Reply To: Do I blow big chunks?

[IHF]

To be honest, without any background given on your part and I just happened upon your port, I would think they were taken by a beginner, not a pro. No, your photography doesn’t blow chunks, but… It’s not quiet up to par either. I think you need more practice to build consistency and reliability in your work before you start going too gung-ho into the business side of things.

I think your biggest problems are with too wide of aperture given your focal distance, AND/or your focus mode/selection. I’m not very familiar with your camera, but I assume you are able to select focus and you have different AF modes to choose from? If so read up up focus in your manual and get a clearer grasp on how it all works. Learn how to chose your AF point/points, and how to lock your focus and recompose if needed. Practice and take lots of test shots of objects around the house, outside, and of family moving, and not. learn how to nail that focus. Play with DOF and how distance and aperture play together and also affect your focus and sharpness. Find your lenses sweet spot. To do this set up on a tripod, and take multiple test shots (do you have an aperture priority mode? If so use it for this test) at each fstop up to f8 or so. Then look at your files on your monitor critically. Every lens has a sweet spot (widest aperture possible without losing sharpness) and it’s never wide open. Nailing focus wide open is possible, (and the results can be incredible) but it takes some effort and a steady, patient hand. Shooting crazy wiggly kids wide open… Well your gonna run into some blur and focus problems for sure. There are other issues that have already been pointed out, but I think backing up and starting with these points will help you get on your way and moving forward.