Susan Vineyard Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I am fairly new to Alamy. I need to understand the consequences of failing QC. I have 329 images now and never failed until fairly recently. Then I was warned by someone on a FB forum that too many failures can result in permant banning from Alamy. I thought they were consecutive failures, but I had quite a few good uploads and then was failed for uploading a cellphone photo which had been accepted by at least three other agencies. I didn't realize they weren't allowed on Alamy. My account was frozen for 12 days. I have had two good uploads since then, but I currently only have a one star rating. My question is, if I have occasional failures as I learn the ways Alamy is different from other agencies, do I risk being permantely banned? Will I be banned the next time I have a failure (hopefully never, but I didn't anticipate the last two either)? I am putting in a lot of work keywording and optimizing my images on Alamy and I am afraid of putting in that much time and effort if I am risking bannishment. I very much want to work with this agency. I just need to understand the QC system better. What happens if you have multiple nonconsecutive QC failures? Thanks for any advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Morrison Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 Instead of fretting about failures, better to read - and re-read - the contributors' guidelines. Then you won't try uploading cellphone pix. QC isn't a terribly high hurdle, but you need a certain discipline: examine every pic at 100%, zap dust-spots, check for critical focus and CA... and make sure you meet the criteria for file size, etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeCee Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 Hi Susan, as John says, it's really nothing to be frightened of, all you need is here No cell phone photos, no cameras with tiny sensors, check everything at 100% view to ensure it looks good. I believe Alamy's QC are higher than other agencies - but that's a good thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Ashmore Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 If your cellphone happens to be made by Apple, you could download the Stockimo app and upload using that. (P.S. We're not meant to talk about Stockimo on these forums but i think it's acceptable to mention in this instance :-) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdh Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 You have go a nice portfolio of pictures already. No need to be frightened of QC - I have not heard of a permanent ban for occasionally failing 'QC. Just ensure to check your photos at 100% for all of these criteria. Every single picture needs checking at 1:1 resolution on your screen - hence you will most certainly have to scroll the entire picture. Alamy has a little video up on youtube on how to check for QC, maybe this is also of help. Last but not least take a ban as an opportunity to learn what to look out for in future - it is a zen period not a punishment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Bell Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 8 hours ago, Susan Vineyard said: I am fairly new to Alamy. I need to understand the consequences of failing QC. I have 329 images now and never failed until fairly recently. Then I was warned by someone on a FB forum that too many failures can result in permant banning from Alamy. I thought they were consecutive failures, but I had quite a few good uploads and then was failed for uploading a cellphone photo which had been accepted by at least three other agencies. I didn't realize they weren't allowed on Alamy. My account was frozen for 12 days. I have had two good uploads since then, but I currently only have a one star rating. My question is, if I have occasional failures as I learn the ways Alamy is different from other agencies, do I risk being permantely banned? Will I be banned the next time I have a failure (hopefully never, but I didn't anticipate the last two either)? I am putting in a lot of work keywording and optimizing my images on Alamy and I am afraid of putting in that much time and effort if I am risking bannishment. I very much want to work with this agency. I just need to understand the QC system better. What happens if you have multiple nonconsecutive QC failures? Thanks for any advice. Don't worry about a QC ban if you fail QC the odd time. OK if you fail too often with a one star QC rating you may get a 12 day ban but not for the occasional fail. You have to be really bad at QC with many fails in a very short time to be banned completely I believe. I have been submitting images for quite some time and am still a one star general but the last time I failed I was allowed to upload the next batch of images immediately after. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Vineyard Posted March 7, 2018 Author Share Posted March 7, 2018 Thanks, Allan. I am going to try their lightroom method on pictures I upload, but I didn't want to risk going to Alamy hell. I am reassured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sultanpepa Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 You've fallen into the trap which many impatient new contributors fall into, i.e that of trying to run before being able to walk. There's nothing to be afraid of here at Alamy as long as you read everything that Alamy have given you to read and if not understood then by all means post and someone will help. "Winging it" will almost certainly catch out even pro photographers if they don't read all the Alamy rules and regs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Vineyard Posted March 7, 2018 Author Share Posted March 7, 2018 Thanks to all of you for your advice. I will take some time to read up on everything before I upload any more. And thanks for the compliment on my portfolio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I love the pic of the face reflected in the Rosetta Stone. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty LaRue Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 Susan, you do have fine images. A tip. The dirt road village in Mexico I see the location when I click on it. But I don’t think that location info is searchable. Put the location in the caption and then again in your tags. The image location then will be searchable! Betty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty LaRue Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 3 hours ago, GS-Images said: Susan, like others have said, don't let it worry you so much. Rather than thinking along the lines of what will happen when you get a QC failure, think about how to prepare your images well enough that you know you won't get a failure. All you need to do is work through a checklist in your mind before uploading. 1) Check at 100% across the WHOLE of the image (including blurred areas). 2) If you see dust spots or chromatic aberration, remove them. 3) Ensure you have whites and blacks set right as per the histogram. 4) Ensure the main subject of the image is sharp. You can sharpen it a little but don't go too far. 5) Use this software before all uploads to make sure they're high enough resolution and the correct colour profile. Make this a habit as it'll catch any that you forgot you hadn't processed, or you didn't realise were in that folder, etc.. http://www.braeside.plus.com/photography/alamy/alamy.html If you aren't sure an image is sharp enough - DON'T UPLOAD IT, even if it's the most wonderful and rare image you've ever taken. Once you feel comfortable that your images are good enough, you won't even think about QC failures because you'll know everything will pass. You'll be asking questions like, "Why aren't my images showing higher up in searches?" and "Why haven't I got the money Alamy owe me yet?" and "Why is this Geoff guy so wonderful?". Ok maybe not that last one. Good luck, Geoff. Geoff. Good to have you back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty LaRue Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 I was in the middle packing up to move anyway, so would not have come! No prob! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdh Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 3 hours ago, GS-Images said: ..... Once you feel comfortable that your images are good enough, you won't even think about QC failures because you'll know everything will pass. You'll be asking questions like, "Why aren't my images showing higher up in searches?" and "Why haven't I got the money Alamy owe me yet?" and "Why is this Geoff guy so wonderful?". .... ..... and/or all the other really friendly fellow photographers in the Forum ... (just smartassing - That is called klugscheißen (clever-sh.tting) in German - same location, different process ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Vineyard Posted March 15, 2018 Author Share Posted March 15, 2018 Such good advice. Thank you so much. I saw somewhere that Alamy has a way to check my photos in light room to make sure they pass, but I can't find that link. Do any of you have that? And the face in the Rosetta stone. That was a really lucky capture. I was only in London for two days and hit the museums. I had just come from Greece, and it was so interesting that I saw the ruins there and half the relics in those museums, and then got see the other half in the British Museum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Rooney Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 Susan, at the moment I'm afraid of everything except QC. Your images look great. You just made a mistake somewhere. Edo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klod Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 I am a newbie here and want to avoid rejection, I read the following and somewhere Alamy specifies that contributors must exclusively submit photos taken from DSLR and they suggest another site to submit photos that are not. Has nothing to do with the photo itself, photos taken from a phone or low end digital camera get excluded based on exif info. http://www.alamy.com/contributor/how-to-sell-images/best-place-to-sell-stock-images-photos/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MircoV Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 I just wanted to answer Susan but no need. The only forum out there where contributors are fair, respectfull and friendly to each other. Mirco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klod Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 32 minutes ago, GS-Images said: Read my post several above, as it lists everything you need to pass QC. It's simple and nothing to be afraid of. The only thing I didn't mention in that list is the sensor size. A full frame or cropped frame DSLR or one of the 1 inch sensor cameras like the Sony RC100 range are fine. Smaller sensors are not. Anything you read that says anything else, for submitting to ALAMY STOCK, is wrong. Geoff. hi Geoff: I love your portfolio as well as yours Susan! Yes, lots of advice on the web as you point that is not accurate. -The link I provided points to Alamy advice to contributor and they actually specifically spell out somewhere - I spent a few hours reading all material posted by Alamy -not certain which page- that they exclude based on EXIF and will automatically reject all that is not DSLR and they discuss consequence of remove exifs-not a good idea and a 100% fool proof method to fail at least your 1st initial submission. Based on that reading I excluded a signification portion of photos that I shot before buying my current camera. So far so good with my submissions just under 200 pics but - 100% pass rate. They added yesterday a 3rd little star to my rating - a form of compensation for the long hours I spent. It takes me about 10 minutes per photo -excluding tag and caption - as I scrutinize all, as you outline above. A very slowww process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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