Let’s talk about restrictions and recommendations about photos. Firstly, the commercial pics accept any changes as total transformation, not any color grading or cropping. It means that shutterstocker can create any collage, any montage, any changes. He can create from the pic anything according to the market requests. Look at this Photoshop work.
Copyright Release Proof
I remind that all used photos need to be yours. Even if you create some handwritten lettering, you need to add release on this pic, it means approve that this is your photo.
The deep photo processing is a popular thing, so you must boldly transform of pics’ reality. You can decorate this reality on your own taste.
Firstly, you need to delete all of the copyrighted objects from the pic. You must delete all inscriptions, signs, logotypes using Photoshop.
Always check the results of your photography carefully. Sometimes, the logotype can very nice to appear in the photo’s background. This mistake can become a cause for refusal to accept your pic for selling.
Carefully check the models’ clothes! Take as neutral as possible clothes — without logotypes, especially shorts, without patterns and inscriptions. I know the situation when a Shutterstock administration declines the photo because of little the inscription on a T-shirt button. Who can imagine that they pay attention to this! You need to pay attention to this — little logotype on button, glasses, clock. Photographs need either avoid it during photography or delete using Photoshop later.
Photos Universality
Logotypes deleting process is useful for creating universal photos. If we have a pic with English the inscription, we restrict an opportunity of its use. This pic can show only English or American ambiance. If we will delete this the inscription, then we can use this photo for illustration a new from any geographical region.
For example, this pic with people and a car created in Tbilisi. How do we understand that this pic was created there? We check car number, which shows Explicit affiliation to Georgia, Tbilisi.
How to Delete Useless Elements Without Photo’s Destruction
I recommend delete both the brand and car number in this case. We have a wonderful tool for it. A Spot Healing Brush Tool very easy delete the useless element.
We deleting inscriptions, logotypes. We also can delete wire reflection, which distracts attention from a center object. It is also the case why we deleting car number — the car is not the main element. The perception of the pic is independent of it.
Maybe the auto bottom becomes not very natural, but you don’t need to pay attention to it now. We got rid of the binding to the geographical region that is a great good pic side.
A Hard Pic
Let’s see at more complex case. For example, sportsman’s photos.
They have a huge amount of different inscriptions on their clothes. We accurately use the Spot Healing Brush or Clone Stamp Tool again. We also can copy neighboring elements to paste.
Even socks have inscriptions on this pic! All inscriptions must be deleted. It is a real nightmare. You need to work with this photo only it can create a huge profit. For example, if such a pic is a hit.
After deleting all the logotypes, we receive a total commercial pic. We need only crop, combine, tint… and all be okay.
Stop-Words For Photo’s Description
Here is a huge list of forbidden words, which must be never used for description. For example, this photo with a beard and machine cannot pass a moderation if the photographer uses a forbidden terrorist tag in description. But if he takes away this word, his photos will be approving. I create a separate article about the right choice of keywords and see different options.
You just must understand now that using some keywords is forbidden.
It’s all about terrorism and extremism.
It’s all about brands.
It’s all about porn, sex, other kids’ collocations.
It’s all about prohibited items.
Remember, that we talk only about keywords, not about the photo plot.
Exceptions to the Rules
Shutterstock varies according to customers ’needs and current rules. Some pics which was added up to making new rules stay in the window. Or some of the inspectors made a mistake and miss some pic. You must understand that all the rules have exceptions.
For example, an author of the pic from the past can use a sex kid tag using a note about same-sex family, so the inspector accepted the pic with the wrong sex kid tag.
It means that if you want to publish some pic, you just need the right tags or write a full description. Anyway, it is better to work with your own area within the basic requirements of the platform.
The Shutterstock as a live organism that constantly changes its rules. For example, users can load editorial, logotypes, editorial pics earlier. Then the administration suddenly stop accepted it. Then they banned logotypes pics if the logos were a central object of the pic. Then they canceled this ban. The same situation with carpets - it will be often approved earlier, then they stopped accepting carpets, even as editorial. The administration starts to accept pictures on fabric only with the release, which was difficult for the author.
You need always to try. Today these rules, tomorrow another. If you cannot load some pics today — you can try to do it later. Add it to stocks and try to load after a few months.
What is Not A Copyright Infringement
As I write earlier, a favor of the idea is not a plagiarism. You can take a pic idea from the Shutterstock top. It will be useful for training your skills at the base stage. Of course, you need to find your own way, ideas, icing on the cakes later. Copy and paste is only one of the learning steps.
If you take a photo together with other Shutterstock photographers:
A model need to sign a release with every photographer;
Copyright belongs to every photographer, even if eleven photographers take pics on one camera. The main thing is not adding one photo in different portfolios. In this case, both photographers will be banned. They need just shared your photos between all members.
Sometimes one author creates multiple accounts using data of his friends or strangers. As you understand, Shutterstock cannot follow all authors, so if the photographer is neat — doesn’t mix photos, loads different content in different accounts — the platform cannot claim nothing from these users.
Even if some user wants to talk about such authors to administration, the author easy can give poofs that his aunt, in which registered other account is also the photograph. Her 80 years’ age means nothing because the platform doesn’t forbid participate of 80-year-old peoples here.
No, I don’t agitate to create multiple accounts. Just take a mind, that you can continue work on the platform even if your account will be banned for any reason. You just need to use another name. In this case, never load old photos in a new account. The Shutterstock saving info about all pics which was loaded. If some of these photos will be added to the new account, this new one can be banned. Follow your portfolio!
I also recommend saving all originals in hard drive. It can help win discusses between authors about photo’s start poster, which occur regularly. Just send this pic to inspectors in that case.
