I've only had one rejection so far but I haven't submitted that many. This is the one that didn't pass muster and frankly didn't expect it to:
1x and DPC are not all that different. Both have mechanisms that breed conformity. 1x has the screening process, which for the most part filters out the images that lack technical brilliance and DPC filters those images out via the challenges by rewarding/encouraging compliance to theme relevancy and great technicals. The only reason 1x's images look better on average is because their process of refinement is quicker and more efficient because there are fewer people steering it unlike DPC which has the voting mass steering it along with the admin and the theme selections made for the challenges not to mention they allow any image to be uploaded which waters down the instant wow factor on the site.
As for the substance, the creativity, the authenticity, I don't see that much of a difference between 1x and DPC. Both have very creative peoople with unique voices who produce beautiful work and both have their charlatans.
Some other key differences:
1x had no editing rules what so ever. Truly anything goes in the way of post processing.
1x has no date requirements. I saw one published yesterday that was taken in 1986.
1x has no requirement that the image be taken with a digital camera.
I may have to dust off my scanner and old negatives/slides! ;-)
Yep, you can only post here after they've been rejected. If you get any accepted, they're posted there and you can provide a link. I have one (1)! Woo hoo!!!! It's my Couple in the Rain shot.
For those who haven't played there, if you're a mere mortal it's VERY tough to get stuff accepted there. Several dpc'ers have had very good success though. You'll see a lot from ursula, jdannels, lovethelight, jutilda just to name a few.
I have had 7 rejections so far, and I have actually found submitting photos to be much more interesting when they do get rejected. Comments are more blunt and it really pressures me to think more about the impact and motif of my photos.
edit: up to 21 rejections now, I don't think they are going to publish any of my work again.... :)
I have had 7 rejections so far, and I have actually found submitting photos to be much more interesting when they do get rejected. Comments are more blunt and it really pressures me to think more about the impact and motif of my photos.
OTOH, to be rejected with the single word "impact" isn't very helpful...
submitted 3 more, should be up to six rejections soon!!
The one-word reasons show up on the site, but they email more wordy comments about what Motif, Impact, etc. mean:
The composition in your picture is unbalanced which might be related to a bad crop or something is cut off. It could also mean that the composition is too cluttered, in which case you should try to isolate some objets, or that the photo is not leveled correctly.
It is not a bad photo, but it's not a material for Onexposure. Take a careful look at the accepted photos to see what kind of photos are expected. Some examples of motifs rarely published are sunsets, flowers, seagulls, sculptures, pets, smiling kids, zoo-pictures, wedding photos, product shots and overly commercial motifs. Photos with text added in post-processing are rarely accepted. Improper, offensive and repulsive photos also fall into this category.
and another rejection:
It's a good photo, but it doesn't stand out that much. A photo might be technically perfect, but it also has to affect the viewer.
submitted 3 more, should be up to six rejections soon!!
The one-word reasons show up on the site, but they email more wordy comments about what Motif, Impact, etc. mean:
The composition in your picture is unbalanced which might be related to a bad crop or something is cut off. It could also mean that the composition is too cluttered, in which case you should try to isolate some objets, or that the photo is not leveled correctly.
It is not a bad photo, but it's not a material for Onexposure. Take a careful look at the accepted photos to see what kind of photos are expected. Some examples of motifs rarely published are sunsets, flowers, seagulls, sculptures, pets, smiling kids, zoo-pictures, wedding photos, product shots and overly commercial motifs. Photos with text added in post-processing are rarely accepted. Improper, offensive and repulsive photos also fall into this category.
and another rejection:
It's a good photo, but it doesn't stand out that much. A photo might be technically perfect, but it also has to affect the viewer.
Those are stock answers selected from a menu. They have not been created specifically for your rejection...
I think once a photo has been rejected, then it may be submitted for critique. Perhaps, the feedback will be more personalized in that way as to what people thought of the photo.
Well although I have had 6 or so photos published - it appears their criteria has since been clamped down and I can't get one past. My last one had this critique:
It's a good photo, but it doesn't stand out that much. A photo might be technically perfect, but it also has to affect the viewer.
The copyright text draws is too dominant and draws away too much attention from the main motive. White text against a dark background for example is very distracting. Please make it more discrete for example by reducing the contrast, making it smaller, removing it or adding a symbol or signature instead. Remember a copyright text is displayed below each photo automatically.
Ouch and ouch!! On a side note, I thought my "copyright" was pretty discrete.
It's a good photo, but it doesn't stand out that much.
For that image, with its over the top color (in a good way), this statement is amusing. My guess is that the emotion they want is more akin to Emo rather than emotion in general. They don't seem to do happy.
Out of 6 submissions, this is my sole rejection. (reason for rejection was listed as MOTIF. Not really sure what that means) However, noticing their "bias" I have only submitted B&W or Toned photos, so that may have a lot to do with my success rate. (I also noticed they seem to like "emotive" photography) Hi ursala, Long time no talk to....; )
I had 6 or 7 published in a row. Then 4 rejects. Then I got pissed and randomly uploaded 13 shots all of which were rejected as expected. Tantrum thrown, I got back to being selective and critical of my own work and had the next few published again. So 10. The last of which was submitted and published during the course of this thread.
Of the published shots, 2 are color (textured still lifes), 8 are b/w. Works for me as making a color print is a rare thing for me anyway. 4 of the b/w's are nudes. 1 is a landscape shot. 2 are street scenes, one of which did well here.
Of the rejected shots, 75% are b/w and 6 are textured.
As mentioned, the canned commentary associated with rejections are worthless unless you are making glaring technical blunders and simply need them spelled out. Good (lengthier if sometimes conflicting) feedback comes from the critique section.
