I think your being overly analytical, A photo out of focus or not, some of my photos I 'know' were slightly blurred, or out of focus. Some had shadows on them but not all of them. but none the less my image is in those pictures, and this is not a photography contest. I wasn't asking if I or 'how' I can take better pictures, I said I am fed up with people saying derogatory remarks about how I look. Those comments were NOT about how I took those photo's they were about me. That is personal, and I didn't like it, I was hurt.
Oh that thread, hum well, I do not actually post in there, I refuse to, if I can't also give an honest reply to some thing, and I do appreciate people being honest, and not being lied to. The truth can hurt though, and often lead to consequences. No one here would like to feel responsible for. There of course very vulnerable people who come here.
Women in their 40's CAN look great by the way, some women wear well with age, I look as bad with Make-up on so its never an option for me to wear it to be honest. I am in my early 40's I know also I am not going to be able to re capture my lost youth from my 20's again, but its about looking and feeling good into your old age. When it turns out people make comments like I have seen, then you pretty much know your flogging a dead horse any way. I posted those pictures, because for one - there was a couple I actually liked, but more so, here because I thought people would of understood what I was feeling. Nope guess not.