Sometimes submissions don’t meet our requirements or need small tweaks. This guide explains how to check the status of your submissions and outlines common reasons why some submissions aren’t accepted.
Your Submissions Dashboard
To view your submissions, head to your dashboard to view all of your Unsplash+ submissions.
Click on your profile icon in the top right corner
Click Unsplash+ Briefs
Click on Your Submissions
This is where you’ll find your submissions categorized as In Review, Approved or Rejected. Below each image, you will see the corresponding brief. In some cases, a note may be included with further information on the specific issue(s).
Reasons for rejection (and what they mean)
Concept
The idea behind the image is unclear, difficult to interpret, or not immediately understandable to the viewer. Unfortunately, we cannot provide individual feedback for images rejected under “Concept.”
Please avoid resubmitting images that are not accepted for this reason.
Copyright
The submission contains one or more copyright issues. Check the notes beneath your image in the Submission Dashboard for specific details and familiarize yourself with our Intellectual Property (Copyright) guide.
Curation
We expect contributors to submit a curated selection for each shoot. Only include images that offer sufficient variety and are distinct from one another.. Refer to the brief for the maximum number of images allowed per set.
Duplicate
The image has already been submitted to the Unsplash+ or Open Unsplash Libraries.
Library Fit
The submission does not align with the current needs of the Unsplash+ library. This applies if:
the photographic style doesn’t match what our subscribers are looking for. (Refer to our Unsplash+ Style Guide)
we have already acquired enough similar images for this theme or topic. Before getting started, check the Unsplash+ library and the Brief Collections page to ensure your shoot is unique.
Please avoid resubmitting images that are not accepted for this reason.
Model Release
This applies if:
a required Model Release is missing. (Learn more about Model Releases)
the submitted Model Release is incomplete, contains missing information, or doesn’t meet our requirements.
Check the notes beneath the image in your Submission Dashboard for more details and review the Releases Overview.
Not On Brief
The submission doesn’t meet the brief’s requirements. Please double-check the brief’s overview, keywords, themes, and key requirements.
Please avoid resubmitting images that are not accepted for Not On Brief.
Not Selected
We received a large number of submissions to the brief and your image was not selected.
Please avoid resubmitting images that are not accepted for this reason.
Property Release
This applies if:
a required Property Release is missing. (Learn more about Property Releases)
the submitted Property Release is incomplete, contains missing information, or doesn’t meet our requirements.
Check the notes beneath the image in your Submission Dashboard for more details and review the Releases Overview.
Quality
The submission doesn’t meet our Quality Standards for one or more of the following reasons:
Authenticity: Please avoid “stocky” images or outdated styles
Editing: Issues with contrast, saturation, filters, grain, etc. (Read our Editing Guidelines)
Technical Quality: Issues with file size, sharpness, exposure, lighting, blurriness, noise, etc.
Unsplash+ has a higher quality standard than the open library. We’re unable to provide individual feedback for Quality rejections.
Please avoid resubmitting images that are not accepted for this reason.
Re-Edit
The submission needs specific adjustments before resubmitting. Check the notes beneath your image in the Submission Dashboard for details.
Similar
The image is too similar to another in the set.
Please avoid resubmitting images that are not accepted for this reason.
Other
Please refer to the notes beneath your image in the Submission Dashboard for specific details.