Awsome start! The confidence will build with time, as you find your eye.

For the self portraits without a remote control continues to be an issue, and budget doesn't allow for an upgrade, I have a friend that ''Built'' himself a ''Button presser''.

I could ask him for a tutorial, but basicly its an egg timer which he made an arm for on his tripod mount. There's a wooden ''finger'' which is crazy glued at the 3 minute mark, so it starts. it makes for long posing times ;)

Where there is a will there is a way! The hardest part is getting out there.