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Participant
January 1, 2025
Question

My photos were rejected due to quality issues.

  • January 1, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 1203 views

Hello everyone,

 

All my photos were rejected due to quality issues, like there is too much filtering, noise, soft focus and problems with exposure. I would really like some constructive criticism. I was going for a softer look in these photos.

 

4 replies

Nancy OShea
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 2, 2025

You won't make sales with plants, flowers & trees.  Stock has gazillions of those already.

 

Capture more unique subjects that include people at work, leisure, play or social gatherings.

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
Abambo
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 2, 2025

That is true, too.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer
Abambo
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 1, 2025

As always, the only important information is "Quality Issues". the rest of the stock text may or may not be relevant to your situation. The moderator does not tick anyting of that. 

 

You used a kind of HDR filtering mode, that creates nice effects, but Adobe will refuse those assets for quality issues. Adobe prefers naturally looking pictures that are correctly exposed (with the histogram going from blacks to the whites, without missing spectrum). A buyer can easily create a look like yours, but they cannot return to a natural look, if they need to. So yes, there is too much filtering.

 

In addition, composition is an issue. Your first has this out of focus blob quite exactly on the golden ratio lines. (I've drawn the lines approximatively, so don't nail me for a pixel accurate cross line): 

Your second would be better off without that disturbing out of focus element, too, even if it is not exactly on the golden ratio lines: 

I would probably crop your last like this: 

But as the flowers are closed, the picture is anyhow not that interesting. 

 

Not to misunderstand me: your pictures will have a great success on social media, but on stock you will have to think differently. More craft than art.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer
Participant
January 1, 2025

Hello Abambo,

 

Thank you very much for your feedback. It was the most helpful comment so far. It is true, I only posted on social media until now and I received great feedback on these types of photos. It is the first time I posted on Adobe. Also, I really appreciate you took the time to explain in detail what works and what doesn't on my photos. Now I know where I should try to improve. 🙂

Abambo
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 1, 2025

You're welcome. Check out the user's manual, if you are new to stock.

 

If you are new to stock, you should consider these resources: https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/tutorials.html
Please read the contributor user manual for more information on Adobe stock contributions: https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/user-guide.html
See here for rejection reasons: https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/reasons-for-content-rejection.html
and especially quality and technical issues: https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/quality-and-technical-issues.html

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer
Jill_C
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 1, 2025

Focus is an issue in each of these. The first image has very little in focus and it looks like you've applied a vignette, which is not allowed. 
The second image is poorly composed and focused as well as underexposed.

I can't find anything in focus in the third image, and there's also chroma noise. 

Look at some of the many millions of floral images already in the Adobe Stock database and you'll see the level of quality that is expected. I wouldn't waste much time on capturing flowers for submission to Adobe Stock, as this is a very saturated category, and it's unlikely that a Buyer would ever see or license your image. However, photographing and editing flowers for your enjoyment is a good way practice your skills.

 

Jill C., Forum Volunteer
daniellei4510
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 1, 2025

1) Focusing issues or motion blur on the foreground leaves

2) Underexposed

3) Again, focusing issues

 

There are 27,639,547 images of flowers on Adobe Stock. That is your competition. Keep that in mind when it comes to submitting flowers.

Adobe Community Expert | If you can't fix it, hide it; if you can't hide it, delete it.
Participant
May 17, 2025

How to overcome these issues, please?

daniellei4510
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 17, 2025

A tripod if you aren't using one, and higher f-stops, and less windy days if they can be avoided.

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