How to take great photographs?
I have a nikon d3100 i love using the manual setting like i understand aperture iso and shutter speed but whenever it take a photo the color isn't always right and it never comes out amazing how do i get better photos
Added (1). The color isn't the true color that i'm seeing in the pictures sometimes when i use the manual settings the color comes out blue and washed out compared to the auto settings
"The color isn't right" is ridiculously vague. Try being a little more specific.
Sounds like a white balance issue. IF you shoot in raw, you can adjust the WB in post.
Photography is not all about using manual settings. If your pictures are blue and washed out on manual but not on auto, it simply means that you still need some work on understanding both exposure and white balance. Good lighting also plays a very important role in getting "amazing" results whether you're shooting on Manual, semi-auto, program, auto or a scene mode.
For instance, in your Flickr portraits of the two girls, you are shooting into the sun with no additional lighting or modifiers. Doing that causes glare and robs your photo of detail and contrast. Try using the sun as a side light instead. Also the bg is intrusive. Big bright areas and things draw our attention away from the subject.
It takes time to become proficient at any hobby. As a young beginner you have lots of time to learn the basics and work on improving your skill. There are lots of ways to learn more. Taking a class or joining a local group are both good methods to learn and get meaningful feedback. Lots of books in the library, and also many good on-line sites for both beginners and more advanced photographers. Continue to learn and practice and have fun. Happy shooting!
I suggest you get and use this book:
A few things:
Shoot what you love
Shoot things that are difficult for you to get you out of your comfort zone
Learn new techniques and use them
Have an idea of what exactly you want before going out and photographing things
I usually use Auto White Balance, unless there's a specific effect I'm going for. But auto won't always get you what you need. If you shoot RAW and have Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop it is fairly easy to correct. If it's washed out your exposure may be too high.
Keep tweaking and going. It's hard to see if you're making progress, but if you keep going and learning you will get there.