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Stockimo query


Dave C

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Hi

 

My current rejection rate is running at about 80%  I make no complaints about that as it's all subjective after all, but I am wondering whether I may have shot myself in the foot. 

 

A number of my images were processed using filters in the befunky app & I've just noticed that it seems to strip out the original camera data information when saved.  Would this be a reason for rejection?  i.e. inability for the reviewer to be sure it was taken with a phone?

 

The sooner we have a version that gives us reason for rejection the better as I have to say I'm struggling with what will & won't be likely to be accepted, or why some of my images are rejected.

 

Dave

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It's obviously not in the business model of Stockimo to have the same submission/ QC/ reasons infrastructure as the proper collection. It's not for professionals who need to know what the target looks like before they aim at it.

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@ spacecadet  Hi Mark, Alamy have already said on twitter they will include a reason for failure on v2 of stockimo.  I for one am intrigued as to why the street art images I added were rejected.  I wouldn't say the 140 or so that have been accepted are technically better or more creatively shot than the images I submitted, nor do they cover similar subjects or geographical areas so how are the ones accepted some how considered more saleable?

 

If there's an obvious reason it would be helpful to know so we don't keep uploading images that are in some way unsuitable.

 

There seems to be a preference for use of creative filters yet all but one I've submitted with grungy look/vintage/orton have been rejected.  I can't see a huge difference in quality between the one that was accepted & the ones rejected, or any that have made it through.  It's hard to see anything obvious that makes the difference between acceptance & rejection.

 

Dave

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@ sceee It's a puzzle to me.  Take sunsets.  We're always being told don't take sunsets as they don't sell, yet nearly 9% of the accepted images have the tag sunset or sunrise on them.  Some of these are excellent with impact & foreground interest but a small number are hard to fathom imo.  Images with wonky horizons (not seemingly intentional as they're not far enough out to add any drama to the shot) & a tiny dot of a sun miles away.  I just don't get it.

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Stockimo has normal and filtered images. Pass rate depends on subject and subjective rating. I had similar pictures that failed or passed. There is no standard for rating images. I stopped uploading because I saw no searches on them and I have the feeling that uploads declined as Stockimo library is only 17k now...or maybe tougher ratings?

There is no Stockimo sale until now so I don't bother spending time on my phone. I can keep photos on my HDD.

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When it kicked off I had expected to see a lot more than 17k on Stockimo by now but the rejection rate is quite high. I only borrowed an iPhone to try it and have given up on Stockimo already. I think I ended up with 7 pics in the collection.

 

I think a lot of new contributors (e.g. young teenagers, etc) looking to make money from their iPhone pics will also have given up if 8 out of 10 of their pics have been rejected. They are used to loading pics up to social media websites instantly will-nilly without any form of rejection.

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Hi Alex & Mihai

 

Well i for one won't be wasting any more time on it.  After yet more rejections I'm giving up until version 2 is available.  Cheesed off no one from alamy has answered my original question also.

 

One thing that puzzles me is some of the images I've seen do not look to me like they were taken with a smartphone.  I'd say it's nigh on impossible to achieve the sort of differential focus effects on some I've seen without a dslr (software doesn't cut it either)  Also I've seen some with pixel sizes way nearer to something like a nikon d800 than a smartphone so some people are bucking the system methinks.

 

Dave

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I think sometimes when the filters and processing changes are applied they can look cool on the tiny iPhone screen but view them on a computer screen and you see loads wrong with them. I have approached the editing of late with a minimalistic view and have seen a better hit rate. Granted I only snap a shot that feel has commercial value and that in itself can be quite hard to shoot for if you've never touched on it. (Like me) 

 

As far as images being on there shot from better cameras. I think that happens everywhere there's a restriction. EXIF data is easy to change these days, and yeah it's frustrating when you see that and your own work is being rejected. Rejection is tough, and I think if it was a fail rather than a rejection it might feel a bit better lol. 

 

"Photo was Rejected" - Ouch ! thrown in the bin, don't even want it, you're not good enough. Whereas if it said 'failed QC' and a reason, you could totally eliminate that from future uploads and build up a profile of what's going to be accepted making it easier for everyone involved. It's a new platform and you always get bumps in the road, but so far I still like being involved in it. 

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"Photo was Rejected" - Ouch ! thrown in the bin, don't even want it, you're not good enough. Whereas if it said 'failed QC' and a reason, you could totally eliminate that from future uploads and build up a profile of what's going to be accepted making it easier for everyone involved. It's a new platform and you always get bumps in the road, but so far I still like being involved in it. 

I agree. I have an iPhone and hadn't used the camera much at all recently so have tried a few uploads of topical "snaps" in Hay on Wye (which is a subject that gets sales). All rejected. No idea what, if anything, I should aim for.

 

John

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ive just bought iphone to have a go at shooting for stockimo. The majority of the images that have been accepted are RF style images that have been heavily filtered. Retro style still life grab shots ect. Ive been using snapseed to edit the images is this the same workflow other people are using?

 

Edd

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I get 30,830 results for Stockimo, not 17,000. My rejection rate is improving; now around 50% on a very small number of images. I plan to spend more time on this as I find it interesting to do and interesting to see what is accepted. The feedback I get from this, blunt as it is, helps me improve as a phototgrapher. If rejection becomes bothersome I'll just spend my time on the regular Alamy collection, where the technical factors are all that matters for acceptance. Having images accepted at Stockimo might just improve my sales, as salability is one of the criterea. Like Edd, I bought an iphone for this and find the filtered images get accepted at a higher rate, but my sample is too small to be meaningful. I hope to get more straight shots in soon. 

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I get 30,830 results for Stockimo, not 17,000. My rejection rate is improving; now around 50% on a very small number of images. I plan to spend more time on this as I find it interesting to do and interesting to see what is accepted. The feedback I get from this, blunt as it is, helps me improve as a phototgrapher. If rejection becomes bothersome I'll just spend my time on the regular Alamy collection, where the technical factors are all that matters for acceptance. Having images accepted at Stockimo might just improve my sales, as salability is one of the criterea. Like Edd, I bought an iphone for this and find the filtered images get accepted at a higher rate, but my sample is too small to be meaningful. I hope to get more straight shots in soon. 

 

Likewise, kevin

I'm also pleasently surprised by the quality of 5s images. I've just had one printed & framed & am very pleased with it.

My rejection rate is now about 25% - & rejects tend to be editorial in nature - eg an identified local, nationally known building.

 

Ive just bought iphone to have a go at shooting for stockimo. The majority of the images that have been accepted are RF style images that have been heavily filtered. Retro style still life grab shots ect. Ive been using snapseed to edit the images is this the same workflow other people are using?

 

Edd

 

Me too.

For workflow, I use 'camera+' Unless I've missed it in the native app, being able to separate focus & exposure points is v useful

My 'go to' apps are 'snapseed' & 'Alayer,' with 'distressedFX,' 'Mextures' & occasionally, 'Afterlight.'

 

ann

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I bought an iPhone 5s two month ago to go shooting for stockimo.

I use camera+ because I like the separate exposure control and I use snapseed to filter the images.

My rejection rate is now 60% (It was close to 100% the first couple of weeks but then I found out how to use snapseed).

 

Frank

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I'd say my rate is nearer to 1 in 3 accepted overall now, although I'm still mystified sometimes when my sure fire thing isn't accepted, but it's all subjective at the end of the day.  I mostly use befunky or PS express for PP, but will check out some of the reccomendations here.  Good luck everyone.

 

Dave

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Thanks for all the pointers! camera+ and snapseed seem to be the way forward for me. Lots of filtered punchy images. All of my moody HDR shoots seem to be rejected so I'm just shooting bright colorful happy grab shots. Like Kevin Ive found that editorial and travel style shots are not what alamy appear to be looking for at the moment.

 

Thanks Edd

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Another snapseed user here, I also tend to use 645pro for taking images as it gives me a TIFF filem - only app I've ever paid for.... tough decision that :)

 

I tend to send iphone shots to a commercial collection, who I know have had sales, as opposed to stockimo. One image I had accepted on stockimo was rejected on reupload - different day, different result!! Moody HDR is what I tend to have accepted elsewhere but they are generally MR shots - gritty book cover type stuff.

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Hi Ed,

 

No sales for me yet, but very few images accepted; in keeping with what little time I've spent on this. Stockimo is still new at about 30K. Pricing structure is stated to be the same as for the rest of Alamy, so I expect similar sales once I get a good number of images up. My last Alamy sale was for calendar use at $150.

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Hi Ed

 

With Alamy I find it takes about three months for me to start getting sales from a batch upload. I presume this it will be the same for Stockimo if not longer as its so much slower to upload images on a iphone. Its also new system so we might experience teething issues with sales being reported. I'm not expecting any regular until my collection is at least a couple of thousand which will take a very long time.  I'm sure stockimo will make money as alamy runs a tight ship. its just a case of having lots of fingers in lots of pies!

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I've been running slightly better than a 60% acceptance rate but I still don't have a clue about what they're looking for.
As for sales, I've seen a couple (not mine) but it's my understanding that the app doesn't show sales until they've cleared and Stockimo is ready to pay.

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