take better pictures

I got a digital camera!!! Now I will take better pictures because I can keep erasing them and starting over until I get it just the way I want it. Is that cheating?!

here is an example of a great picture that i posed and shot:

here is an example of a great picture that was taken of me by someone else:

as you can see, my boyfriend has no problems with his photogenicity (is that a word?)

this goal could be taken two ways. but id like to achieve them both. id like to take better pictures of other people and things to where the technical elements work better with my subjects. and id also like to be a better subject to take better pictures of so i dont look at the final product and go oh gosh i look bad or man i coulda/woulda/shoulda blah blah blah.