What could be improved?

[fsendel]

Hi everyone,
This is the second time I'm posting here after getting a bunch of useful feedback. There is a project called photopedia which seeks to gather photo representation from many different subjects. So, I included these to be voted into the project under the label "arab people" (except the one with the nun, who is not arab...) I thought they were good portraits but they were all voted out so I'd like to know what is your opinion about them. What do you think is wrong with them?

The one with the nun I've always liked and is from the same trip (to Israel, Palestine, and Jordan).

Critique away!

Thanks,