Have you read the requirements for SS? I mean really read them all? I ask because the actual photograph is only part of the equation and you are missing the rest completely.
Allan
Yes, I've read them a few times.
Clean Backgrounds: It's action sports. It is what it is. Besides, mine are not that bad. I'd go as far as to say most of them are good.
it is what it is? What does that mean? So just because you're shooting sports and not a model you wouldn't move if the background sucks where you're shooting from? If you want to shoot from a particular spot and you look through the lens and see random crap in the background use your feet and move.
As far as your photos go you're right your backgrounds aren't that bad but some of them aren't good either.
Cropping Effectively: I think I've cropped these effectively.
Same with the backgrounds some are good some are bad. You missed the composition on some of these by cutting of body parts or not cropping out clutter in the backgrounds.
Focus, Focus, Focus: Yup.
High Image Quality: I'm not the best critique of my own stuff, but I think I do ok.
Focus and image quality is good over all. Some of the WB if a few looks a little cool but thats more of a personal preference.
Excellent Image Selection and Editing: See above. I think I do Ok.
This area needs work. For a portfolio you want the best of the best you have period. You have some good ATV shots but they are all similar. Pick your favorite. For SS you need to get your portfolio down to 10.
Who Are You: This isn't my submission, this is where I ask my peers if my PICTURES are up to snuff. I've got a resume and several "personal profiles" already, and will make one specific for SS if I decide to try out.
You're a good photographer. Im not going to say you're not. You obviously know how to get good exposure, focus, etc. This isn't what they are asking here. They want to know about you. This is the who, what, where, when, and why about you as a photographer. From the SS website "Maybe it's what kinds of assignments you like to shoot, or how long you've been in the biz, or what you're looking to get out of your SportsShooter.com membership."
Can You Write: I think so. I've been published in:
--
ATVs / Offroading Guide at About.com (The New York Times Company)
-- Big Musig Geek
-- MX Affiliate Magazine
-- ATV Magazine
-- ATV Source Magazine
-- Local Newspapers
-- Local Lifestyles Magazine
-- VerticalScope
-- Next2Eden
--
Suite101 Media Motorcycles Feature Writer
-- Sportster blog
-- Creative Weblogging
-- 451Press LLC
-- BlogCritics
-- San Diego Offroading Examiner
-- Press Release Committee American Sand Association
^^^ Most of those were/are on-going gigs. I'm still doing writing/photography for About.com, newspapers, lifestyles magazine and some others.
Congrats on being published in those media outlets. Im sure you know this but writing an article is different from writing a caption. For a caption you need to tell everything about the photo (who, what, where, when) in about 2 sentences. If you you cant effectively do this then you are missing a critical part of photography. This is why they want to see captions with all your photos.
Are You a "One-Hit-Wonder": Um, no.
I dont think you're a one hit wonder. You have a wide variety of different photos from different events which is what they are looking for.
Here are some image specific things I see about the photos you had in the gallery.
1: lots of random people/ junk in background, I could get over the cluttered background but the big orange cone in foreground kills it.
2: Cool shot but could have been composed a little better cant really tell whats going on.
3: Im assuming this is a shot of a race winner? Either way you cut off his feet. crop this in or take it out
4: crop out the truck bumper in the background
5-7: good shots but pick one
8: boring. its a guy sitting on a surfboard letting a wave go by
9: good shot
10: boring. I would take this one out.
11-13: good shots but again pick one
14: missed the composition on this shot and cut off the feet. I wouldn't put this one in
15: cool shot but refer to what I said about 5-7
16: cool shot
17: you have better ATV shots take this one out.
Right now as this gallery sits I would say you wouldn't get accepted. I see about 5 photos that are good as they sit right now. I think if you fine tune the photos you have it would be better. Also, if these aren't the photos you were planning to use why would you ask if you would get in using these? Put together a gallery of photos you would actually use and then ask again.
