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Has Alamy changed?


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1 hour ago, Jose Decio Molaro said:

I started 2021 sending some photos and they were all refused.
I think the Quality Control has become more demanding, is it?

 

Not sure what you mean but I tried sending some images earlier and as they were uploading to Alamy they were being rejected. I think this may be wha  is happening at busy times.

 

Allan

 

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QC standards do change with time but I do not see any significant changes since the OP started in February 2020.

 

One change that hit me recently was the long existing rule of five similars being the benchmark. I now work to the standard of three similars ( more or less). Okay, this is evolution not revolution so it just happens without announcement. There has never been an announcement saying that QC standards have been deliberately changed, 

 

It stands to reason that over time standards will evolve just as, for example, the quality of cameras evolve. The digital camera I used to pass QC in 2005 is now on the 'banned list' yet all those images are still on sale.

 

Thinking about this personally I had a big wake up call after a trip to Netherlands with my Canon 5D mk1 in 2009. I had bought the camera in 2006 as a replacement to the one I mentioned above. But I was doing literally no post processing, just opening the RAW, doing nothing except checking for focus. The entire batch of my trip got thrown out for being flat and dull ( or whatever the correct terminology is). And I had to do the whole lot again and learn about using RAW processing software. So between 2006-and this QC fail in 2009 most images from this camera on Alamy could do with being re-processed to make them more saleable. Needless to say that lesson has proved to be a very valuable and useful one even though I found it hard at the time.

 

Now I am not saying that QC is perfect. I do think they make mistakes sometimes but we all do. The point is if you get a fail it is a wake-up call. It means you are getting too close to the edge. And in the end if that keeps you on your toes it is advantageous despite the immediate feeling of annoyance.

 

There is always going to be a borderline, a margin. A QC fail makes you more aware of where might be. 

 

If you argue that QC standards don't change give it a try by uploading images from films scans in 2002!

Edited by geogphotos
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I had cause to look at some 14MP images from 2011 the other day (2008 model camera IIRC) and I wonder how they ever got through, especially as we had to upsize to 48MP then!

Alamy say QC has been consistent over the years, but you can't help thinking that, if nothing else, their eyes have trained up with time looking at technically improving images, so if I hadn't dropped the A350 in 2013 (as in on the floor, not stopped using🤩) I might be fretting over getting the images through now. Probably downsize everything to 3250, as I still do for high ISO.

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3 hours ago, Mr Standfast said:

Sorry Jose, nothing's changed. It is still the contributors responsibility to ensure their pictures meet Alamys standards. Post your problems an we'll try to help.

I don't think it's a problem, I just asked if there was a change, thanks.

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3 minutes ago, Jose Decio Molaro said:

 I don't shoot raw ...

Even if this wasn't the reason this time, you are limiting yourself and may come unstuck eventually. RAWs are sharper at any ISO- certainly at 800 IMO. Shooting RAW I have no problems at 3200 (Sony A58).

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6 minutes ago, Jose Decio Molaro said:

I'm always using the basic camera settings, I've never had a problem, iso 200 or more, never above 800 ... speed 125 or above and aperture depends on the photo. I don't shoot raw ...

Hi Jose, now you've let the cat out of the bag!! 😸 As you're not using raw, can we assume you're not editing your pictures too? QC might be quite hit and miss to pass then. Your white balance might be wrong, picture underexposed, overexposed, composition would be better cropped, dust spots etc. 

 

If you are editing, then you should be editing the raw files, not the JPEGs.

Edited by Steve F
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2 minutes ago, Steve F said:

Hi Jose, now you've let the cat out of the bag!! 😸 As you're not using raw, can we assume you're not editing your pictures too? QC might be quite hit and miss to pass then. Your white balance might be wrong, picture underexposed, overexposed, composition would be better cropped, dust spots etc. 

 

If you are editing, then you should be editing the raw files, not the JPEGs.

You got it! I hardly edit my photos, sometimes I hit the WB or even take stains or possible marks.

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5 minutes ago, spacecadet said:

Mesmo que não seja esse o motivo desta vez, você está se limitando e pode acabar perdendo o controle. RAWs são mais nítidos em qualquer ISO - certamente em 800 IMO. Fotografar em RAW Não tenho problemas em 3200 (Sony A58).

Thanks for the tip, I will start shooting more in raw, very difficult to make photos in raw, the file is very heavy, but I'll try, Thanks

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Just now, Jose Decio Molaro said:

You got it! I hardly edit my photos, sometimes I hit the WB or even take stains or possible marks.

Well.... It's certainly a way of speeding up the workflow!

 

But good editing could improve the look / quality of your pictures and hence increase your sales......

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2 minutes ago, Steve F said:

Bem .... Certamente é uma forma de acelerar o fluxo de trabalho!

 

Mas uma boa edição pode melhorar a aparência / qualidade de suas fotos e, portanto, aumentar suas vendas ...

ok, i will make photos in raw, my cameras are not so new i have 2 nikon and 1 sony and all have the raw pattern

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Just now, Jose Decio Molaro said:

ok, i will make photos in raw, my cameras are not so new i have 2 nikon and 1 sony and all have the raw pattern

Hi Jose, only start using the raw setting on your camera if you're going to start editing. Otherwise, keep using the JPEG setting only. You'll need an editing programme like Adobe Lightroom, or possibly free software like GIMP (but you get what you pay for). And if your computer is struggling with  handling RAW files, you might need some more processing power to edit them. 

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2 minutes ago, Steve F said:

Olá José, comece a usar a configuração RAW em sua câmera apenas se for começar a editar. Caso contrário, continue usando apenas a configuração JPEG. Você precisará de um programa de edição como o Adobe Lightroom, ou possivelmente um software gratuito como o GIMP (mas você recebe o que paga). E se o seu computador está lutando para lidar com arquivos RAW, você pode precisar de mais poder de processamento para editá-los. 

Steve, I use this program also FastStone Image, in addition to GIMP, I don't like the adobe programs, which are very heavy, but the raw photos I will do just a test.

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8 minutes ago, Jose Decio Molaro said:

Steve, I use this program also FastStone Image, in addition to GIMP, I don't like the adobe programs, which are very heavy, but the raw photos I will do just a test.

 

Ok, not come across that programme. Set up the camera to take both RAW and JPEGs and do a comparison between the JPEG straight from the camera and the edited RAW file for the same photograph. Here's my personal workflow for RAW files, more or less. Hopefully you can translate it (no pun intended!) for your software:

 

  1. Lens corrections - apply correction for your lens - if you're lucky, LR does it automatically for you. Remove chromatic abberation.
  2. Transform - make sure horizon is straight and buildings are not leaning at funny angles. You can get away with "Auto" in a lot of cases.
  3. Adjust the exposure. I do it by eye so it looks "right" to me, but you can also try and get the histogram so the 'bell shape' is in the middle and not skewed to the left or right.
  4. Adjust contrast by eye.
  5. Adjust the whites and blacks so that the histogram goes all the way to the left and right with no clipping. But check by eye as well, sometimes you don't want to go all the way to the edge.
  6. Adjust shadows and highlights by eye (sometimes necessary).
  7. Adjust the White Balance as necessary. Default is "as shot". Change it to "Auto" to see what it looks like. See what you think, adjust by eye as you see fit.
  8. Adjust vibrance and saturation. By the way, increasing the overall exposure a lot seems to automatically increase the saturation so you might actually need to apply negative saturation.
  9. Adjust saturation and luminance on individual colours if necessary, i.e. if one colour looks really garish or flat.
  10. Check for dust bunnies with the spot removal tool, and click on "visualise spots". It's a bit hit and miss though so I just tend to zoom in on the photo by eye and remove them.
  11. Sharpening - I just leave it as default and I believe that is alright for Alamy.
  12. Export as highest quality jpeg with sRGB or AdobeRGB colour space - don't apply additional sharpening.
  13. Congrats, you're done, next photo!

 

Have fun,

Steve

 

p.s. I notice quite a difference when I edit my photos. It's easy to underexpose pictures when you're looking at a LCD screen or viewfinder versus various types of lighting in the scene you're photographing. And my Sony A7iii tends to take pictures that are shifted towards blue on the white balance.

Edited by Steve F
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Jose,

 

Looking at your pictures I do think that you need to learn more about processing your images - many of them seem flat in terms of contrast and strange white balance.

 

I am not surprised that you are failing QC. Maybe best to think that you were lucky in the past and need to improve. 

 

In Adobe RAW there is an Auto option. Just hitting that would help many of yours. Just try it as an experiment. Brighter, more contrast, cut through the dullness. You don't have to accept what Auto offers but you can then adjust yourself.  When you say Adobe programs are 'heavy' are you talking about heavy in terms of computer memory?

 

Also, with many of your pictures I do not know who would use them and what for.

Edited by geogphotos
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4 minutes ago, Steve F said:

 

Ok, não me deparei com esse programa. Configure a câmera para tirar RAW e JPEGs e faça uma comparação entre o JPEG direto da câmera e o arquivo RAW editado para a mesma fotografia. Aqui está meu fluxo de trabalho pessoal para arquivos RAW, mais ou menos. Espero que você possa traduzi-lo (sem trocadilhos!) Para o seu software:

 

  1. Correções de lente - aplique correção para sua lente - se você tiver sorte, LR faz isso automaticamente para você. Remova a aberração cromática.
  2. Transforme - certifique-se de que o horizonte esteja reto e os edifícios não estejam inclinados em ângulos engraçados. Você pode se safar com "Auto" em muitos casos.
  3. Ajuste a exposição. Eu faço isso a olho nu para que pareça "certo" para mim, mas você também pode tentar obter o histograma de forma que o 'formato de sino' fique no meio e não inclinado para a esquerda ou direita.
  4. Ajuste o contraste visualmente.
  5. Ajuste os brancos e pretos de modo que o histograma vá todo para a esquerda e direita sem cortes. Mas verifique também, às vezes você não quer ir até a borda.
  6. Ajuste sombras e realces de olho (às vezes necessário).
  7. Ajuste o balanço de branco conforme necessário. O padrão é "as shot". Mude para "Auto" para ver como fica. Veja o que você pensa, ajuste com os olhos como achar melhor.
  8. Ajuste a vibração e a saturação. A propósito, aumentar muito a exposição geral parece aumentar automaticamente a saturação, então você pode realmente precisar aplicar a saturação negativa.
  9. Ajuste a saturação e a luminância em cores individuais, se necessário, ou seja, se uma cor parece realmente berrante ou plana.
  10. Verifique se há coelhinhos de poeira com a ferramenta de remoção de manchas e clique em "visualizar manchas". É um pouco imprevisível, então eu apenas tendo a aumentar o zoom na foto a olho e removê-la.
  11. Sharpening - deixo como padrão e acredito que está tudo bem para Alamy.
  12. Exporte como JPEG da mais alta qualidade com espaço de cores sRGB ou AdobeRGB - não aplique nitidez adicional.
  13. Parabéns, já está, próxima foto!

 

Diverta-se,

Steve

Thanks Steve for the tips, I usually photograph looking at the histogram in the camera's Live View, it helps me too, my photos are very sepia because I always use natural light. Thanks

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Jose, sorry, I have to agree with Ian. I just didn't want to overload you with too much by talking about your pictures. I'll just say, have a look in newspapers and magazines and on websites for stock photos that sell, and compare the pictures that you are producing with these.

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I0000_oYib5WHiKo.jpg

 

I0000tf2xcbvk24E.jpg

 

Your image at the top,

 

Below adjusted in Adobe Photoshop 'Auto' and some adjustment in Levels. 

 

You MUST shoot in RAW because in JPEG you can do very little in editing/post processing. 

Edited by geogphotos
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