Need help taking it to the next level

I have only done about 3 portrait shoots, but I am only moderately satisfied with my results. One major problem is that I have absolutely no lighting equipment right now, so I'm having to work with natural lighting, sometimes using a bit of on camera flash for fill. Also, some of these were taken during the peak unideal time, when the sun is not helping anything.

I'm wondering what I can do until I get some lighting equipment to help me get a bit more "pop" out of my pictures.

1.

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I'm no pro but I notice that focus points are kinda off and exposure needs to be improved. I like the composition though.

cool compositions. cute model. I am no portrait photog, I'm a sports one, but it's obvious that all but #2 are underexposed.

Correcting exposure is the first thing that will bring them more "pop".

"Pop" in a photograph (at least IMHO) means a number of things.

1. Lighting that does not pop. Flat lighting, poor lighting and non-directional lighting are the antithesis to images that pop.

2. Uninteresting or contorted poses that look either too contrived or boring.

3. Improper exposure. A too weak fill light will render too dark shadows. Overexposure results in blown highlights.

4. Poor white balance.

5. Improper focus and/or failure to sharpen the image post capture.

6. Ugly, improper or too sharp of a background.

Getting all of this down pat and getting good images consistantly usually takes years for most of us.

Benji