Below you can find a list of reasons why your photos may have not been selected to be published at Freepik:
- Limited commercial value
- Aesthetic and technical issues
- Similar submissions
- Composition
- Wrongly used typography
- Outdated
- Language wrongly used
- Grammar and spelling errors
- Duplicate
- Plagiarism
- Trademark/copyright
- Ethical policies
- Do not include attribution
- Invalid file
- Send as vector (.eps)
- Send as .psd file
- Lack of coherence
- Poor lighting/overexposed
- Over-editing/over-filtering
- Focus
- Shutter speed
- Noise
- Multi-image photo
- Dutch angle
- Old-fashioned
- Artifacts
1. Limited commercial value
We determine the commercial appeal of a specific file taking into account the downloads and profitability data collected throughout time. Therefore, your image will be rejected if we consider it will not reach the minimum number of downloads to be profitable.
2. Aesthetic and technical issues
Files that do not meet the aesthetic or technical standards established by the company will be rejected (focus, framing, levels, composition, etc.). The use of inappropriate photographic equipment (a phone camera, for instance) may also be a reason for rejection.
If your content is rejected for this reason, it means that it has not the required technical nor aesthetic quality. Therefore, we will not accept your content even though you use post-editing effects to improve it (dutch angle, levels, white balance, etc.).
- Still life and portraits: We will not accept photos that do not comply with the general aesthetic rules for photographs. In the case of still life photos, make sure the composition and the background are clean. It is essential that there is coherence between the elements of the scene. When it comes to portraits, files will be rejected when they include inappropriate facial expressions, incoherent actions, or incorrect framing.
3. Similar submissions
If you send images with minimal differences between them, they will be considered similar submissions and, thus, rejected by our review team.
There are different cases in which your content can be rejected due to similarity to other resources. For instance, images within the same photo session sharing very similar features will not be accepted. Apart from this, we also consider similar submissions those photos that resemble in composition, framing, motives or elements to other resources previously submitted by the same author.
- Avoid using multiple copies with post-editing effects to add variation. We only accept a few copies of the same image with a different post-processing effect each time. If you send us multiple post-edited copies of the same photo, we will reject them. The limit of edited copies will depend on the quality and commercial value of the image. Please note that your resources can be rejected due to other technical reasons.
- If your resources are rejected due to similar submission on several occasions, then, we highly recommend you pay special attention to the editing process. Before submitting your photos, review the files and make sure that they are properly focused, that the framing is fine, or correct unwanted aberration or levels if necessary. Select and send your best resources. It will help you reduce the number of rejected files and enhance your portfolio.
4. Composition
The photo does not comply with the basic composition rules. In order for an image to have good composition, all elements must be put together coherently. Make sure you use a proper framing, apply the Rule of Thirds correctly, and place elements in a harmonic and appealing way.
Images with a poor arrangement of elements or with an unbalanced composition will be rejected.
5. Wrongly used typography
The font is not consistent with the resource. Your files may be rejected due to the following issues:
- Functionality: the font you used is not visually appealing nor harmonious. Please, bear in mind that fonts must be legible and consistent with the style of the resource.
- Composition: the text composition is poor. Make sure the text box is properly aligned regarding the column’s width and the font’s weight.
- Characters set: the typography must contain at least the characters that you are working with and these must be correctly used (punctuation, symbols, mathematical signs and diacritics).
6. Outdated
This rejection reason refers to images that are not valid at the time you send them. We will only accept holidays-related resources that have already passed when the photo does not include a specific date that reveals its obsolescence.
However, we highly suggest you send images in advance (two months is the ideal timing) so that users can retrieve your resources and, thus, you can obtain higher profitability.
7. Language wrongly used
The language used is not allowed. Please note that we only accept text properly written in English. Make sure the text has no mistakes, is related to the resource and is correctly integrated into the image that comprises it. Also, ensure it does not conflict with our ethical policies, except for relevant specific festivities, where a brief text in the local language is accepted.
8. Grammar and spelling errors
If your images contain spelling or grammar errors, they will also be rejected.
9. Duplicate
This reason refers to duplicated or repeated photographs, meaning that we will not accept images that have been already sent, whether they are published or not.
Please note: repeatedly sending the same resources does not increase the chances of publication.
10. Plagiarism
All artwork you send must be original and of your own. Thus, if you send us plagiarized resources, they will be rejected. Right after detecting that your content infringes copyright, your contributor account will be blocked permanently.
- Reuse of elements: Including in your content elements from other authors, however minimal, is also considered plagiarism. We do not accept photographs containing elements (photos, vectors and PSD files) already published by Freepik or by other contributors. We will also reject content that reuses CC0 resources.
- Inspiration: We will also consider plagiarism the recreation of photographs inspired by other authors’ photoshoots.
- Shared photo sessions: this refers to photographers sharing the same photo session and, thus, the same models, places, and setups. Photos resulting from these shared sessions are likely to be considered plagiarism.
Although you share resources with other contributors, you should submit original content different from the rest; otherwise, we may block your account.
11. Trademark / Copyright:
Images that contain registered trademarks are not allowed. Example of trademarks: Adobe, Amazon, Nintendo... However, the use of social network icons is allowed.
We will not accept nor publish zoo animals nor portraits with recognizable people on them that have not given their consent.
12. Ethical Policies
This rejection reason refers to images that contain or encourage inappropriate behavior. For example, violent, sexual, or pornographic content will be rejected. We do not accept images that may, in some way, offend or affect the user’s feelings.
13. Do not include attribution
Make sure your images do not contain any signature, watermark or any other mark that identifies the author of the photograph. Also, signatures or comments related to Freepik (for example, "designed by Freepik" or "selected by Freepik") will not be accepted.
14. Invalid file
It refers to files that, once uploaded, present loading errors.
15. Send as vector (.eps)
We consider it more useful as a vector. In this case, you just have to upload the .eps file together with its corresponding preview so that it can be reviewed and selected as a vector. Once submitted, our team will review your content to determine if it meets the requirements for publication.
16. Send as .psd file
We consider it more useful as a .psd. In this case, you just have to upload the .psd file together with its corresponding preview so that it can be reviewed and selected. Once submitted, our team will review your content to determine if it meets the requirements for publication.
17. Lack of coherence
- Elements: the photo’s elements lack coherence and are inconsistent, which affects the photo’s quality.
- Models and contexts: some expressions and actions have no relation to the photo’s context. We will also reject images taken out of context affecting the content usability.
18. Poor lighting / Overexposed
- Images with poor lighting that does not allow the main motive to be seen clearly. This is particularly important in the case of portraits.
- Images with "burned" or white areas that, besides containing an aesthetic defect, they cannot be recovered by the user that downloads them.
19. Over-editing / Over-filtering
Excessively editing an image can greatly diminish the quality of the photograph:
- Oversaturation of colors
- Inappropriate use of Whites and Blacks
- Digital editing poorly executed
- Photographs with an aggressive filter that can limit its later usage.
Bear in mind that editing effects contribute to enhance the photo, but they must not be the main element of the resource.
20. Focus
Photos must be correctly focused. They can present a justified selective focus on a concrete part of the photograph, but they cannot be entirely out of focus, except for specific cases. An example of it are the so called “blurred” backgrounds.
21. Shutter speed
It refers to “blurred” images, presenting focus and sharpness issues as a result of using a slow shutter speed.
22. Noise
It is a visual distortion caused by a high ISO setting. The correct ISO setting to avoid noise is different in each camera, however, noisy photos will not be accepted in any case.
23. Multi-image photo
It refers to a file made of multiple photos that does not comply with the minimum technical requirements nor with the basic rules of composition. We recommend you send the photos individually.
24. Dutch angle
We do not accept photos where the camera angle is unintentionally slanted to one side and it is founded in no aesthetic purpose. It applies to both vertical and horizontal rotation.
25. Old-fashioned
Images that do not follow the current aesthetic trends (isolated objects on white or black backgrounds), outdated technological items, or, in the case of models, outmoded clothes.
26. Artifacts
Artifacts originate after saving images as JPEG as compression makes the image lose quality. For this reason, when saving your file as JPEG, we recommend to compress it as little as possible.