Taking stock (of stock)

As mentioned very briefly here before, I recently signed up for a free PhotoShelter account and entered the world of stock photography. The reason why I’m with PhotoShelter and nobody else at the moment is simply down to the fact that my crappy old dSLR can’t deliver enough pixels for the bigger, better stock photography sites. So, until such a time arrives when I can upgrade (ie. when the next decent commission comes along), I’ll have to make do with PhotoShelter. All is not entirely lost however, as using PhotoShelter has been an education, and I recommend a free stock site to anyone, as the hard rules and regulations enforced by the Stock Police work as a kind of picture editor. For those who don’t know about these things, when you upload to a stock photography site, the photographs are kept in a holding area until somebody at their end looks at your pictures and decides which go on the site and which don’t. Criteria ranges from just plain crappy shots (rejected) to the more subjective decisions based on how many copies of the thing that’s in the photograph is already on the site. Some rejected pictures come with an explanation of why they were rejected, plus there’s even a Soft Rejection category in which you’re given the option of changing the photograph slightly and submitting it again. I’m enjoying the education personally, and am learning a lot, including the simple fact that much of my previous photography that was getting published in travel guidebooks doesn’t cut the mustard in the world of stock. I’ve also quickly learnt that my circular polarising filter is rubbish. I won’t be using it again. Onwards and upwards.