I have an account with Dreamstime since 2008. It is a long time and I don't have many photos to show for it.
I love taking photos. It serves as a record of places I have visited and people I met. So I thought why not sign up and see if I can make some sales from something I love. I went through my collection and this photo of a lotus flower with a couple of bees was the first photo I uploaded.
That was in August 2008. It was the one and only for a long time as I got busy looking after my two children and work.
In 2010, a friend told me about her experience with Dreamstime. That prompted me to check my account. Hey, I have a sale! I got so excited about the sale that I started going through my collection again and uploaded quite a number of photos. Unfortunately, none was accepted :(
I am amateur photographer. I don't know a thing about the "rule of thirds", "golden ratio" and "Poor optical performance due to low lens quality, such as lens fringing, chromatic aberrations, uneven sharpness in focus area". What in the world are they talking about? All I know is that my photo must be sharp and looks great (at least to me :LOL)! I don't know a thing about ******** Photoshop or how to touch up my photos to make them look better. And I only have a digital camera, not a DSLR or any of the sophisticated cameras!
I was so disappointed I did not submit any more photos for the next few years although I continue taking photos whenever I am free or when I traveled.
Then my friend brought up Dreamstime again in 2013. She told me she now works exclusively with Dreamstime and her sales were quite constant. That prompted me to rethink about submitting again. It has been a long while and I have taken many photos since. I had also just spent the morning at the Singapore Botanic Gardens taking photos. I thought why not give it a try again. I went through them, selected a couple and submitted them.
This photo of a water fountain in the gardens was accepted.
I continue submitting my photos on and off over the last two years although not many were accepted. However, I am glad that there are people who like my photos enough to buy them.
Now I have become more selective of the photos that I submit and, thanks to my friend, I am working towards having my 50th photo accepted. It has been a long journey!
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Kheng1987
Many thanks, 4harmony and Sandshack33. Your photos are beautiful! i still have much to learn in this journey.
Sandshack33
These are beautiful.....such vivid colors, I especially love the Flamingo photo. Congrats!
Unteroffizier
It helps if you invest in equipment like DSLR. AT least you can use higher ISO for your photos without much digital noise.
4harmony
Beautiful photos and great story. My journey on dreamstime has also had ups and downs. When photos get rejected, it can be depressing. Like you, I make an effort to learn from my mistakes and keep trying. It is always a joy when a photo sells. Best wishes to you for much success.
Kheng1987
Dear Ldaladeira4,
It's never too late to try again. It has taken me a long time and many rejections. I'm sure you can do it!
Ldaladeira4
Thanks for your blog. :-)
Sounds a lot like me.
I"ve tried Dreamtime couple.of years ago. Very much for same reason you did. Uploaded many pics, thought wete beautiful, at least to me. Only 1.got accepted. Don"t have sophesticated camera, nor work with ********. Tried one more time, none were accepted. Got busy with other stuff in real life, and didn't bother with it anymore. Once in a while I will read one of.the mails Dreamstime sends to my email. Today your blog title caught my attention, so I read it. Who knows, maybe I ll give it a try one day again. By the way, I love your pics in the article Beuatiful.
Kheng1987
Dear Data2203, Alakhai, Onime and Adammeadows12,
Many thanks for your kind words and encouragement.
Data2203
I wish you good luck in this dreamsjourney!
Alakhai
Fantastic macro shots! Good job!
Onime
awesome images. Keep your hard work.
Bhabotoshchakraborty
Many thanks for your encouragement, Bhabotoshchakraborty.
I'm learning to re-look at my photos with the comments in mind when they are rejected. If I can fix it, I will do so and re-submit. Otherwise I will see what's wrong and try not to repeat the mistake.
You have some interesting illustrations. Keep uploading :)
Thank for hear from you that you like my some illustrations. Remember @Kheng1987 as a friend i can say every fall give some positive power for stand up proudly again.
Adammeadows12
nice! hope you get more sales
Kheng1987
Many thanks for your encouragement, Bhabotoshchakraborty.
I'm learning to re-look at my photos with the comments in mind when they are rejected. If I can fix it, I will do so and re-submit. Otherwise I will see what's wrong and try not to repeat the mistake.
You have some interesting illustrations. Keep uploading :)
Bhabotoshchakraborty
I believe in GOD and know well that every effort have some potential value ,still straggling to make big my portfolio, 1st i will feel like you when my photo were reject again and again then i fixed my mind as my condition like you have no DSLR only use computer.I fixed that if others can then why not i can? next i use brain and technique to make some illustration believe me condition like you not know well as you describe in your blog, but after some rejection some illustration are accept then i upload more, and teach me well by my dreamstime friends then they tell me something about taking photo like +2 or -2 why and when it to be use to need ,also i read some blog regularly but not comment all blog or all thread ,comment when it touch my heart.
Believe me you don't need DSLR you can make illustration, can make logo by software using like Photoshop, can take photo by digital camera and try to upload by choose best one.
your photo can accept if looks good not necessary what type camera you use only need some concept.If have no unique concept then search others image and take some picture from your camera use same concept then photo will accept.
I have some my personal unique concept which already accept but still not sale i hope some times it's may be sale.
Now i know something which photo sale well and how to choose concept.I buy 2 digital camera,1 semi SLR camera and 1 new mobile for photography use only ,all buy from loan and paid by EMI.
Moral keep uploading to get more sales.
Kheng1987
Picstudio, Many thanks for your kind words. I'm still learning :)
Picstudio
Your pics are great. Keep doing the hard work. Love to see more from you.