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semmickphoto
Joined: 12 Feb 2012
Posts: 6544
Location: Stuck between a shutter and a hard place
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Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 12:46 pm
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I missed all these threads because I was on holidays. Its not about making me happy, its just that I missed the threads and I am not someone who is going to weed through two weeks of threads to see if I missed something.
I appreciate the effort tho, but dont go out of your way to post a link if they are locked on your CDS. |
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ruxpriencdiam
Joined: 07 May 2009
Posts: 26315
Location: Third Stone from the Sun
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andrev
Joined: 14 May 2011
Posts: 6
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Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 3:11 pm
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Reading that i assume standards/ approval criteria have been raised. Wish SS would confirm if this is the case though.
Its all very frustrating |
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kalinpetrov
Joined: 16 Apr 2012
Posts: 3
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 9:22 am
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In my opinion the reason for the massive rejections for which I have been reading and experiencing recently is completely different and it's linked to the... IPO planned by Shutterstock.
Let me explain my theory - the site currently operates 15-20 million photos - not sure how many exactly, but that's not important - the important thing is that this is the biggest database.
So, far the acceptance criterias have not been among the highest. It means that SS has the biggest database, but also maybe a huge number of photos which are newer sold and are there just to inflate the total of photos sold by the site.
What if sometime before the IPO Shutterstock wants to reshape its image? To market a site where it's difficult to get a photo accepted, due to the high criterias that have to be fulfilled. Wouldn't after some time this new image start working retroactively for the millions of photos accepted before the change?!... "the biggest photo database with the highest quality", hein?...
Well, if I were shutterstock, the first thing I would do is - increase the rejection rates, even reject perfectly appropriate photos, because this would also invoke discussions like this one, where there's a lot of noise on the "new high-quality requirements imposed by Shutterstock"... and the more noise, the more publicity for the new image of Shutterstock, the higher the chances for a good marketing positioning, the higher the chance for a successful IPO...nothing but business! |
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hhltdave5
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 24100
Location: Our Stock, Food & Portrait photography books at www.rindersmithphotography.com
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 2:22 pm
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| kalinpetrov wrote: | In my opinion the reason for the massive rejections for which I have been reading and experiencing recently is completely different and it's linked to the... IPO planned by Shutterstock.
Let me explain my theory - the site currently operates 15-20 million photos - not sure how many exactly, but that's not important - the important thing is that this is the biggest database.
So, far the acceptance criterias have not been among the highest. It means that SS has the biggest database, but also maybe a huge number of photos which are newer sold and are there just to inflate the total of photos sold by the site.
What if sometime before the IPO Shutterstock wants to reshape its image? To market a site where it's difficult to get a photo accepted, due to the high criterias that have to be fulfilled. Wouldn't after some time this new image start working retroactively for the millions of photos accepted before the change?!... "the biggest photo database with the highest quality", hein?...
Well, if I were shutterstock, the first thing I would do is - increase the rejection rates, even reject perfectly appropriate photos, because this would also invoke discussions like this one, where there's a lot of noise on the "new high-quality requirements imposed by Shutterstock"... and the more noise, the more publicity for the new image of Shutterstock, the higher the chances for a good marketing positioning, the higher the chance for a successful IPO...nothing but business! |
That may sound good but when you really look at the rejections a problem comes up. Some very mediocre shots are being accepted on a regular basis but some of the biggest and best submitters are having whole batches rejected. That big time contributor will resubmit and they are all approved.
I have been at this game long enough to see when you get such a wide range of inconsistency it usually comes down to a new reviewer who is taking their job very seriously. It seems as if it is down to the luck of the draw on who one gets as a reviewer.
Here is another example. I submitted 15 BBQ shots and all were rejected. I asked for a re-review and all of them were accepted. Just about each of those shots are now the top sellers of Rib shots in the entire shutterstock database with two of them in the #1 & 2 positions.
The standards have gone up and that is good. Shutterstock has said as much but when it comes to the inconsistencies that is what we object about and is something I have talked to Shutterstock about. |
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chbaum
Joined: 19 Sep 2010
Posts: 388
Location: Karlsruhe, Germany
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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:46 am
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I agree with Dave! Inconsistencies come from the reviewers as far as I can see...
Funnily enough, I had a whole batch accepted recently. That had never happened before! And the next batch had less than 25% rejections! Both batches were shot with my new 100-400 mm lens which I dig a lot.
Question is: Did I just get better technically? Or is it the new glass? Or did I miss Attila twice in a row and will be rejected big time again with my next batch?
It's really hard to tell...
And BTW: I have submitted nothing but landscapes and wildlife 'cause that's what I like best and shoot most. Every month is BME these days for me, going up as the port grows. Hope to reach 400 images this year.
So it's the old story: Approvals go up and down, sales go up and down, port grows and so do sales.
Best regards,
Christian |
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semmickphoto
Joined: 12 Feb 2012
Posts: 6544
Location: Stuck between a shutter and a hard place
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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:31 pm
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What I dont understand is the massive differences between reveiwers. I submitted 40 photos of a face with 40 different flags. All accepted 100%. So I continue to expand the series with more countries, and then I get a 100% rejection on the next 28 photos. And what makes it even harder to understand is that the 40 photos are selling. They are downloaded every day. |
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cpaulfell
Joined: 07 Dec 2011
Posts: 2444
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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:38 pm
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This one was featured on DP FB page congratulating Spain on their win :)
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semmickphoto
Joined: 12 Feb 2012
Posts: 6544
Location: Stuck between a shutter and a hard place
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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:44 pm
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| cpaulfell wrote: | This one was featured on DP FB page congratulating Spain on their win :)
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Really ?? Thats so cool, need to check that. Out thanks. |
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