noob pic of pooch C&C

[newatdslr]

Hi all, I am just starting out just want to get some ideas on how this looks

 

[tirediron]

It's a good start, it looks like a dog! The exposure is good, and you're at his (her?) eye level, BUT you've got the nose in focus, and the eyes are soft. This shot is actually a little more challenging than it looks because the closer you get to the subject, the less depth of field (the amount of an image that is in focus) at a given aperture. What you need to do is move back a little farther, and focus so that his whole face is in sharp focus. Also watch your backgrounds. This one isn't bad, but it is a bit distracting.