First 4 photographs failed QC

[Martyn]

Would definitely look closely at the fox pic....there appears to be some ca / purple fringing in amongst the tree branches......

[Letty]

I saw the purple fringing and the fox does seem to be slightly out of focus so I will change it to a different photo of some cherry blossoms. Thanks for all for all of the advice.

[Joseph Clemson]

I would really strongly recommend submitting some different pictures for your assessment - you gain nothing by retrying these images which are all taken under difficult lighting circumstances and may well fail again for reasons that have been pointed out by others.  A portrait, a landscape a still life and a typical street scene all taken under good lighting conditions should see you sail through if your photographic skills are up to par. After that, you can look search these forums for the plethora of excellent advice that has been given over the years, then look again at your other images and see if you still want to submit them.

[Andy Holmes]

I'm in a distinct minority here, but I don't think that submitting 4 "safe" images as your initial submission is the best way forward.

 

This initial inspection is the only time where you know that all the images you submit are looked at, and you'll learn far more about QC criteria from a fail than a safe pass, which will pay dividends during your future uploads.

Future selective inspections can easily lull you into a false sense of security with faults that just aren't picked up. In addition there's no sin bin delay for initial failures.

 

My advise is to use (but not abuse) the initial submission as a valuable resource, to learn about Alamy QC. Upload what you consider acceptable but borderline, and learn from the QC response. 

[Vincent Lowe]

Not directly related to your problem but before you submit I can recommend a final check with Alamy SizeCheck - http://www.braeside.plus.com/photography/alamy/alamy.html

 

As well as checking the file sizes (both compressed and uncompressed) it also checks the embedded colour profile.  Very easy and quick to use, and it's free.

[AlessandraRC]

My understanding is that when an image is smaller than required it does not upload. It has happened to me before.

 

I try to stay away from complex lighting situations when I am shooting for stock . Sunset, sundown, since I am a beginner. Its not that I don't take those pictures but I don't submit them often. 

 

I agree with those who advised against submitting the same images. Shoot new images of simple subjects in well-lit situaitons.

 

Hope that helps. 

[Betty LaRue]

Letty, others mentioned the purple fringing in the fox image.

You will often find chromatic aberration (CA) where darker areas meet light areas. Commonly the sky, but it can even sneak in other places, like a building with medium to dark areas against a light area.

In LR, be sure to tick the box that removes chromatic aberration. Before exporting, click you image bringing up the 100% view and inspect for dust spots, sharpness and CA.

It's also important that your main subject is the part that is sharpest. Fox in a tree? The fox is the subject, so just because you might see razor sharp leaves, sharper than the fox, Alamy will fail it.

Just about every fail I've had has come from being tired as I process many photos and forgetting the 100% inspection.

[MDM]

I think that might not be lateral CA in the fox picture so the CA tickbox probably won't work. I could be wrong though?

[fotoDogue]

While I realize the reasons given were for interpolation and compression artifacts, DSC05035 and DSC06342 look a bit oversharpened to me.

Notice a bit of a halo around the rocks.

I would check your settings in the camera as well as your lightroom export settings.

[Johnnie5]

With Lightroom you have to be careful when using export because it will default to an image quality of 60 in file settings.  That's why creating a preset will keep you out of trouble, just move the quality slider to 100 and you should be fine then add a preset on the left side. 

[Betty LaRue]

While I realize the reasons given were for interpolation and compression artifacts, DSC05035 and DSC06342 look a bit oversharpened to me.Notice a bit of a halo around the rocks.

I would check your settings in the camera as well as your lightroom export settings.

True. I think there are sliders that help. I may be confusing LR and PS, but one of them has an eye dropper to click the offending color then move a slider. I get rid of purple fringing with it.

[Jill Morgan]

 

The one of the fox may be unsharp, but it's hard to judge because the main problem is overcompression. Those files are 2-3MB. What jpg quality are you using?

My 4000px downsizes are never less than about 4MB. Your 6000px should be around 8-12, I would have thought.

I was told that before and I have no clue how I am over compressing them. These are the step I take from camera to post-processing. Is there a step I'm missing or doing wrong?

 

1) Copy RAW files from the camera to a file folder (RAW files are around 25 MB)

2) Import said RAW photos into Lightroom.

3) Clean up the image (maybe crop slightly)

4) Go to the export menu (the only things I touch here are file settings (JPEG 100% quality) and  export location)

 

 

If your RAW files are only 25mb  there is something wrong.  It is a 24 megapixel camera, so RAWS should be over 60mb.  My 18mp camera does 51 MB RAWS.  

 

Jill

[spacecadet]

 

 

The one of the fox may be unsharp, but it's hard to judge because the main problem is overcompression. Those files are 2-3MB. What jpg quality are you using?

My 4000px downsizes are never less than about 4MB. Your 6000px should be around 8-12, I would have thought.

I was told that before and I have no clue how I am over compressing them. These are the step I take from camera to post-processing. Is there a step I'm missing or doing wrong?

 

1) Copy RAW files from the camera to a file folder (RAW files are around 25 MB)

2) Import said RAW photos into Lightroom.

3) Clean up the image (maybe crop slightly)

4) Go to the export menu (the only things I touch here are file settings (JPEG 100% quality) and  export location)

 

 

If your RAW files are only 25mb  there is something wrong.  It is a 24 megapixel camera, so RAWS should be over 60mb.  My 18mp camera does 51 MB RAWS.  

 

Jill

 

Sony use raw compression. My 14MP A55 RAWs are only just over 16MB.

[John Mitchell]

 

 

 

The one of the fox may be unsharp, but it's hard to judge because the main problem is overcompression. Those files are 2-3MB. What jpg quality are you using?

My 4000px downsizes are never less than about 4MB. Your 6000px should be around 8-12, I would have thought.

I was told that before and I have no clue how I am over compressing them. These are the step I take from camera to post-processing. Is there a step I'm missing or doing wrong?

 

1) Copy RAW files from the camera to a file folder (RAW files are around 25 MB)

2) Import said RAW photos into Lightroom.

3) Clean up the image (maybe crop slightly)

4) Go to the export menu (the only things I touch here are file settings (JPEG 100% quality) and  export location)

 

 

If your RAW files are only 25mb  there is something wrong.  It is a 24 megapixel camera, so RAWS should be over 60mb.  My 18mp camera does 51 MB RAWS.  

 

Jill

 

Sony use raw compression. My 14MP A55 RAWs are only just over 16MB.

 

 

That's right. There's a lot of info and discussion on the Web about Sony's compressed RAW files. Shouldn't be a problem, though. I've been using Sony cameras for about ten years now and have had no difficulties at all with their RAW files. By all reports, the a6000 has excellent IQ.

[Niels Quist]

As far as I know Sony operates with a compressed RAW format. I just checked the RAW file size of my secondary, video, and night shoot camera, the Sony RX100-3, they are around 20 Mb.

 

My Canon 5dII delivers RAW files of about 25Mb, whereas the TIFF files get enormous.

 

Edited: Oh, I now see that Mark and John have been around this.

[Carole Lloyd]

Sony A6000 RAW files are definitely 24-25Mb. Don't know much about LIghtroom but opened up in Photoshop (16bit) they increase to 137Mb and same when saved to TIFF. Saved to a JPEG (8bit) at highest quality they end up approximately 11Mb.

 

I've had no problems with any Sony camera passing QC so far, using the 16-50mm lens and now the 16-70mm lens with no problems from artifacts etc if I reduce the size.

 

Letty, when you get your processing organised you should have no problems getting through QC as IQ on the A6000 is brilliant.

 

Good luck

[Bill Kuta]

I've used the sony NEX-6, a3000 and a6000, with various lenses, for Alamy since mid-2013 with no problems. I don't reduce the sizes. 

 

Good technique is always important, but I think for Alamy the most important technique is self-editing. Don't fall in love with any photos, for stock purposes.