Building a phtoto portfolio

[jsanders]

Ok. Here is my story.
I became insterested in photography about 5 yearse or so. Started of with a High end digital camera (Canon G7).
I now have almost 3 years the nikon D80 whith a couple of zoomlenses and a 50 mm prime 1.8. Bought a Speedlight SB-600.
Then I bought a home studio with 2 softboxes and so on. I also have been reading a lot of stuff about photography.
About techniques, basics, compositions and so on. I also read a few blogs on photography topics every day.
The only thing I didn't do so much is actually taking photo's. I don't have an online portfolio YET.
Yes I took a lot of my children but mostly taken @home.
So I decided that I needed to take more pictures. So I decided that I had to take my camera to work and in the lunch break
I would go out to take some pictures.
So I went out a few times during lunch break. And took a couple of nice pictures which you can actually see here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40743898@N06/ But it's nothing like wow. I just can't find a good photo opportunity. I look at things and then
say to myself: "what's special about it".
I also thought to joing a photography contest but never did because I think I am not good enough / original enough for it.
So I want to build my portfolio but I don't know how and I don't know where to start.

So I would be interessted in som help and new idea's.


Thanks

[Saralonde]

You can read as much as you want about photography and learn quite a bit, but you will never improve without shooting. A lot. Your initial shots will never look good to you, but you need to keep at it to develop your eye. Look at images you admire and dissect them. What is it that makes them stand out? Try different angles, get in close, make sure there are no distractions from your subject.

For example, your "Amsterdam Behind Central Station" shot. What is the subject, the boat or that huge thing in front? The pic of the baby has a lot of clutter in the back. Cropping it out or getting closer to the face would make it a better shot.

[Gaurav Prabhu]

Just start the online portfolio.
Get hosting from a good host. I recommend whost.in | whost.in - Fast, Reliable, Affordable, cheap Indian Web Hosting and Domain Registration
Install Wordpress on it via cpanel. Hunt for a photography wordpress template in google, select one, install it under wordpress & start posting your work. No problem if it doesn't appear good to you. You will only improve once people notice it.
Good Luck.