Rejected for Technical Issues (Trying to learn what to look for...)

[derekitpro]

Hello all,

Sorry for adding to the long list of posts asking "What's wrong with my picture?!" but unfortunately, this is, in fact, another one of those posts! I am a hobbyist photographer trying to figure out what makes a photo "stock" worthy. Call it more of a curiosity than an actual ambition to make money.

Anyways, with that little bit of context out of the way here is my photo that was rejected for "Technical Issues" (Scaled down to 4mb from 9.7mb):

Now I know that there are probably many thousand white flower photos like this. I also know a photo can be rejected if it is too similar to other photos already uploaded. Is that considered a "Technical Issue"?

Or is there something else about this photo that I need to pay attention to? Could the keywords or title I chose factor into a rejection based on "Technical Issues", or would that be listed as a different kind of rejection?

Thank you so much for taking a look at this!

[joanH · Accepted solution]

Hello derekitpro, I am sorry about the delay in sending you my reply, the entire systems of Adobe are undergoing repair and change. That is never easy or painless.

As for your beautiful and delicate flower, It is perhaps as you guessed. Too many offerings that are nearly the same and only the best will be accepted. It must be perfectly exposed and sharp without any messy lines or intruding ones. So I did take the liberty of changing areas of exposure in the picture you sent and I also cropped it. I did this to merely present you a different view of the same work. I found everything but the white flower mostly out of focus so I wanted to take that a step further and only leave the focus on the white flower. I cut out part of the background since it was a distraction as was the highlighted areas. All of these things if left in the picture are reasons for rejection. Please take the time to look at similar works on the Adobe Stock website and compare them to your work. I believe you will improve even more if you do a search at 100-200% enlargement of every picture you submit to the Adobe Stock Review. Also, take the time to read and understand the tips and information set forth for stock contributors. I leave you a link here. Best wishes, JH

Quality and technical issues rejected at Adobe Stock 

[derekitpro]

Joan,

Thank you so much for taking the time to both give a helpful response as well as going above any expectations and editing my photo. I can see what you are referring to with it being out of focus. Where-as I thought it to be a pleasant bokeh effect it's only serving as a distraction not needed in a stock photograph. Also, you are completely right, I should have lessened the exposure on the background regardless as it is brighter than my main subject in the photo.

Thank you again for your reply! I really do appreciate it.

[Abambo]

Now I'm looking at your picture on my iPad and that's by far not ideal, but I think to see noise and artifacts.

Technical issues are technical issues. The refusal you are refering to is "Aesthetic or commercial appeal". That's a flexible reason for all and nothing. 

I see artefacts too, but it's not simple to attribute those to your posted image here or to the original submission. 

Do you shoot raw?  If not consider shooting raw.

[Ricky336]

As I see it, you should think about white balance here. In my view, it is a bit too cold looking. However, the image resolution is just too small to make any accurate judgment.