Self taught and looking for some critical feedback

Hey Chris! Thanks for sharing. On another note, I like that you're shooting with the Sonya6000 and kit lens...to all the naysayers', "never underestimate a kit lens..." Nor someone who can wield it. Lol. Aside, as far as the images are concerned, I'll just list the pros and cons, how's that sound?

Also, I want to forewarn you about putting your work out for public critique; just remember this: Keep following your inspiration and don't let the "trolls" (as I like to call them) break you. If you're happy with your work, then so be it...nothing else matters...I actually was reminded of this recently, when an article commentary went awry and one of my foes actually made that one, aforementioned, valid point.

Nevertheless:

Pros:

- not bad compositions (namely the 1st/ top image). Do you have LR (Lightroom) or something else for post-production? If so, maybe try making a virtual copy and try desaturating the blue sky (should be "cyan"). Perhaps you could try rotating the image horizontally...this way, the viewer has the river to welcome the eye into and down it's path, rather than the graffiti wall (just my pref.)...

FACT: art (photographs) typically are viewed from the bottom left, or left to right (like a book), so give the viewer a nice path to follow to your subject, etc.

- both images are a touch underexposed, but that's nothing a few adjustments couldn't fix to bring out the shadow and highlight details...I mean, I recommend underexposed -vs- overexposed imagery anyway, because we can go back into our post-production software and bring up the shadows and highlights detail...you simply can NOT do this if we expose to the right...perhaps try using a grey card to meter your compositions first, or go in later with a white bal dropper tool to correct (we want neutral greys, 18% or so), but i'll try to keep this short...too late :p

-I definitely like the stream?lake?water in your image...nice reflective surface and water always lends a calming effect (personally)...maybe try to accentuate that, but also don't forget my first point too.

Cons:

- Again, try adjusting your white balance a bit, and maybe brining your blue sky down a bit...

- both images aren't too sharp, but they aren't that bad (I like the clarity in both images...)

- no clearly defined subject in your 2nd image/ sky is a bit saturated and overall image is underexposed, BUT I understand that you were trying to capture the moment near dusks transition(?)

- the 2nd image: get in closer... perhaps if our distance to the subject (i.e. perhaps if we were closer to the dock/ piers (?)

- too much negative space, respectively. What's negative space, briefly? Well, simply your use of sky (namely in your 2nd image) and the use of your overall foreground, mid, & background...these layers of your image don't really balance the open sky/ your subject or what you were trying to accomplish. So, try next time (unless you have more exposures to work with) to make the corrections using your feet (i.e. *distance to subject), among other tips.

...there's quite a bit of information online. I like YouTube University, lol, as I call it. Try checking out Phlearn.com or Scot Kelby, and the plethora of other wonderful photogs' (photographers) online, whom spend their days trying to teach us amateurs, lol.

Regardless, not bad, but I think a basic understanding of some compositional elements (i.e. leading lines, s-curves, symmetrical balance, Asymmetrical balance, verticles, rule of thirds, etc.), along with a basic understanding of the physics of your camera (i.e. equivalent exposures, etc) will go a long way if you look into these principles early on, rather than later.

Again, well done and thank you so much for sharing. Feel free to check out some of my work...shame on me for not posting more... LOL, mind you, it's not my best, but it's not bad either...there's always room for us to improve.

Cheers,
Andrew F.

P.S. TAKE LOTS OF EXPOSURES!!!

For the first photo, I'm not sure what you're trying to say. There's no need to answer. Once you can put it into words, you can go about saying it better in the photo.

In the second photo, the foreground (parking lot?) isn't nearly as effective as had you shot from the edge of the water, at the end of the dock, preferably low, near the water's surface.

Just my opinion. :-)