Will these Nikon lens work for portraits?

I have a Nikon D3000, with 2 lenses. I can't seem to get crisp clear photos with either one, or different settings. I'm wanting to start this professionaly in the next year and have been practicing on my kids/seniors/etc… I'm just not happy with the quality… Please help.

here are the lenses I have!

AF-S nikkor 55-200mm 1:4-5.6g ED

AF-S nikkor 18-55mm 1:3-5.6 G

both have VR… Do I need different lense or am I just not using my camera properly?

Added (1). 'BETTY'--- can you take a look at some of my pictures in my previous questions…
I'm studying the art of photography. Its a learning process. But, I'm asking this question about my lenses.

"I'm wanting to start this professionally in the next year", i wish i had a dollar for every-time someone thinks that,

for portraiture your best to get a portrait lens, say a 50mm f1.4 or a 85mm F1.8 or there abouts, for maximum sharpness and nice skintones,

- seriously you should be asking about lighting… And perhap sharpening, a good operator using lights would make great portraits with the 55-200

its all about light…

The problem you will have is that neither lens have a sweet spot that is useful for portraits.

If you use the 18-55mm at 50mm you will be stuck with at f5.6, so not ideal for brokeh and soft because you are using the maximum aperture.

If you use the 55-200mm at 50mm you'll get a slightly better f4, but still be using the lens wide open and therefore it will be soft.

You will get the same advice over and over, no matter how may times you ask. Get a 50mm f1.4 or f1.8 and start with that lens. Once you have a wide aperture lens you can stop down to f2.8 or so, this will be a sweet spot where it will be sharp AND you'll get brokeh AND you'll need less ambient light.

Please just buy a 50mm!

As I said in the question you posed in the cameras section, I own a 18-55VR and find there's nothing wrong with it. Of course it has it's limitations but within those limitations it's very capable.

The lenses you mentioned sound like perfectly adequate lenses, so my guess is you are not using your camera properly.

Try manually focusing (instead of autofocusing) using your eyes instead of the autofocus confirmation, and see if there's any difference.

un-clear photos usually happen because the photographer is not holding the camera still (and/or are using too slow of a shutter speed). Hold the camera steady as you press the shutter.

Also, starting professionally after only one year is a little ambitious - slow down. Photography should be about enjoyment, too, not just money.