2 friends

[bizzel]

here is a photo i took of 2 of my friends on new years eve. any tips on how to get a better image or what looks off or not correct in this are greatly welcome.
Thanks
Bob

Camera Canon EOS 50D
Exposure 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture f/4.0
Focal Length 25 mm
ISO Speed 282
Flash On, Fired

The picture looks like a snapshot taken at a party. "New Years?" You said so, but there is nothing here to put them in that context. The crop is awkward, cutting off the back of one of the ladies while leaving space behind the other. Flash looks like what people have come to dislike about in-camera flash.

Back-up, give them some space. Move them away from the wall and place them into context with the location and time. Drop the shutter speed a little more (1/30-1/40) to allow ambient light to illuminate the back-ground a little more.. that will help the context at a party. Invest in a external flash and bounce the flash or use one of the many commercially available diffusers to soften the light and decrease shadows.

Cute friends. Good luck!