Confusion over editorial photos due to Adobe's ambivalent stance

[Alp Eren Erbay]

Hello, I have read the previous posts on this topic but I still have questions that are not clear in my mind.

And please don't give me a link to Adobe's illustrative Editorial information page because I have read what is written there and they accept some of my photos in a way that does not correspond to what is written there.

Situation: I have many photos of historical buildings and monuments that I have taken during my travels. For example, La Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona, the Duomo Cathedral in Milan, etc.

Awareness: I know that Adobe does not currently require the following in the "Illustrative Editorial" category: "Imagery showing recognizable people - Journalistic imagery of real events or places at a specific moment and time."

My problem: Well, adobe has accepted a considerable number of my historical monument/building photos so far. It has rejected just as many. This is an unstable practice and confuses me.

If adobe does not accept "Journalistic imagery of real events or places at a specific moment and time.", why did it accept the attached photos that I will share with you?

I am confused, I have many photos of historical places, buildings and structures that I have not uploaded. According to the description, they don't want my photos of historic buildings, but they have accepted many of my photos.

What to do? What do you suggest?

1) Spend your time and effort and keep uploading your photos of historical buildings / city centers / landmarks. Let them decide which one is appropriate.
2) Upload these photos you have without checking the "illustrative editorial" option. (This option makes no sense to me, after all I can't sell a "commercial" photo of a historical monument in Rome, it has to be an editorial photo to be used for news purposes.

3) Your own idea

Thank you so much!

[RALPH_L]

I think Adobe is saying they do not want to fill up the database with events that are only valid for a short time. The shots that you are showing do not need to be editorial. They can be standard photos as long as the building is not on the protected property list. What was the reason that some of your photos were rejected? That is important for us to be able to help.

[Jill_C]

Read Adobe's guidance on Illustrative Editorial images:

At Adobe Stock, we define illustrative editorial as conceptual imagery designed to illustrate articles on current events and newsworthy topics. This type of content often features images of real brands and products — like signs on buildings, soda cans, computers, and cars — to convey a story. Illustrative editorial content is made available to Adobe Stock customers for editorial use only.

Illustrative editorial isn’t the same as editorial content, which documents events or incidents that are currently occurring or developing, or that have already occurred. We do not accept traditional editorial content at this time.

"Current events and newsworthy topics" isn't going to generally encompass historic buildings, so I wouldn't expend a lot of energy submitting those. 

[Nancy OShea]

See known image restrictions:

https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/known-image-restrictions.html

[Abambo]

I am confused, I have many photos of historical places, buildings and structures that I have not uploaded. According to the description, they don't want my photos of historic buildings, but they have accepted many of my photos.

By @Alp Eren Erbay

Not all photos of historic buildings convey a message that could be used in an editorial context. However, it will be the moderator, who needs to decide, if the message is what Adobe wants as an editorial image. You need to build a story around your images. Editorial images are not to be used to circumvent standard restrictions.

And editorial use is not exactly “news” related, even that it can be.

[Nancy OShea · Accepted solution]

I think the crux of the matter is you're trying to do an end run around property releases by submitting as Illustrative Editorial — which it's not.  That bird won't fly.

When protected landmarks & monuments are the main subject of photos, you really do need permission to use them commercially. 

Find other assets to submit or start taking new photos that meet Stock's commercial criteria.  Illustrative Editorial is very restrictive with limited sales potential.

https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/illustrative-editorial-content.html

[Alp Eren Erbay]

Thank you for your valuable answers. I have read all your comments and from now on I will not upload photos like historical buildings and landmarks as "illustrative editorial".

Thank you for helping to clear my confusion.