This is how I'm feeling trying to get into ShutterStock

[kdthomas]

Maybe I'm just the wrong tool for the job

 

[tirediron]

Okay... that's just funny!

 

[gsgary]

Why bother trying to get in you will be lucky if you sell any

 

[KmH]

Other than some time and effort it doesn't cost anything to 'get in'.

However, unless specifically made for stock usage, and making a lot of photographs, the chances of making any money are very, very, very slim.

Just about a year ago Getty Images made 35 million of their stock photos FREE.

 

[kdthomas]

Here is 500px crop of that same hammer image. Some guy on their forums is telling me is probably not sharp enough

 

[photoguy99]

The guy on the forum is probably talking about the hammer.

 

[photoguy99]

If that's the sort of thing you're submitting to shutterstock, I can see why you're not getting in. It simply looks unpolished. Visible label on the hammer. The wood is clearly just some random chunk of lumber you had lying around. The "horizon line" is not level, and does not appear to be tilted for any specific reason. The camera position is worth exploring, but I don't think you're hitting the "down low looking up at the descending hammer" visual hard enough.

Stock photo sites have incredibly high standards, because they don't have to accept anything less.

It's all very very clean, very very sleek.

You have a good concept. I was actually a bit surprised to NOT find about a million similar pictures on shutterstock, but if you search for "hammer screw" and click on "relevant" rather than "popular" you'll see a couple things. Look how clean they are, look how dramatic the camera angles.

Caveat: I have never placed an image with a stock company in my life, so, look for yourself and reach your own conclusions.

 

[kdthomas]

All true, this was not a serious effort ... And I wouldn't submit it ... Really what I was after was trying to get WB color and sharpness right. I'm trying to get technical problems out of the way before I put enery into being creative inspired etc

 

[otherprof91 33]

Maybe I'm just the wrong tool for the job

View attachment 95010

"If the only tool you have is a hammer, you treat every problem as if it were a nail." The psychologist, Maslow, said something very much like that. Too lazy to look it up right now.