Christmas Photos - Would You Pay For These? C/C!!

[gsgary]

Thanks for the feedback.

This isn't a paid shoot and these were, in a sense, on-the-go snapshots hense the backgrounds. I guess what i'm finding myself continually striving for are shots that make people, when they seem them for the first time, say 'wow, that is a really, really nice photo'.

Since May I have definitely improved my skill, though I still feel like i'm a ways off from taking truly taking the next step where i'm comfortable in my abilities to consistently deliver high quality, profound exposures.

Does anyone have any specific advise on what to do better next time? Over-exposure is a common theme i'm hearing, and I believe a lot of my improvement needs to be focused on lighting to get a better grasp of the complexities of lighting.

What else? I won't have the opportunity to attend a photography school, but do have a keen interest in reading up on the practice of photography. Any suggestions?

Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

You need to look for nice light coming through windows on a cloudy day
here's a shot i took Christmas day of my sister in law, i noticed some nice light coming through the kitchen window so i used this as a hair light and main light came from a conservatory with a roof covered in snow (nice big softbox) it's not fantastic but gives you an idea of what to look for

 

[vtf]

Here's some links that might help.
Adorama TV from Adorama Learning Center
Using TriGrip Reflectors & Diffusers Lastolite School of Photography
The Senior Portrait Expert | The Senior Portrait Expert
I found them to be helpful in different styles of portrait work. Might help you.

 

[mwcfarms]

Be aware of your background as you move into portraits. Once you start making a conscious thought about your composition, lighting you will start to notice things that before you would miss. Trucks or vehicles in the far distance, power lines, trees or objects coming out of your subjects head etc. Good luck and keep at it.