Rejected. Shot Down. Failure?
Do you ever do something in your little pond and think that maybe you have a gift? What if you do have a gift, but you let others judge you and make you think that you don't? Yes, call me pensive. Those questions were popping repeatedly in my head yesterday after I got the message below of my denial for entering my photos on a stock images site. I thought I would make it, that I could earn some dough by just having my photos sit on there and lazily earn dough even while sleeping. I guess I should try a different get-rich -quick scheme? HA.
Anyway, what do you do when rejected? Do you consider yourself a failure, or do you toughen up and move on-learning from your mistakes. I guess I do both, maybe at the same time. I first opened the rejection letter below and then scoffed and deleted it. Luckily I have gmail and digging though your trash is one thing it is great at-so I dived the dumpster and re-read. The second time I read it I thought, well, I do agree with some things (although other comments are too vague) and really criticism is good. What is hard is that I shoot for fun, and if I like the shot that is all that matters. When I put my hobby up for people to judge and also to earn money then I no longer am doing it for fun. I am not sure what I think about that either.
Anyway, I wanted you to read my rejection. I may try again, but I still don't really know if I want to. Maybe because it is better to just do it for love, and not worry about what everyone thinks. That is hard to do though-of course I care! It is easier for me if I just think I can do things, but never try, then I never fail. Or do I?
Hi,
Thank you for your submission to Shutterstock.
In order for Shutterstock to maintain the high standard of our photography collection, new submitters must receive approval on at least seven (7) of their first ten (10) images to continue uploading. Unfortunately, while some of the images you submitted may meet our guidelines, we are unable to approve the requisite number and have temporarily disabled the uploading function on your account. This decision was based on concerns about quality, composition, lighting, or other features of your initial batch of images and we have listed the reasons below.
Thank you for your interest in Shutterstock. We look forward to seeing you again in 30 days!
| 37594939 |
 |
Not Approved |
Model Release--Please re-upload with release.
Poor Lighting--Poor or uneven lighting, or shadows. White balance may be incorrect.
Focus--Your image is not in focus or focus is not located where we feel it works best.
Noise--Noise, film grain, over-sharpening, or artifacts at full size.
Composition--Limited commercial value due to framing, cropping, and/or composition.
|
| 37594942 |
 |
Not Approved |
Composition--Limited commercial value due to framing, cropping, and/or composition.
|
| 37594945 |
 |
Not Approved |
Composition--Limited commercial value due to framing, cropping, and/or composition.
Model Release--Please re-upload with release.
Poor Lighting--Poor or uneven lighting, or shadows. White balance may be incorrect.
Focus--Your image is not in focus or focus is not located where we feel it works best.
|
| 37594948 |
 |
Not Approved |
Composition--Limited commercial value due to framing, cropping, and/or composition.
Poor Lighting--Poor or uneven lighting, or shadows. White balance may be incorrect.
|
| 37594951 |
 |
Not Approved |
7 of 10 must be approved
|
| 37594954 |
 |
Not Approved |
Poor Lighting--Poor or uneven lighting, or shadows. White balance may be incorrect.
|
| 37594957 |
 |
Not Approved |
Model Release--Please re-upload with release.
Focus--Your image is not in focus or focus is not located where we feel it works best.
Noise--Noise, film grain, over-sharpening, or artifacts at full size.
|
| 37594960 |
 |
Not Approved |
Model Release--Please re-upload with release.
Noise--Noise, film grain, over-sharpening, or artifacts at full size.
|
| 37594963 |
 |
Not Approved |
Model Release--Please re-upload with release.
Focus--Your image is not in focus or focus is not located where we feel it works best.
|
| 37594966 |
 |
Not Approved |
Noise--Noise, film grain, over-sharpening, or artifacts at full size.
|
Regards,
Shutterstock Support
Read Dreadlock Girl Photography Tips:
The Basics
Capture Real People, In Real Life Shots
Work That Thing! How to Get the Best Shots
Tips for Group Shots: How to Shoot a Group Session Like You Know What You’re Doing!
Photo Editing, Fixin’ Your Images
Taking the Best Black and White Photos: What to Look For
What does the ISO Do For You?: Learning more about the ISO
Enjoy this article?
The Latest Posts:
- We Loved With A Love That Was More Than Love.
- He’s more myself than I am.
- Valentine,You Must Allow Me To Tell You…
- Stones of Remembrance Because I Love Him: Mommy Jewellery
- Marked by Blessing
- Despair is Losing its Grip, a Lasting Peace Filling its Fingerprints
- Transformed Through Pain, Learning Who I Am Now.
- May There Be Beauty from This Pain.
I (adoringly) HEART—>
September 24th, 2009 - 22:00
Being rejected once does not a failure make!! Good jib on putting yourself out there–I know how hard it is and know the sting of rejection. (Highlights magazine rejected a nonfiction piece of mine!)
the bottom line is that you take gorgeous photos and I could look at them for hours. They can reject your photos but they’re not rejecting YOU personally and can’t take away your art and obvious talent!!
Buck up, camper! Submit again in 30 days and see what happens. :)
September 24th, 2009 - 22:35
What’s Shutterstock’s critera? A couple times it said “no commercial appeal”. Is it meant to be stock photography being sold at high-res? Your shots are much more artistic in my opinion.
But good for you for putting yourself out there! Most people don’t have the guts, I know I don’t a lot of the time.
September 25th, 2009 - 01:25
Oh…so sorry Bethany. But I don’t think failure for one site means anything. Most of their criteria for rejecting is No Commercial value. There is no harm in trying again if it clicking “commercially” viable photographs would be fun for you. But if not, we love your photographs and I’m sure your family does too. They are all beautiful memories.
Don’t be disheartened pelase.
September 25th, 2009 - 04:09
Oh friend. I submitted a children’s book manuscript to about five different publishing houses before deciding it was time to let go. I think I just decided that I loved my story enough and that the rejection was killing it for me, in my own mind. I know this is probably the way to NEVER get published (to give up) but I wasn’t strong enough then to handle it.
I think – if you want it, take more “commerical” shots, like they want. If you want to just keep having fun at it, take the pictures that are completely your style, that we all love, and then remember that you do a great job.
Way to put yourself out there :)
September 25th, 2009 - 05:01
I think your photography skills are amazing! To me it seems that they want more “commercial” pictures like everyone has said above, whereas yours are much more artistic. Regardless, if it’s your hobby, no reason to stop loving it just because some website said so. You can try to adjust to meet their standards or just keep doing it for you. Regardless, you know you have all of us enjoying your pictures!
September 25th, 2009 - 05:35
I don’t generally deal well with rejection too, I’d easily sink into despair. But you have to pick up yourself again soon or later, so might as well be sooner :D
I think you need to separate your photo shoots for personal and commercial. Isn’t that what happens for most of everything in life? For commercial purposes you really do it for other people, as you get something in return, so you follow instructions and allow yourself to be molded. But if you do it for yourself you can do whatever you like and let your creativity go wild.
I love your photos a whole lot by the way. Please keep shooting and posting!
September 25th, 2009 - 08:46
Good for you for putting yourself out there! I think your right about asking yourself why you are doing this. I love your photos! I agree that some of them don’t “work” for resale. Couldn’t comment on the other things, but I went to graphic design school and we got used to being critiqued as well as having to critique others. It was very good for me but in the beginning I was terrified because we did it in front of everyone! It’s not a concept most people are comfortable with. Some of the people were HORRIBLE and I thought why are they even here? But even they got better with constructive criticism.
I think if you want to be “stock worthy” you should get in some sort of group who can critique you. It helps you grow, learn, and toughen the skin a little. I would imagine getting this type of letter must have been a shock to your system. I would have been upset too I think. Visual communicating can be a little cut throat sometimes.”It’s like they need to make a movie called “The Devil Owns Shutterstock” instead of the devil wears Prada or something.I think it would definitely be worth trying again but try and figure out what they mean by their criticism. To quote Kermit… “It’s not easy being green”. Better luck next time and I really like your photos a lot!
September 25th, 2009 - 09:28
That had to have been crushing! I’m proud of you for trying though. :) I was thinking that a lot of your photos are beautiful, but might not be what they’re looking for. If you can figure out what they want and then just shoot those shots for that particular purpose then it might work better. I think the hardest thing would be figuring out what it is they want. Good luck!
September 25th, 2009 - 10:40
Thank you all!! More and more from what I was thinking,and after reading your thoughts I just don’t know that I want to take pictures with the mentality of selling them. I’d have to have model release forms for every person in the shot and it just makes something I love into work.
Since a lot of the time in our westernized minds, the monetary value of something is equated with its actual value I need to be careful. What I do is an outlet, it is for fun and I should be careful of attaching any price tag to it. To me even the experience of it is priceless.
Thank you all for your insight, I love reading what you have to say and it has helped me process what I want and the rejection so much better. Thanks peeps.
September 25th, 2009 - 10:35
I think you need to focus on the positive. They need 7 out of 10 but some WERE up to snuff. Right?
I think it’s great that they provide feedback. So many do not. They just reject you and then you have no idea what you did wrong.
Looking at the pics themselves, with my untrained eye, I think they look great, but with a trained eye I guess I could see some of what they are saying.
If it were me, my initial reaction would be crippling depressing but then I’d be like… let me try again ;)
September 25th, 2009 - 12:03
I like the pictures you take. I’m not a professional so I don’t know about the things they are talking about.
It’s hard to be criticized. My husband likes it because it gives him something to work on to improve the work he does in fact he wants it.
I guess it’s good that they were specific about it.
Did they say anything good about the good pic’s you took? Maybe you could resubmit those.
I think your extremely creative, and talented and have a unique outlook on things I really appreciate that.
Don’t give up just keep trying.
September 28th, 2009 - 07:42
I agree with others: the need to keep in mind the difference between artistic and commercial photography.
September 29th, 2009 - 16:46
Well, you can’t “fail” if you don’t try! You do take wonderful photos. More than once I’ve brought up your blog just to show people your shots, and they are always impressed. At least Shutterstock tells you exactly why they did not approve a picture. Now that you’ve got more info, you can focus on getting more commercial if you want to sell to a stock photo place. Try not to take their critique personally, but work with the comments they gave you. And try other companies, too!
Kudos to you for having the guts to put yourself out there not just to Shutterstock, but to us, too!
September 30th, 2009 - 11:22
I take rejection tough–and I’ve let myself hold back from many things because if you don’t put yourself out there than you can’t fail, right? Well, you fail just by not trying. I’ve been working on that for the past few years. And I think that you do have talent and take absolutely freakin’ gorgeous pictures. Don’t give up, Bethany.
October 7th, 2009 - 11:38
Dang. That’s hard.
I’d be interested in the photos that they did like. Did they mention those?
I would “take what you need and leave the rest.” I think that’s an AA saying, but I think it applies! Look at what they said, take what you agree with, and leave the rest.
Dealing with rejection is hard. One thing that comes to mind is how many rejection letters many authors get before they get accepted. Don’t give up!
I know you do this as a hobby, but do you have a photos you could submit that don’t have people in them and so don’t require model releases? That might make it so you could still pursue this, but you wouldn’t have to worry about always getting a model release. Or if it’s a picture of your kids, then a model release is easy, right?
All that to say…I dunno! Yay for you for putting yourself out there, though! You’re my hero. :)