Comments on: Embracing Rejection (Recipe – Taco Salad)

By: the food dude

the food dude — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:37:04 +0000

Hi, I was just surfing the net after being rejected at TS and FG yet again, and found some comfort in your post. Though I know my submissions do really pale in comparison versus the images selected at these sites, somehow the rejection just stings and lingers. I did find other sites you may want to check out:

Kitchen Artistry: they use the full horizontal image format instead of the 250×250 square image where I often get “composition” problems.

Foodepix: Great site, and they really give out valid reasons for the rejections, and helpful tips to improve the photo.

Savory Sights: Just discovered this last week, doing good so far with my submissions.

Rezimo: Another one I found recently, nice, clean site.

Dessert Stalking: Focusing on desserts only, cool site.

I still have a lot to learn about taking good photos, so it’s back to the drawing board for me…
the food dude´s last [type] ..Being Cool at Bar Dolci

By: Cranberry-Blue Cheese Salad with Curried Pecans and Raspberry Vinaigrette | The CookMobile

Tue, 11 May 2010 01:58:50 +0000

[...] Blogga Tomato, Cucumber, and Radish Salad with Yogurt and Tahini Dressing by Kalyn’s Kitchen Taco Salad by Dine and [...]

By: lalaine

lalaine — Tue, 11 May 2010 01:54:56 +0000

Label me mean and obnoxious but I was sorta dancing while reading this. I guess misery loves company~always thought I was the only food blogger in the whole food blogging sphere getting the rejection slips. I’ve had better success with Foodgawker than Tastespotting. My photos will get approved at FG and will not cut it at TP. Just proves beauty is always subjective. Funny thing is, I only one photo EVER accepted at Tastespotting and it was one I didn’t even submit. The higher ups there grabbed it from my site and posted it as one of their favorites. Imagine that, never even liked that photo of blackberry grilled cheese sandwich.

Kristen, I am as dense as they come in food photography but I sure know how to eat. Whether tasteSPOTting or tasteSTOPping material, your pictures always have me drooling! Definitely orgasmic food porn!

By: Robert

Robert — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:08:25 +0000

Your photo looks pretty great, though I might have cleaned up the plate a little bit. Have you ever seen http://twitter.com/FoodPorn – pretty great. Thanks for the recipe, I’ll make it tonight.
.-= Robert´s last blog ..School Bus Accident Near San Antonio Injures Students =-.

By: Donalyn

Donalyn — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:17:20 +0000

I always have a little moment of wth when they reject one of mine, but I can tell you that I learned a heck of lot from looking at my rejected photos with a more critical eye. They accept mine far more than they reject and I do think they have gotten pickier lately because they have more to choose from. I don’t mind the pickiness – you get a lot more traffic from them if your photo stays on the front page longer and accepted fewer photos ensures that. Great post Kristin – it made me feel better about a reject I just got to see that you got one too
.-= Donalyn´s last blog ..Contrast =-.

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:16:42 +0000

I get rejected from tastespotting and foodgawker more than I'd like, but I try to take the suggestions/reasons into account when I'm taking my next picture. I have to say it does make me feel a little better that you have pictures rejected too, probably because I think your pictures are amazing. .-= Julie´s last blog ..Summer Galette =-.

By: Deanna

Deanna — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:57:34 +0000

Thank you for this post. I get so frustrated with tastespotting and foodgawker sometimes. It's so exciting when a photo gets accepted, my blog will spike in hits that day. Then I'll put way too much pressure on myself to get another one in. It can be so hard to get the rejections. Thanks for the Tastestopping shout-out. I received a comment a little while back from Casey after yet another tastespotting rejection and have yet to check out her site. I will be sure to moving forward! I'm sure it'll substantially help my bruised ego. .-= Deanna´s last blog ..Paula's Magical Peanut Butter Cookies =-.

By: Aimee

Aimee — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:36:47 +0000

I love that site, tastestopping. So hilarious. Obviously I don’t know much about photography, because your photo looks delish to me!!
Thanks for the reminder that taco salad is a good dinner option for this heat wave we are having.
.-= Aimee´s last blog ..The Beef Chronicles: T-Bone Goes Camping & Laptop Tomato Salad =-.

By: Nicole from : Rezimo.com

Nicole from : Rezimo.com — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:01:19 +0000

I would also be more than happy to have your photo(s) on rezimo.com . I accept anything that is food related – even if it doesn’t have a blog post.
.-= Nicole from : Rezimo.com´s last blog ..18-08-09(9:38:13) =-.

By: marguerite

marguerite — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:30:39 +0000

My pics definitely leave a lot to be desired. Thanks for the cool tip links. The taco salad sounds (and looks!!) great too! .-= marguerite´s last blog ..Quiche for Co-Workers or Real Men DO Eat Quiche =-.

By: oneshotbeyond

oneshotbeyond — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:01:23 +0000

I’ve been craving a salad like this one!
.-= oneshotbeyond´s last blog ..Tasty Tuesday: Marmalade Beef with Tomatoes & Onions =-.

By: Elle

Elle — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:12:27 +0000

It’s tricky, isn’t it? What one likes, the other doesn’t–or if you’re lucky, they both do. It’s all in who is looking at any photo at a given time. What one person puts through, another may not.

I’ve had good luck with TS and FG for the most part, so I can’t complain. I did have a really bad stretch with TS a while ago, though.

Some new sites popping up? Food & Fizz, Savory Sights, and Healthy Yum. Submit same size photos, 250×250. Haven’t had any trouble submitting anything yet.

Food Photo Blog? My stuff always says it’s submitted, but it never gets found, so I gave up.

By the way, the recipe and photo look really good!
.-= Elle´s last blog ..Vegan Brunch: Tofu Rancheros =-.

By: nora@ffr

nora@ffr — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:34:33 +0000

beautiful!! love t very much!!
cheers!!

By: Gaby

Gaby — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:36:01 +0000

I get that poor composition thing all the time – so annoying!!! This salad on the other hand looks like my kind of salad! I love it – must have been so delicious!
.-= Gaby´s last blog ..Pumpkin Butterscotch Chip Cookies =-.

By: Pat Wogan

Pat Wogan — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:02:31 +0000

How did the food taste…or isn’t that important. I now judge food photographs in magazines by your photos. And often you come out ahead.

By: Joan Nova

Joan Nova — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:33:34 +0000

An interesting post that obviously piqued the interest of many readers. I often get comments on how good my photos are – only to be rejected at the food photo websites. So glad to hear about TasteStoping…I’ll be ‘stopping’ there with my rejects. P.S. the other photo site I use is photograzing.
.-= Joan Nova´s last blog ..27-Ingredient Panzanella Antipasta =-.

By: Katie @ goodLife {eats}

Katie @ goodLife {eats} — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:13:23 +0000

Simone – that is so true! Often I also get the reason “poor composition: cutoff crop.” Well, duh, I had to crop the image to submit it because they only accept square images. It’s be nice on that one of they checked the original in the blogpost before telling you it was poor composition.

Amanda – I’ve had serious issues with foodphotoblog. They used to publish everything and now suddenly nothing goes through, and I don’t think it’s a rejection issue (my photos are definitely much better now than they used to be), it just seems to get lost somehow.
.-= Katie @ goodLife {eats}´s last blog ..Holy Tomatoes! {garden update} =-.

By: Simone (junglefrog)

Simone (junglefrog) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:09:24 +0000

I don’t worry about rejections unless they have valid reasons and I have to slap myself for not noticing it… Keep in mind also that they ask you to basically change the composition of your original photo as it has to be resized. I base my composition on the original photosize and not on the more square format at tastespotting or foodgawker. And in some cases the composition does suffer from being changed into a different format! My guess is that that was probably the reason why!
.-= Simone (junglefrog)´s last blog ..Rice with mushrooms, cuttlefish and artichokes: Daring Cooks August =-.

By: Bellini Valli

Bellini Valli — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:44:20 +0000

Am I bad if I say I don’t visit these food sites. I’d rather curl up in my big armchair and read a cookbook…where’s the cosy fire and the hunk of burning love feeding me grapes.
.-= Bellini Valli´s last blog ..Corn Pikelets with Fresh Tomato Salsa =-.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:07:57 +0000

I have to say that since Casey started Tastestopping, I no longer feel defensive or otherwise after TS or FG reject, because I know that Casey will give my photos love. LOL I do agree that FG is more apt to provide a suggestion for an alternate. However, I always thought the FG was more accepting of my photos than TS was, then I logged in to both to look and it’s actually pretty equal. Both sites reject about 30% of the photos that I submit. I do wish the explanations were a little more explanatory, but as someone else said, it’s a free service, so I won’t complain When they do accepted, it’s nice to get the recognition as well as the extra traffic, so I am thankful for that. As for other photo sites, here’s another one, I guess I should start submitting to all of them!

Food Photo Blog
http://foodphotoblog.com/
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..Orange Spongecake: Julia Child or The Farmer’s Wife? =-.