Rejection of my first try at uploading

[Giddy_intelligence5E12]

Hi. I uploaded my first image to Adobe Stock. It was rejected for quality issues. I just want to get it right. Can someone explain mo0re what was wrong? The reference numbver is 1129633749. Thanks so much.

[daniellei4510]

This is too small. We need to see the image at the size it was originally submitted. We do not have access to rejected images, so they need to be posted here at full size.

[Giddy_intelligence5E12]

Thanks so much for answering so quickly. Again I'm just trying to get theis right. Attached is the image I uploaded. Maybe the image is over edited? I did use a filter.

Thanks,

Andy

[Jill_C]

The bird is not sharply focused, perhaps because you had to crop in a lot, and there is a halo around the edges of the bird, which can be an indication that the image was over processed.  The water displays artifacts. The guidelines specifically state that filters should not be applied.

[Giddy_intelligence5E12]

Thanks! I will read the guidelines again.

[Giddy_intelligence5E12]

Hi. I hope you don't mind another response.

I really appreciate your comments. I'm new and trying to learn. The image is highly cropped and that is probably part of the problem. I now underseatand filters are not allowed and I found that in the guidelines. I found it ere:

Photo and illustration requirements > Content Requirements > Photo and illustration requirements "Image Repair"

Maybe you are not the right person to ask so I apologize in advance. Are there more details about the allowed edits and maybe some examples? If not, I'll take what you said and review future submissions.

Thanks again,

Andy

[Jill_C]

The next section in the User Guide titled "Prepare and Include Your Content" includes more info in the "Photo do's and dont's" section:

Do's and don'ts for selecting and editing photos for Adobe Stock

[Giddy_intelligence5E12]

Thanks again. Honestly I had seen the Do's and Don'ts and still find it hard to fully understand what they mean and what you were talking about before. One of the Do's is "Adjust levels, curves, or brightness/contrast to ensure the best tonal range."  The best tonal range seems pretty subjective. It's like saying "Make it look  nice." But, I guess there's no way to get around that. They should look nice.  But, I feel like my adjustments are effectively a filter, just one that I came up with.

Perhaps I don't understand what is meant by a filter. I use a Sony a7Rv and shoot in JPG and Raw. The camera itself applies adjustments to the JPG images and that in my mind is a filter. The Raw images of course don't have these adjustments out of the camera but I can apply the camera preset settings in Adobe Camera Raw after the fact as well as selecting from many other packages of settings from Adobe. Are these filters and should I avoid them or strictly not use them at all but make my own adjustments as the "Do" says to do? I hope I'm being clear and I hope I'm not sounding obstinate. 

Of course I want to make my submissions up to Adobe standards and again I'm just trying to understand. In the end maybe Adobe isn’t right for my images but I’d like to keep trying. Will I be penalized if I upload too many rejected images? I really appreciate you talking this over with me. I understand if you can't go on forever.

Thanks,

Andy

[Jill_C]

In-camera JPG processing is not a filter, though obviously you know that it's better to work with a RAW image anyway. I think the admonition not to use filters is more aimed at mobile photographers (those who use their iPhone for instance). The built-in editing tools on most phones just allow a user to slap a filter on an image, and sometimes the results are a bit too unrealistic and "artsy" for Adobe's tastes.

I never use LRC Presets, because I strive for accuracy in my images and I don't want any unnatural color grading. 

[Giddy_intelligence5E12]

Thanks!

[Jill_C]

Good luck on your stock journey. I had a lot of rejections before I learned how to inspect my images and what issues would make them rejectable. But I learned from each one, and my rejection rate is quite low now.

[daniellei4510]

Look at the feathers at 100%. They start to meld together. I don't know what filter you use, but they should be avoided for Adobe Stock (the Camera Raw filter excepted, if used properly).

[Ricky336]

Hello,

Look at the bird's head:

It's this type of thing that can cause problems with quality.

[Giddy_intelligence5E12]

Hi Ricky,

 I appreciate your comments. Looking at the bird's head I can see a halo especially on the left side of the neck and up to the head. My image is highly cropped and I imagine that is one of the contributing factors. Also the underside of the head is getting a lot of reflection off the water and is under exposed. Am I seeing the same things you are referring to?

Thanks,

Andy

[Ricky336]

Yes, although I think you mean overexposed under the head and neck.

Cropping in this case has just emphasised the quality issues.

By the way, I also don't use LrC persets, for the same reason as @Jill_C .

In post-processing, you should always make adjustments, adjusting exposure, highlights, shadows, contrast etc. You can also use masking to alter parts of the photo you want to bring attention to.

Post-processing a raw file is the same as processing a negative to print in the darkroom, although it's all digital now. DNG - a digital negative; a raw file is equivalent to a film negative!

Adobe Camera Raw/LrC is your 'darkroom'! (Hence 'Lightroom', because the computer is in a 'lightroom!)

[Giddy_intelligence5E12]

Thanks Ricky. Yes I did mean overexposed. I think I may not be right for Adobe stock. I frquently use use cropping to for compositin and the quality issues you correctly point out don't matter to any of my followers. So many of my images are popular but may not be right for Adobe. I'll pick out a few more and see what happens. I really appreciate your feedeback.