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Answered

Why was this image rejected for quality issues?

Forum|Forum|2 days ago
June 19, 2026
7 replies
74 views

Hi! So I just tried to submit this photo right here for sale on Adobe Stock: https://ibb.co/Lzh9XnHD
But it was rejected for quality issues. Any critique would be appreciated. I also attached a photo with a preview of the photo in case you don’t want to open the link for the photo itself.

Regards.

Correct answer ZALEZPHOTO

In my opinion, after looking at the high resolution image on your link, it’s clear your image has been subject to either to excessive editing (including AI) and enlargement or Interpolation.

As a general rule I recommend that you only shoot and submit work shot in Raw.

I also recommend doing your editing in Photoshop Camera Raw.

Learn the right steps of enlarging your images, wrong ways will “damage” the files.

AI sharpening or denoising should be used as the very last step.

As for critique of the actual photo, lets just say a cat lover will like it, and cat haters

will see just another cat among millions. So I reserve my best advice to plan ahead and add elements to your work:

Have fun taking pictures, remembering your business goal is to succeed in stock photography and making lots of sales.

Plan ahead and prepare for that goal. Do you think adding hands holding the cat, or a woman’s hugging the cat would increase your chances for selling increase, regardless of how many photos like that already exist? The answer is obvious, right?

Once again, enjoy the process!

daniellei4510

Community Expert

Even if it’s for sale on another site, that is permitted by Adobe Stock if done by the same photographer.

Adobe Community Expert | If you aren't submitting your assets in sRGB, you probably didn't read the rules.

DavidMagdy47Author

Participating Frequently

Exactly, I have my metadata on it too, I think.

jodij28273193

Inspiring

I understand that, but I read the question that the image was for sale on Adobe Stock. Submit this photo right here for “sale on Adobe Stock.”I took it as there was another image exactly like this one. For sale on Adobe Stock. I totally misunderstood the question, or the phrasing was confusing. I'm sorry, I misunderstood the question.

jodij28273193

Inspiring

Are you saying you copied someone else's picture? “So I just tried to submit this photo right here for sale on Adobe Stock:”?

ZALEZPHOTO

Inspiring

Jodi, why or how you make that conclusion or ask that question?

🙇🏻

ZALEZPHOTO

jodij28273193

Inspiring

I was asking because you said the image was on sale on Adobe Stock. If the image was already for sale, I was wondering why you made a duplicate. Perhaps I misunderstood what you were saying.

ZALEZPHOTO

Inspiring

These days I use Lightroom for bulk color corrections, fix density, and do some selective AI object removals, (although it doesn't always work as good as Photoshop) or minor AI stuff. I’ve tried Super Res and Sharpness both in Lightroom and Photoshop, and frankly I’m not convinced. Nearly all my stock and professional work I run thru Topaz Denoise, and Sharpening when necessary, it works amazing!

But I also could not live without Photoshop and the latest AI features, I 100% recommend you invest in it if you are not already.

I agree, I don’t think the shadow or even yellow color cast in this warm lighting conditions had anything to do with this rejection. The image clearly “is damaged” aka at actual size, it doesn't look natural.

Here is more advice:

-don’t make my mistake of letting the frustration of rejections make you stop making this work, as I did twice in 20 years.

-bring your camera everywhere you go and shoot shoot shoot, looking at the work around you and getting better each day.

-be consistent submitting new work.

-if you’re not already, do yourself a HUGE favor and also shoot short videos of most of the scenes you photograph, not only it’s a lot of fun, but it will increase your revenue significantly. iPhones are great for that for their anti shake capabilities, and if you don’t know editing, learn doing it on your phone, just remove the sound and shoot in 4k.

Personally, I 100% ignore how many millions of assets of anything already exists. I am convinced that only gets in the way succeeding doing this.

Good Luck David!

ZALEZPHOTO

DavidMagdy47Author

Participating Frequently

I can't thank you enough, believe me. And yes I agree it is a lot of fun that's why I picked it up as an easy side hustle, considering I got a bit of knowledge in photography and video editing too. And I actually use a vivo v70 for these shots, that 50 MP Zeiss camera never lets me down, and it is indeed capable of 4K, so we have that. And I'm not actually frustrated by this at all, I do have my fair share of work on other platforms too, nut just Adobe Stock, and I do intend to arrange local trips just to shoot shoot shoot and get myself stock worthy pics. Thanks for all the advice! 🌸

daniellei4510

Community Expert

It has a slight yellow cast and the background is extremely cluttered with unnecessary information. A better vantage point might help. That said, there are nearly 10 million images of cats on Adobe Stock, so the database is saturated with felines and you’d be extremely lucky if this image appeared within the first few pages following a search.

Adobe Community Expert | If you aren't submitting your assets in sRGB, you probably didn't read the rules.

DavidMagdy47Author

Participating Frequently

So probably stick to architecture and nature? I know the niche is cluttered too, but I can manage it I think.

daniellei4510

Community Expert

It’s a tricky issue. There are over 900 million assets on Adobe Stock, suggesting nearly every niche is already well covered. Whatever niche is chosen, the results need to stand apart from what is already available. Unique but accurate keywords and titles are also extremely important, and increasingly so. There are over 56 million results for wallpapers and background, but I still have occasional ones accepted and sold. As for architecture and nature, while there are millions to choose from, a lot of them are AI, and when it comes to those two subjects, I would suspect that people looking for same would lean strongly toward real photographs of same rather than AI examples.

Adobe Community Expert | If you aren't submitting your assets in sRGB, you probably didn't read the rules.

ZALEZPHOTOCorrect answer