My photo of the Toasted Pita Salad that I wrote about last week was rejected by Tastespotting because of its “poor composition”. When I found that out, I was a little dejected and immediately felt a bit defensive. Not that I think my photos are all that, it’s just, I was this close to submitting that same photo to my own Culinary Snapshot as a “how to” about photographing food at different angles! Even though Foodgawker was nice to me and did accept that photo, I am pretty sure no one wants to learn about the techniques for getting your food photos rejected at any of the food photography websites!
After I got over my rejection, I perked up quickly. I now had a photo I could submit to one of the newest food photography sites, TasteSTOPping! Tastestopping is the very witty creation of one smart blogger named Casey. Casey created Tastestopping as a place to share your rejected photos with the world. Now your sad, lonley rejected photos have a place to call home.
Between Culinary Snapshot, where you can learn from the community about how to improve your photos to get them accepted on the “food photography elite” sites (and share your photos & tips as well!), and Tastestopping, where you actually kind of hope your photos will get rejected from the “food photography elite” sites so you can participate in the fun, the world of food photography is one hot topic!
This Taco Salad is something I am positing over at Culinary Snapshot (and if it doesn’t get accepted at any of the “food photography elite” sites, you’ll find it on Tastestopping too!
On a side note, I do have to say that Tastespotting and Foodgawker have both been very kind to me and my food photographs. I would hate to be the people behind the scenes having to pick and choose which photos get the golden pass!
What are some of the other food photography sites that you like to visit and why?
Western Taco Salad (Adapted from the back of the Western Dressing bottle)
Ingredients
|
1 lb. ground beef
1 package (1.25 oz.) taco seasoning mix 3 cups Nacho Cheese Flavor Doritos, crushed 3 cups shredded lettuce 1 large tomato, diced 1 cup diced English Cucumber
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 green onion, sliced Wish-Bone® Western® Original Dressing |
- Brown ground beef in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in taco seasoning mix and continue preparing according to package directions.
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl, ending with the taco meat, Doritos and Western dressing. Toss and serve immediately.
- Rejects of the World Unite by Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
- Tastespotting Rejects by Eat Me Daily
- The First One by Food Loves Writing
- Mini Pizza Party by Macheesmo
I actually feel so much better knowing that this was rejected because I think the photo is fabulous! Bad composition is the reason I have the hardest time understanding – but you’re right that it must be hard to go through so many photos and make decisions!
.-= Shannalee´s last blog ..everything (and I mean everything) about the party =-.
I have been rejected repeatedly by Tastespotting. I have a friend who is a professional photographer and she helped me get over it (with compliments about my photos and also some pointed comments about editorial bias) but it still kind of stinks.
.-= Carole´s last blog ..Eye Candy Friday =-.
Now I’m hungry – I’ve gotta go make supper.
.-= Amy J´s last blog ..These are for dunkin’… =-.
Thank you so much for these kind words, Kristen. I am having a lot of fun with TasteStopping, and I hope my visitors are as well. While I wish all of your readers much success in their food photography adventures (with the help of Culinary Snapshot, of course), I also love being able to provide a haven for the rejects! Perhaps it’s like Group Therapy for Foodies. 🙂
Best,
Casey
.-= TasteStopping´s last blog ..A horror story? =-.
It’s funny how tastespotting has repeatedly been the one which rejects in comparison to foodgawker. It used to peeve me to no end that most of their rejection comments ended up being “unflattering composition” If only they could be more clear! I like foodgakwer because they’re they point out a photo they’d be willing to publish instead. Overall, I’m much happier submitting to foodgawker.
.-= The Purple Foodie´s last blog ..Vanilla Bean 101 =-.
I have had success getting pictures on to TasteSpotting but I have also had some rejections. Honestly, I don’t think about the rejections at all, it is free and easy to submit and I see getting on the site as a “bonus” not something I expect or think will happen. I know not every picture I take appeals to everyone and that not every picture is the “best” shot I could have taken. It is a curated/moderated site that must get hundreds of submissions every day so there are bound to be a tons of rejections–way more than what makes it on the site–many of which must be attractive shots that just barely didn’t make the cut.
It also seems that the TasteSpotting has really increased in popularity over the last year and that can only mean more submissions. The more and better the submissions, the less likely “iffy” pictures will be picked. Picking pictures that are attractive, interesting and that connect with good posts must be an overwhelming job. I find it amazing she has time and inclination to write a reason for the “rejection” to people who request it. What a daunting task that must be, especially if one considers that it is a free “service”. I think it comes down to that it is a privately run site with the goal of sharing “food porn” and can thus post or not post anything they wish. I can’t take that personally.
I hate to say it and honestly I am not trying to be mean but the majority of pictures on “TasteStopping” ARE blurry or cropped oddly or poorly lit or it is difficult to see what the picture is supposed to be of. I guess that is the point but I don’t see the appeal of looking at unappetizing food photographs.
.-= rachel´s last blog ..Saucy Mama Lime Chipotle Marinade Giveaway! =-.
I’m over the ‘unflattering composition’ line! I am sure they are inundated with photos but they certainly are not consistent! How is one plate of stir-fry/casserole/salad unflattering composition while another is not?
I agree that a few of the TasteSTOPping pix are not lit well or sharp….but most of the ones on there I find are perfectly FINE yet rejected by TS and FG.
I hear ya….I take it personally too…I am way too sensitive. LOL
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..Ha-Ha – Fooled ya! =-.
It’s all random for me with both of the sites. I’ve heard others mention that foodgawker will usually let you know if there is another photo in your post they’d be willing to publish…they’ve never done that for me!
The rejection reason I hate most is “uncompelling subject matter.” That is so subjective and I try to remind myself that different people see beauty differently, but other times I want to shout to the world “what isn’t compelling about freshly cut garden herbs?” (or whatever the photo subject was).
I really try to take their criticism to heart and pay more attention to those areas that I’m typically rejected in, but it’s so frustrating when one site accepts something and the other doesn’t. Who’s right? Is the reason random? Sometimes it feels like they just don’t like the post and I wish they just say “sorry, not interested in this one” instead of making up some bogus reason.
BUT…I do love these sites, they are a great source of inspiration and send a lot of traffic my way. I guess it’s a love/hate relationship.
.-= Katie @ goodLife {eats}´s last blog ..Sundried Tomato and Spinach Lasagna Rolls =-.
Serious Eats has Photograzing, another good site to submit your photos. They choose a couple of their favorites each day to feature on the front page of Serious Eats, a nice little bonus!
http://photograzing.seriouseats.com/?ref=skybox
What I can’t figure out is why either Tastespotting OR Foodgawker publish my photos, but rarely both. One continually rejects while the other accepts. It’s not as though one is “harder” to get into for me… it’s just that they both seem to be looking for totally different things in a photo!
.-= Disgruntled Julie´s last blog ..Rice with Mushrooms, Cuttlefish, and Artichokes (Daring Cooks) =-.
OK, hang on a minute. I was just over at Tastespotting and saw the spitting image of this photo – was it just another from the same shoot?
http://www.tastespotting.com/detail/53352/Taco-Salad
.-= Shannalee´s last blog ..everything (and I mean everything) about the party =-.
I have to say, I’ve had pretty good luck with both Tastespotting and Foodgawker, but I’m often surprised at which photos of mine they choose to publish and those they reject. I guess it is a very subjective thing. That’s why I try not to take it personally when one of mine doesn’t make the cut. But, I agree that more specific and constructive reasons for rejection would be helpful.
What really drives me nuts is how TS hangs on to your photos for days, and even a week or more before posting them. They do this for TWD and DB photos especially. Also, I’ve submitted a few lately that seemed to have disappeared! They aren’t published, declined or pending!
.-= Susan at SGCC´s last blog ..Flavor of the Month: Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches with Raspberry Swirl =-.
wow..now I think that shot is amazing!
I get “rejected” often as well. but dont let it bother me as I am NOT a good photographer AT ALL!!! I am just happy when they accept a photo
.-= leslie´s last blog ..Come see me at Sweetbay Supermarket =-.
I can never tell with Tastespotting. I especially love though when I sell a photo that Tastespotting rejected. That always makes me feel happy inside. 🙂
I’d eat your taco salad.
.-= peabody´s last blog ..“You look good wearing my future”…. =-.
I’m still waiting to have one accepted at either foodgawker or tastespotting. I’m trying to improve my photography, and so I use their feedback to help me to make the next shot better. But sometimes I DO wish they’d say something beyond ‘poor composition’ or ‘exposure issues’. LOL, if I could see the problem from that I wouldn’t have submitted it in the first place! But it gives me a goal. Food with Style has published one of mine–the first!
.-= Kate´s last blog ..MARKETS =-.
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? =-.
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 =-.
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 =-.
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 =-.
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} =-.
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.
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 =-.
beautiful!! love t very much!!
cheers!!
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 =-.
I’ve been craving a salad like this one! 🙂
.-= oneshotbeyond´s last blog ..Tasty Tuesday: Marmalade Beef with Tomatoes & Onions =-.
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 =-.
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) =-.
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 =-.
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 =-.
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 =-.
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 =-.
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 =-.
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!
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…
I recently prepared Taco Salad Recipe, my ingredients were almost same but I used tortilla chips for salad dressing. Why don’t u try that.