

Now I have been a photographer either full or part time for over 40 years and thought I was pretty good when Laurin and I got together. The things he said to me really pissed me off but I later found out he did it for a reason.

People now think his is strong in his critiques but it is nothing like he did with me. Once he said that I would not make a good pimple on a photographer's ass. He came right out and told me to stop sending him crap and to either get with it or get out. He got me so mad that I was going to show him just how good I was. In the end I finally understood the way he teaches. It may seem hard but believe me he is really a softy so please do not take it personally.

Now, for your images. What you have posted is like images posted by many people who first come to a stock site. The thing they need to do is to first understand what a stock shot is. A good stock shot is something that will help sell or promote a product, concept or idea. Most who come to a stock site for the first time do not know this so they show us shots that are not totally in a stock reference.

Stock shots also must be done technically well. The focus must be tack sharp in the proper place, the composition must be done effectively, the proper use of depth of field must be accomplished and it must be done with the proper lighting and exposure. To add onto this it needs good commercial value.

What I always suggest to new comers is to first get your head wrapped around stock and then go out and shoot new images with this in mind. Now this does not mean that there cannot be an art side to stock but it needs to have the commercial value and be done well.

Here is an article that I wrote for Shutterstock that is for those new to this type of photography. I hope you find it useful. Hope to see you back with more of your work.

http://submit.shutterstock.com/newsletter/115/article2.html

rinder99 · Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 11:46 pm

jeffbanke · Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 12:42 am

As you may have deduced there is some dissension among the ranks and occasional discord, denigration, depreciation, and denunciation.
I recommend a good deal of deliberation and do not feel destitute nor fall into the abyss of despondency :-)

semmickphoto · Posted: Fri May 18, 2012 12:45 am

cpaulfell · Joined: 07 Dec 2011 Posts: 2441

jhuls · Joined: 02 Jan 2012 Posts: 1047

I think you have potential, stick with us. I had the same problem when I first came here. I over processed everything, because that is the way they like it most other places(not stock). I know Laurin and he wasn't being rude actually I read his post and thought he was much more complimentary to you than he is many people. And if he took that much time to type a whole paragraph it means he thinks you are worth it. (He hates to type and usually only leaves short responses.)

You need to do the same thing I did, start over. Take new pictures specifically for stock with the rules of stock in mind: minimal processing, tack sharp focus, even lighting and a deeper DOF. Not that you can't experiment with arty and more processed images later after you get accepted. Just stay away from it for your first 10.

jhuls · Joined: 02 Jan 2012 Posts: 1047

b0076619 · Joined: 18 Oct 2010 Posts: 24

Rebecca, I just went through this a year or so ago and heres what I learned...

Don't take it personally, cut through the seemingly rude or gruff tone of the comments and get the good stuff you can use.

These folks know what they are talking about, just read carefully for the nuggets and the lights will start to come on.

Remember you are trying to create something for others to take and use in an advertisement or other graphic arts project, not an artistic piece that pleases you own sensibilities. They will rarely use the whole image you provide.

The people who buy images here are experts at Photoshop image manipulation and would rather the tone, crop, color, blur, sharpen, etc decisions left to them. They just want clean well shot images that give them raw material to start with.

You are placing your work right in the middle of a graphic arts process between art directors , graphic artists and approval people. Remember your contribution is raw materials to make them look good and make thier work quicker, less costly and more effective.

Shoot what you like, shoot it simply and sharply, it will show and people will recognize it.

Anyway, good luck!