Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic - I am very new. what do you have to say about my picture?

kensleygold · Joined: 04 Apr 2012 Posts: 2

I need some advice on these types of photos.

semmickphoto · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 1:14 am

Search shutterstock for landscape or mountains and see what you are up against, and how your image needs to look to compete.

tverkhovynets · Joined: 12 Jun 2010 Posts: 748 Location: Kiev, Ukraine

Composition issues: the tree to the right kills the image + no clouds. Colors are dull.

No impact on the viewer.

The sky may be noisy (need to see 100% crop to be sure)

Taras

ruxpriencdiam · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 6:57 am

It's OOF and looks like there is banding in the sky.

sroyc · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 7:00 am

I have been submitting to SS for some time, and I got more of my shots rejected than accepted. So what I learned is that your photo must be salable... and for that you must have good composition, great colors and no NOISE...so it's not a beautiful photo SS likes, but a commercially viable one which must also be beautiful. Hope I have helped you to understand.

For the one you have posted, there is hardly anything new to say apart from those already said...but don't loose your heart, IMHO it may not be the rosy way, but a great way to improve your photos. :)

hhltdave5 · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 7:03 am

I would have to agree with what has been said so far. There is so much more to stock work than just taking a picture. Don't feel that this is against you I think it is just you didn't have the full concept of exactly what stock photography is which is something that many newcomers need to address.

The first thing you need to do is understand what a good stock shot is. It is one that will help sell or promote a product, concept or idea. Now to really get the buyer to want to buy your shot you need to capture images that will do this like no other shot around. It really needs to be something else to make it stand out and get people to want to buy what they are selling.

Parts of a good shot are focus, composition, exposure, good use of depth of field and impact. We really can't check focus because you did not supply a 100% crop of the shot so we could do that. As to composition you headed in the right direction with composition by including the tree (to show scale) but you did not go far enough. If you would have backed up and included the whole tree then you are getting on the right track.

When it comes to impact one of the landscape photographers best friend is clouds. Usually we hate clear blue skies. Clouds give character and drama to a shot where a plain blue sky is really kind of dull.

Lighting and exposure are also very important. Lighting is the main thing when it comes to photography. Light changes during the day and all through the day it gives different looks. Shooting at the height of the day will often give a harsh look and feel to an image. It will also create harsh shadows.

One day do nothing but watch the light. Get up before it comes up and really look at it. Watch how it changes during the day and then watch how it softens and changes again as it sets. Watch it until it drops below the horizon. Light is magical and it should always be in your mind when it comes to photography.

Another thing you need to do when it comes to landscapes is to capture images that showcase a specific spot that would draw the viewer to that spot and make them wish they were there or to learn more about it. This range of hills could be anywhere in the world and does not give a sense of place or attraction.

Now when you put all these things together before capturing an image you are doing what we call "making" the shot and not just "taking" a shot. It is a process to use your eyes and your technical ability to create a winning stock shot.

If you are interested in stock then I suggest learning about it a bit more then shoot shots with stock in mind. Often when people use images they took before they had any idea about stock they do not always come up to what a stock shot should be.

I hope this has helped and hope you will post more for us to look at.

kensleygold · Joined: 04 Apr 2012 Posts: 2

this has all been helpful. I do know that I have a hard time with was makes or breaks stock photos. How about a storm? Is this more sellable?

ruxpriencdiam · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:32 am

No not like this.

Look up storms and see what you are up against.

rinder99 · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 11:13 am

Agree with whats been said. GO HERE and study, This is what your up against, Yours have to be as good or better for any chance of acceptance or selling. theres are at least 250,000 or more amazing Landscape shots on this site. Im sorry but your Image wouldn't stand a chance. Theres some VERY dedicated Pros here. best advice is find a subject that interests you and study to be the best at it.And Your going to need excellent Processing skills to compete.

http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&search_source=search_form&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&searchterm=landscape.&search_group=&orient=&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photographer_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&commercial_ok=&color=&show_color_wheel=1

rinder99 · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 11:25 am

Here is a down and dirty version of how your shot kinda needs to look to get any attention at all. this took 30 Seconds.If I had 5 minutes It would work.

sroyc · Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 9:36 pm

wiml · Joined: 10 May 2011 Posts: 896

What Laurin is saying is to be creative with your image, work it!

He posted this as an example, not a guide to rinderart ;)

tverkhovynets · Joined: 12 Jun 2010 Posts: 748 Location: Kiev, Ukraine

Here is my landscape I did recently. Had to work on it adding some things which really weren't there:

I needed to take some time before I got how to do that. It took several months.

Learn for to give your images depth and 3d look. How to make it stunning and make the viewer want to look at it again and again.

Taras

hhltdave5 · Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2012 6:47 am

To the original poster. Please remember one thing and that is to work toward understanding photography and how to properly photograph a scene and not to just take a shot and then do a bunch of editing gymnastics to completely change the image.

Knowing how to make adjustments to an image, add a sky etc are important things to know but I have always taught to get the image as right in the camera as you can.

Everyone who has shown you an adjusted image knows how to get the shot right in the camera. They are showing you how to make changes and things to be working toward, not what to do in each shot you take.

As I have said many times before, be a photographer first and a software user second.

tverkhovynets · Joined: 12 Jun 2010 Posts: 748 Location: Kiev, Ukraine

Agree with Dave: the best shot is a cool looking shot on which you don't spend much time.

Of course it is not always possible to capture the scene in the way you want. Especially when going to the trip, in places which you maybe will visit once in a lifetime. Sometimes the "time of the day" is not on your side and you don't have time to wait. In this case you may try to fix it in post processing if you think it is worth doing that. But don't think you can fix everything in post, just do it right in camera as much as possible.

Taras