Feel like I've hit a brick wall in my photography, need advice & C&C

[SJ_PhotoG]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I tend to keep them in the shade when using flash you're correct on that. I will give using flash on the umbrella as fill a try on my next shoot. That's actually really good advice as the sun gives excellent rim lighting. I gave using the sun as a hair light and kicker in one of my newer photographs a try and I liked the look a lot (it's the one where shes up against the tree).

 

[Derrel]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I tend to keep them in the shade when using flash you're correct on that. I will give using flash on the umbrella as fill a try on my next shoot. That's actually really good advice as the sun gives excellent rim lighting. I gave using the sun as a hair light and kicker in one of my newer photographs a try and I liked the look a lot (it's the one where shes up against the tree).

Robin_Usagani has honed his abilities on shooting that way over the past couple of years, and has really,really "upped his game". A LOT of wedding and portraiture professionals are shooting that way these days; using the sunlight as a backlight/sidelight/rim light source, and then using just ONE flash unit as a fill-in light source. It produces a nice, beautiful rim light on people, and then you have the relatively easy-to-work with light from a flash for your main light source. It's a very "current" look, and people like it.

 

[nycphotography]

Well, before I can make any suggestions, I have to ask what you are trying to accomplish? portraiture? creative looks?

Who will want your pictures, and for what purpose? Are you looking for 16x20 prints for the wall, or 1000x1500 files for facebook? for your facebook as a photographer, or for their facebook as models, or for their facebook just as pictures of them? See where I'm going?

Post 3-5 pictures that inspire you, that represent the kind of photography you want to be able to do.

Then we'll be able to give some suggestions