Can I get some constructive feedback please?

[PeteSW64]

Hi

I'm new to this so I would appreciate some constructive feedback please. These photos have been rejected on technical issues. Can anyone point me in the right direction to improve them? I did tweek them in Lightshop. 

Many thanks in advance.

Pete

[Ralph Lear · Accepted solution]

The first photo has artifacts in the background.

The second photo the focus is off. Probably because of the large aperture. The collar is in focus but the eyes are not.

[Abambo]

560: Exposes artefacts because of aggressive sharpening and

719: is simply out of focus. If you sharpen, you will get the same artefacts as 560.

In portrait shots, you need to put the focus on the eye. When I take pictures, the first thing I do is to sort out the pictures where the eye is not sharp. That often happens, especially with moving objects like dogs. I even have that with classic portraits where the subject is not moving erratically.

If the focus is wrong, you can't do much. Even not in Lightroom.

[PeteSW64]

Thank you both. Much appreciated.