Nice portrait of your lovely wife,Paul.It looks as if you may have done some work on her face.This (IMHO)is fine,but I would consider treating the chest area similarly in order to reduce the contrast betweenthe two .Also,if you are considering buying yourself a backdrop why not look at some of the fabric stalls at your nearest market.I`ve done it on a number of occasions and the results have been fine .I just clip it to the top of my curtains using three or four bulldog clips .Hope this helps.
Mike .

A fine first attempt Gordon . I can`t add much to what the guys have already mentioned . You might try just hanging a plain bedsheet up as a backdrop,but be sure that you remove any creases it may have . I myself sometimes buy fairly inexpensive lengths of fabric from the local market and use those . You can get an amazing range of colours this way .Also don`t forget that there are a good number of fine portrait people on this site .In particular check out JaneyO IMHO Ithink that her work is outstanding .Don`t be put off however,as there are many of us who have some way yet to go to be as good as she is .I look forward to more of your family portraits .
Mike .

I`m no expert on landscapes/views , but I think that this shot could be improved with a few small adjustments . 1) Crop the right hand side , so as to remove the power generator(I think it is). 2) Crop the bottom edge to remove the bench . 3) Level the horizon .This is just my opinion Maggie , but try it and see what you think .
Mike .