It's not that bad unless you tell me you have 10-20 years of experience, lol.
I'll start with the finished image, the first one you showed (as it should be, I think):
The tone of the Ostrich background is ok. It seems a bit dark to me but that is a matter of choice. The watch face is very nice...
Only up to a point. You can read all the books you want but if you don't have a creative bone in your body, you're not going to find one in any how-to book.
You have a better chance of finding one in a coffee-table book...
Yep, I'm coming back and just want to travel around the country for a while. All I really need is a couch or a exercise mat on the floor (too old for a bare concrete floor.) I've got my own toothbrush and underwear.
And I'll bring either candles or booze, lol.
I have a library of over 30,000 titles (yes I'm a big, big reader.) I have no idea how many are photo related but I would say less than 500. Coffee-table books. Works by other photogs...
I do know however that only one is a How-To book like you show in your photo. Can't give you the exact...