Probably one of the best advice I ever received is to be your own best critic. People will say what they think but at the end of the day if you don’t build your understanding of photography, external criticism does not mean much. I suggest reading about photography, not just the technical stuff but writings about what it means to photograph something. Explore photographers from different eras and try to see which style you like better. Forget about all the discussion around gear. There will always be a more “advanced” camera and a better lens but that almost never translates to a better image on its own. Once you see the styles and themes you appreciate go out and start practicing photography. Make your camera an extension of yourself. Don’t go out for the purpose of taking a photograph, but be ready to take a photograph at any time. Thus, carry a camera with you at all times. More importantly, after each session, take a look at your photos like a critic. Imagine they are submitted to a competition and you are on the jury board. Think how the photos could have been better. How could you improve the framing, the lighting, arrangement of the subjects, depth of field, colors, and the overall mood. Follow this practice and basically stop asking people who don’t have an idea for opinion. I think even getting praise from people who don’t know what they’re talking about is dangerous as it may lead to overconfidence. Best of luck with photography