Say Cheese!

LOL  She's going to be a heart breaker!

Nice!  One question though, did you mean to leave off the dodge on the bottom right?

I hope you don't mind me critiquing those images.

Your main light is in both images too low. Just look at the catchlights in the eyes. Moreover, why did you use broad lighting? In my opinion short lighting would have suited her much better.
She is just too close to the background or you have stopped down the lens too much in the first image; it should have been out of focus and it is not. I don't think the colour of the backgroundsuits het clothing, but that is a matter of taste.
The light on the background in the second picture is missing; it should separate her from the background.
All in all, nice images of a nice girl, but she could have been photographed technically better.

It would have about the same effect. You can also apply both. Most important is there is a separation between the sitter and the background. It is pretty important the subject comes loose, this way suggesting some more space than there really is.

Leen

newrmdmike, I think maybe you misunderstood me.  It was the little girl who wanted everything her way, not the Mother being bossy.  I didn't specify that very well.  The Mom did mention that she gets cheesy if you are too obvious about when you are going to take each shot, but I didn't mind that information at all.  I figure most people want the best they can get out of their portraits the same as I want to give it to them, and I don't mind working with them and their ideas to get it.

Leen, of course I don't mind your critique.  I appreciate all the feedback I can get and I am very grateful for your willingness to share your experience and insight.

For the record; I know the background isn't quite out of focus on the one image.  I am working in a fairly confined space, so I don't have the ability to use a longer lens and back up, and I can't get her further from the background and still get the full length shot.  Also, I have a variable aperture lens, so even though it could go to f2.8 at its widest, f/4.0 is what I shoot at so I don't have to readjust with different focal lengths (and I am constantly changing throughout a children's session to get what I want from it).  As for the lighting, it was very much the same way, I don't have the room to be moving my main light back and forth as she changed positions.  But even if I could, I probably wouldn't have.  I truly do try to create an atmosphere where the kids are acting quite naturally, with only some guidance from me on how to stand/sit/pose.  I try to give them things to do and look at that will place them where I want them without telling them to hold still.  This makes it somewhat difficult to perfect the lighting and poses sometimes, but I think it's worth it because I get some very natural looks and expressions from the kids.  Also, I feel like I keep them interested for longer than most photographers are able because they are not in an environment that they fell pressured to perform.  They are truly talking and laughing and playing with me as I take pictures, so they remain interested for quite a while.  This in turn allows me a lot more opportunities to get those priceless expressions.  Although I don't necessarily disagree that the short lighting may have been better, I would never sacrifice the rest of the shoot in order to move lights.  Not with small children anyway.  Besides, I haven't had very many Mom's approach me for pictures and ask me for a specific lighting pattern.

And for the record, I really like the blue background.  This is something I seem to have a different taste for than most, though.  There have been several pictures I have posted that have had comments about not liking my background choices, and I am usually the only one that likes one, while everyone else seems to not like it.  It's actually something I need to be aware of for my clients, their taste is probably more 'normal', like all of yours.  I just seem to have a slightly odd opinion of colors, I guess.  I personally think the red one is too dramatic for a sweet little girl, even though it might fit with the flowers in the dress.  Like I say, I'm weird.  I view images more from an emotional point of view than a 'clash' or 'match' point of view; although I do agree you can't get too out there or things will look very strange.

Travis

Ok, Travis, please forgive me for playing with your picture I couldn't help it.  You don't have to like it, I just wanted to try changing the background and boosting the saturation a little.