Rejected Photo

[Deirdre5ECE]

Hi

I have attached a rejected file of holly, due to technical reasons. Can you please advise how I should have taken this.

Thanking you

Deirdre

[@MNiessenPhoto · Accepted solution]

Hi Deirdre,

I think the main issue is the lack of sharpness, but it also is too warm and has an exposure issue (too dark but overblown highlights).

Hope that helps,

Michael

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Michael Niessen - Photographer, photo-editor, educator

[Deirdre5ECE]

Hi Michael

Thank you for your quick response. I did take a previous photo and it was
not sharpe, so I altered the settings and I can see the flash has gone off
with this one. It was late afternoon and I think lighting was too bad.
Should I have done something else?

Thank you, Deirdre

[@MNiessenPhoto]

"I can see the flash has gone off with this one"

That clearly explains the exposure problems and highlights.

"Should I have done something else?"

I'd say simply without flash. It doesn't look like there is motion blur, but rather that it's just not focused properly or the depth of field is too shallow (some areas do look sharper than others). Maybe having use a higher f-stop value would have helped, with a higher ISO or tripod if necessary.

Michael

_____________

Michael Niessen - Photographer, photo-editor, educator

[Abambo · Accepted solution]

You mean the in-camera flash? Use of the flash often gets better pictures, if you make your settings manual. However, direct flash light produces harsh highlights and harsh shadows. It is better to use a kind of diffuser, to get the light softer. A diffuser can be anything of neutral colour and more or less semitransparent.

[Deirdre5ECE]

Hi
Yes it was the in-camera flash.
Thank you for your advice. I will try next time..
Kind regards
Deirdre

[Abambo]

Unfortuneatly bad pictures do not get better by excessive postprocessing. You should aim for a natural look and if that is not possible, do not submit to stock. 

Look at your pictures at 100% and 200% and if you see flaws, correct them. If you can't correct them, there is no need to submit.

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

[Deirdre5ECE]

Thank you for your comment

[Nancy OShea]

I like the subject of variegated holly leaves with red berries.  As a child, we had a holly shrub in our garden. Mom picked holly to decorate our house for the holidays.  🙂

If you can retake the photo, go back with a tripod.  And take extra care with your light, focus and depth-of-field.   Adobe Stock doesn't have many outstanding photographs of holly, compared with other plants. So I think this could be a seasonal winner for you. 

Good luck & happy er... holly-days! 😇

[Deirdre5ECE]

Thank you! It nice to hear about your story. I will go back and have
another go or 2,,,, lol with a wider aperture.
Very much appreciate your time for the comment 👌

[Abambo]

As the motive does not run away, take countless pictures with different camera settings, maybe also different positions. If you have an external flash, take it with you. Experiment with all manual settings. Still use autofocus to focus… :-), but be aware, that the focussing is not always correct, if you are near the focussing limits. Take more pictures than needed and select those that are correctly focussed.