Any images that you submit to the marketplace must meet our basic technical standards regarding image resolution and image quality. These are industry standards, created to make sure images can be purchased for as many different uses as possible and to reassure clients that they can use images they select in the way they want to.
We do allow for intentionally out of focus images as long as the effect is creatively or conceptually beneficial to the image. All other images need to be in focus to be selected.
Having said that there are very few subjects for which intentionally out of focus shots are appropriate. In the big selling categories such as lifestyles, sports, travel, wildlife and business, the subject should always be in focus.
Point of FocusThe point of focus of an image is also something that needs to be considered. For example, in a headshot of someone smiling to camera, it’s nearly always the eyes that need to be in focus, not a tree or some other object in the background.
Watch out for camera shake at low shutter speeds. Don't just shoot offthe-cuff: step back, consider your subject, steady that hand and shoot away.
