Declined Photo Submissions: Learning from Feedback
Thanks to Kimberly Ann of Bake.
Love. Give. for this great advice.
When I first started submitting photos to sharing sites such as Dishfolio, I endured several months of reading one rejection email after another. I blamed everything in the book from the fact that my blog wasn't big enough to the notion that the editors had no idea what a good photograph looked like. I'm here to tell you that the size of your blog does not matter and these editors have seen enough good (and bad) photography to know a thing or two. As I swallowed my pride and really took their feedback to heart, I gradually saw an increase in the number of my photographs being featured. Here are a few pointers to get your declined photographs back on the road to acceptance (see image 1 for accepted photo).
Submit, submit and submit again. The more photographs you take and submit for peer review, the more constructive feedback you are bound to receive. Sure, this increases your risk for rejection, but from here on out I want you to look at every declined photo as an opportunity to learn and grow as a photographer. Submitting to multiple sharing websites also allows for a broader range of feedback.
Resubmit declined photos. If feedback
suggests that the exposure is off on your photo, use a photo
editing software to adjust in the preferred direction. If your
photo is suggested to be dull or unsharp, see if you have another
shot in your series that may be clearer. One of the more
frustrating reasons for rejection is composition because it tends
to be a matter of opinion. Go ahead and find another cropping or
viewpoint and resubmit. Don't ever be afraid to resubmit the same
recipe once it has been initially declined; you'll be pleasantly
surprised to see your acceptance rate increase with your second
chance photos.
Shoot in RAW. If your camera and editing software support shooting in the RAW format, I highly recommend switching over. One of the most frequent reasons for rejection seems to be exposure and whether underexposed or overexposed (see image 2), a RAW photograph's exposure is easily tweaked in photo editing software without losing much of its visual quality.
Agree to disagree. As with all art forms, you can't please everyone when it comes to photography. Although there are many rules for exposure and composition, at the end of the day they all boil down to a matter of personal preference. Just because your photograph doesn't fit the vision of a particular site does not mean that it is not a beautiful photograph. Take feedback with a grain of salt; make necessary adjustments to refine your art; and always stay true to your artistic goals and visions. What are you waiting for? Go submit your photos!
Kimberly Ann of Bake. Love. Give is inspired by the love and talents of her family. She has found a passion for showing her appreciation of others in baked gifts and capturing her adventures on film. View the world as she sees it and join her as she shares her joy in baking, loving and giving.
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