Do I have what it takes? First time post here

Hey guys, I have been shooting photos for about 15 years of whatever happened to catch my attention, but I have recently begun taking a lot more portraits than usual. I have found that I really enjoy it, and I feel like the results have been favorable. As of now, these are just photos for friends and family members, but I am wondering from the community at large here if I have the talent to step up to the next level and begin charging legitimate asking prices for my work?

Please C&C, and I still have the originals if anyone would want to teach me some stuff on how to post-process better (that is certainly where I struggle the most, IMO)

Anyway, here are a few, let me know what you guys think.

Edit:
Here is a link to my blog where some other photos are (this blog is just personal, I will re-do it before trying to attract clients with it).
https://turnmybassup.w​ordpress.com/schwitzel​/

Here is another wedding example, as well as an engagement shoot I just did.

Your pictures look good. But i think you need to clarify, do you have what it takes to do what? Succeed financially? Get critical acclaim?

If financial success is your question. How is your business acumen?

haha, whoops I forgot to specify. Succeed financially with a camera is that I am meaning. I have a good business sense and understand and work well with people and networking, so I think that part of it won't be too difficult. It's knowing that I have the technical ability and eye for great photos that is really keeping me from pursuing this with more effort. I was hoping to get some feedback from people that really do this for a living as to whether I could hack it or not.

It is your ability to sell the product you produce at the volume and prices to be sustainable that matters. Photographic skill often has little to do with that.

If you're asking if your photos are good enough to charge for...I think so.

As others suggested, financial success from photography isn't just about photo quality though.

turnmybassup wrote in post #17624378
I have a good business sense and understand and work well with people and networking, so I think that part of it won't be too difficult.

If these are a walk in the park for you...then I'd say you're ahead of the curve of many...

memoriesoftomorrow wrote in post #17624401
It is your ability to sell the product you produce at the volume and prices to be sustainable that matters. Photographic skill often has little to do with that.

^^^ Spot on

At the risk of repeating what has already been said, I think it's important to separate the business aspect somewhat from the photographic aspect.

The photographic side is part of the product. It must be of a certain standard "photographically", or you're not going to be sustainable.

But that's only part of the product - YOU are essentially the other part. How are you with clients on the day, guests, how do you manage the formal shots, are you on time, etc. etc. Sorry if a lot of that seems obvious, but I think it gets lost in the mix sometimes - how much your manner and ability to be calm, confident, and courteous, and keep things on track in tricky situations also contribute.

So I guess the "product" is you and how you deal with clients, how you are on the day, and the quality of the shots, as well as how you deliver the final product (I've seen a photographer who has been in the business for 20 years still delivering a disc with the clients' names written on it in marker pen ...? )

The other side is the non-client facing side. Marketing, sales, accounts, strategy, relationship building, all the things that you need to build a sustainable business, that translate across almost any business.

Again, apologies if I'm stating the obvious - but if you sell widgets, it doesn't matter if they are the best widgets in the world if no one knows about them, or you're a d%ck and no one wants to buy them from you anyway. And on the flip side you can be the nicest guy in the world, with amazing marketing and networking skills, but if your widgets are no good then they will ultimately fail.

Also, it depends on whether you're trying to survive on your photography income, or have you achieved what you set out to by shooting 5 weddings a year? What's your goal? Start with the goal and the timeline you have to achieve it, and then you can start to put the other pieces into the puzzle.

My 2c Sorry for going on so long.

Thank you for the replies. I appreciate the comments and suggestions, I'm trying to learn as much as I can before I dive off too deep. I see that I have been putting too much emphasis on the wrong part of this now! I don't believe that relationships and that aspect will be a "walk in the park" for me as it could have sounded, I hope that I did not sound arrogant, I certainly did not mean to.

The last post here by Jon highlights some great thoughts, that yes "sound" obvious but at the same time are really easy for a new guy like me to overlook.

Thanks for the encouragement of the photos, as well. Now, to learn how to run a business . . . Any and all pointers well received