Hi Microstock Group:

I have a couple of questions to ask of you-

1. Is it worth resubmitting a rejected photo? For example (see attached photos) if you get the following rejection notice-
 
"Poor Lighting--Poor or uneven lighting, or shadows. White balance may be incorrect."


2. On the White Balance I tend to now use Auto while in Camera Raw mode. In the past I was using the droplet on a gray or white part of the photo. Not sure which method is the best for the White Balance. Also if I am using my flash I might consider using the 'Flash' choice in the WB selection.

Here are the two photos that got rejected- I really want to up my game thus any tips or direction would be appreciated.

Thank you very much...


Tom

I'm viewing on a non-calibrated laptop so I can't really talk about white balance but I believe you have to reshoot both of these.  The first one is just too dark, and I don't find the composition that pleasing.  Photo #2 is a great strong concept, but you didn't control the light.  Your subject is the cash, but it's in shadow.  You could have used a reflector to bounce some light on the area.  The car has light bouncing off and crazy shadows.  I'd say this is worth reshooting, but with the shadows as they are it will not be accepted by most of the agencies.

Tom

It depends  on the rejection.  If the rejection is for shadows or focus; don't bother resubmitting.   Anything you do with processing to change either of these values will introduce artifacts or other problems.  It is is rejection because of white balance, of course, reprocess and send it in.

Warning--Opinion ahead based on just my personal biases:

The rejections I get for lighting and white balance for outdoor shots in many of my submissions are completely bogus. I shoot in many low light sunrise/sunset situations and in desert locations with strong directional lighting and nearly always get rejected. It seems to me that many reviewers believe in the flood lighting 100% rule where natural shadows (despite time of day) must be avoided and any deviations from noontime color temperatures will not be acceptable. I don't even bother submitting most of my landscape work to microstock because of my experiences.

White balance (and lighting) to taste is the only way to do exciting, creative landscape photography. It's as far different from stock shooting as can be imagined. You have a valued teacher for your class. Keep two hats in your camera bag and you'll do well with both types of shooting.

I am so glad I am not the only one that feels this way towards 'White Balance' rejections. I understand and agree with focus, composition, lens problems but from what I just learn in my White Balance class- it is very 'Subjective' to say the least. The instructor does his White Balance via his tastes!