Community Expert

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Three different rejection reasons

Forum|Forum|4 months ago
October 5, 2025
4 replies
806 views

Sometimes it is hard determine why an image was rejected. Regardless of the given rejection reason.

This photo was rejected for "quality" so, I smoothed out the background some and resubmitted. It was then rejected due to "not flagging it as an AI image". Which it is not. I submitted a third time without making a change and it was rejected for "similar content".
Three submissions. Three different rejection reasons. What I am trying to say is: the reason is not so important. Three moderators have determined my photo should not be accepted.

Contributors

Correct answer Nancy OShea

Hmm.
Are you being serious here? Or is this some kind of sarcasm mixed with self-irony that I’m just not catching?

I just have to point out that a 30% rejection rate for “pro” authors is way too high under normal circumstances — considering that each asset represents hours of work, preparation, and practice.

Overall, I believe that as long as an asset meets the declared requirements and guidelines of the stock, it should be approved. The rejection rate should be close to zero — moderation shouldn’t turn into censorship.

As for the rest, I won’t comment. I can accept that point of view, but it still seems rather strange to me.

Stock is Adobe's tea party. They host it, they stock it, they handle all the backend transactions & details. We're merely here as their guests.

Guests can be gracious & appreciative, or opt out at any time & go home. That's the extent to which Contributors control this tea party.

Jill_C

Community Expert

I had the same image rejected first for quality, then for "similars", then for IP. I'm quite sure that none of those reasons were accurate; nevertheless, I gave up !

Jill C., Forum Volunteer

Abambo

Community Expert

All this wacky moderation stuff started with the admission of generative AI. I would suspect Adobe adding hundreds of untrained moderators. And they are still untrained, and the turnover could be very high.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Although, a refusal could be for multiple reasons, submissions get only one bite at the apple— one rejection reason per submission.

That's not efficient. Examiners should not have to re-evaluate the same assets multiple times.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

AlexBond

Inspiring

That's not efficient. Examiners should not have to re-evaluate the same assets multiple times.

Heh.
Stock for moderators.
Sounds like a state built for bureaucrats.

Starting to feel like this administration has lost touch with reality.
This whole “celebration of art and business” — in other words, this stock exists thanks to royalties earned from assets created and uploaded by contributors.

Sure, You can easily — with reason, without reason, or on some made-up pretext — block a portion of those assets, and neither the business nor the customers will ever notice.

But creating pointless, uncomfortable conditions for contributors will only drive authors away and drag down the overall quality of content. And no amount of “examiners” will save it.

A lose–lose situation, really.

Z

ZALEZPHOTO

Inspiring

In contrast, today with Adobe Stock anecdotal rejection rates range from 5-30% for experienced photographers submitting high-quality, traditional content. For beginners, AI-generated submissions, or bulk uploads, rates can spike to 50-95% or higher.

And, I dare guess that today you need at least 50,000 great assets to make $100,000 in one year.

Most pro's from the '80s wouldn't care to open an adobe stock account today given these numbers.

So what changed? I think that's the wrong question. The entire world is in a paradign shift. We are living in the hyperlapse of natural progression in high tech and narrowing of the digital divide.

I don't see the pessimism you seem to see. I'm a full fledge Capitalist, yet I welcome how technology is giving an opportunity to millions of people from all over the world get a piece of the $ stock pie.

The quality in work in Adobe Stock today is VERY good... with some assets plainly put, suck! And yes, Adobe has plenty of room to improve it's relationship with us their partners. But overall I give them an A for the effort, commitment they are making in this very fast changing world.

Ultimately how we look at things matters Inmensly on outcomes...

Ten years ago I thought it was a waste trying to sell stock for pennies, and twice, getting absurd rejection rartes.

Until one day I changed my perspective and how I look at this matter...

I started contributing 9 months ago with set goals in mind. I have uploaded 2,200+ photos and videos. Today, I'm pacing about $70 per month, and enjoy a much higher acceptance rate.

I'm having more fun than ever shooting "personal stuff"

And still setting goals, and reaching 5,000 assets by the end of 2027. If Keep up, I can see myself making around $350 per month.

Or better yet, I see it as me having $50,000.00 in an dedicated annuity account paying 8% yr. in residual income for work I had a blast creating.

I'm glad I joined Adobe Stock! I still get triggered when they reject work, but I ignore it and park it with Getty images, which is also generating a little income.

But if one day Adobe offers me a little better commission I will gladly stay exclusive with them.

Cheers!

Francisco ZALEZPHOTO

Z

ZALEZPHOTO

Inspiring

This kind of experiences is what makes me think there's an artificial way to determine what gets selected!

The biggest irony, is that if you ringed this to 30x40 is posible it would sell for $15,000 plus in Art Basel!

Francisco ZALEZPHOTO

daniellei4510

Community Expert

Those are the most frustrating ones: first refusal for quality issues, then for similar content after making edits and re-submitting.

Adobe Community Expert | If you can't fix it, hide it; if you can't hide it, delete it.

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