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Foto Microstock Ditolak? Ambang Teknisnya Berbeda Tiap Platform
Foto: Pexels
Fotografi Bisnis

Rejected Microstock Photos? The Technical Thresholds Vary by Platform

Tim Taalenta · 22 September 2026

Many microstock guides stop at the phrase "meet the minimum resolution and avoid noise." While this statement is true, it cannot be used to check a file before the upload button is pressed. The numbers are actually published openly by each platform, and they are not the same.

Three platforms, three "large enough" units

The most confusing thing for new contributors: the three major platforms do not measure size using the same units.

Adobe Stock requires a resolution of 4 MP to 100 MP, a maximum file size of 45 MB, JPEG format with sRGB color profile, and must be free of watermarks, timestamps, and brands.

Shutterstock accepts JPEG and TIFF with a minimum of 4 MP. The upload limit via browser is 50 MB for photos. Its documentation provides examples that are easy to use for self-checking: 2,000 x 2,400 pixels equals 4.8 MP and is accepted, while 1,200 x 3,000 pixels equals 3.6 MP and is rejected by the system. Megapixels are calculated from width times height, so how many megabytes your file is does not answer this question.

Alamy does not use megapixels at all. Its requirement is that files must be over 17 MB in an uncompressed state, which is usually equivalent to JPEGs of 3 to 5 MB on disk.

The practical consequence is that a file that passes in one place may fail in another, and that is not an indication that the photo is bad.

Gates that operate before your photo is viewed

Alamy adds two filters that operate before visual assessment begins. The first submission must include valid camera EXIF data. The camera class is also limited: mirrorless or DSLR or equivalent, or popular branded smartphones released from 2020 onwards. Pocket cameras and bridge cameras generally do not pass.

List of quality rejection reasons

Shutterstock publishes its quality checklist openly: focus, exposure, chroma and luminance noise, film grain, compression artifacts, color banding, pixelation, composition, post-processing results, sensor spots and lens dust, reflections, digital transfer quality, white balance, and styling.

One thing rarely mentioned in popular guides: at Shutterstock, the outcome is not always simply accepted or rejected. Works that meet legal, compliance, and metadata requirements but fail to meet minimum quality thresholds will be accepted only for data licensing, not for the creative marketplace. Full rejection occurs if the failure is on the legal, compliance, or metadata side, or if the quality defect is severe.

Why one photo can ruin an entire submission

Alamy receives over 100,000 images per day, so checks are done using random sampling. If one file in that sample fails, the entire submission in queue also fails. The history of passing and failing also determines the QC rating from one to five stars, and a one-star rating can freeze upload capabilities for 10 days.

Therefore, the recommendation to check images at 100 percent pixels is not just a formality. At reduced views, noise, camera shake, and sensor spots are almost always not visible.

On AI-generated images

Alamy states that it does not accept images created by artificial intelligence, either partially or entirely, and will remove such files if found. AI tools that mimic regular retouch functions, such as noise reduction, are still allowed on original photos. Features that alter the reality of the image, such as Generative Fill, risk failing QC.

It should be noted that all of the above pertains only to technical aspects. Rejections due to licensing, such as recognizable faces without a model release, are a separate category of issues with their own rules.

Sources

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Ditulis oleh Tim Taalenta