People at Parties - Advice and critique needed!

[domreed92]

Hello all, this is my first time posting here.
I'm a 17 years old from the UK, I have been shooting about 4 months - Shooting with a Sony DSLR A230.
I mainly shoot at parties - I was wondering if anyone could give me any tips on how they would shoot at such events?
I have a 70-300mm lens which I use for my candid shots and a wide angle attachment for anything else.
I really want to try and avoid being a "snapshot" photographer really!
Here are some shots I've taken, please anything to help me improve and make me stand out would be much appreciated - I've never had any lessons or education in photography and would really like to make something of it later in life.
Thanks all :-)
Dom

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2717790_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._8114915_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4518277_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5692374_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...5_385555_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4942027_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2433825_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._2514864_n.jpg

[Laurenbiz]

Critique Forum Rules

[MrJones]

Originally Posted by Laurenbiz

Critique Forum Rules

+1

I won't comment on the photos but on what you wrote.
you say you want to avoid being a snapshot photographer but you're photographing at parties which is the exact place for "paparazi / snapshot" photography.
at parties you don't have the time to pose your "models" and adjust the lightning most of the time, you just have to catch the feeling and the general atmosphere on the event.
as for equipment, to photograph at parties, which usually have bad lightning to take photos, you'll need very good equipment (wide aperture lenses for one) to capture the background and not get a black one.

hope I've helped. please choose one photo you want to get critiqued and post EXIF data.

[Weird Girl]

I actually love these... I think you did an awesome job at finding any available light sources to capture some pretty cool shots! Also, it's not all the time that someone sober and artistic enough would be at this party with a decent camera to get these kind of subjects. I'm younger myself but somewhat out of the party every weekend phase but your pictures make me want to go to this party and meet some new people. Maybe you could do some slight post processing and brighten them up but good job