Taking a truly stunning portrait is not hard, but there are certain factors to take into account to insure it has what I call the WOW ingredient.

Making alterations to the perspective. Most pictures are taken at about face or eye level with the subject, but by changing the perspective, laying on your back on the floor and shooting up or looking down at the subject, you can make a lot of adjustments to the perspective and make the picture more interesting.

Make adjustments with eye contact. Taking pictures of people looking right at the camera is common and creates a real connection with the subject. But when the person is looking off camera it creates a little bit of intrigue, what are they looking at? What's making them smile? When the person is looking at something in frame, either another person or an object it can create a story and add interest.

Most photographers follow the “rules of composition”. These rules can be a great place to start but don't be a slave to them, for example the “rule of thirds” states that you should mentally break your shot into a grid pattern of thirds and make sure that you balance all the components of your shot into this grid. But sometimes having a person at the edge of your frame, rather then centered, makes your image more interesting.

Play with light. Experiment with sidelighting and shadows, hiding or enhancing some of your subjects features with backlighting or silhouetting can make it more powerful.

Shoot candidly. This works especially well with children, they typically don't mind someone following them around with a camera. Candid shots put people at ease, many people feel self-conscious when they pose and wont react naturally to the camera.

Add in props. It allows a story to be told, and also puts people being photographed at ease.

Frame in your subject or concentrate on just one body part, such as eyes or hands or their mouth. By framing in or obscuring parts of a person it adds interest in what is seen.

Above all though, just have fun with your camera, keep it ready at all times. You never know when you're going to find the perfect picture!