First post: C&C and some beginner questions!

[Gagan-The-Dragon]

So this is one of my shots. My friend during Halloween at school, dressed up like Kickass.


Kickass by Gagan the Dragon, on Flickr

One of my main questions is how to avoid becoming to mypace/facebooky with your pictures? Obviously I am a beginner, but I do not want my pictures to be bland and uninteresting. What advice do you guys have for a beginner?

Also, critique this photo please? You may go ahead and edit it if it will better help me understand.
Was shot with a Nikon D3100 with 18-55

 

[KmH]

I'd say you have exactly the wrong part selectively colored and the photo would have way more impact and appeal if he had the color and the hood was desaturated.

 

[dxqcanada]

OK, look at your picture ... and I mean really look at it.

What makes it interesting to you?
Now ask yourself if the picture actually shows to the rest of us that.

If your pictures are showing us what you actually wanted us to see ... then thats all you need to do.

 

[Gagan-The-Dragon]

So... Have I started off on the right track? Or have I completely fallen on the track and knocked my head on the railing just as the train is speeding towards me?

 

[Derrel]

So... Have I started off on the right track? Or have I completely fallen on the track and knocked my head on the railing just as the train is speeding towards me?

...and there's a little bit of bleeding coming from the corner of your mouth...

Naw, not really. It's not that bad.

 

[kundalini]

The blown out bits on the yellow is your Achilles' heel on this image. I don't care for the desaturation, but it could be telling a story with the colors, I guess.