It is important to know that there are two basic categories of people's photography that you can take pictures of.
These are portraits and candids.
Portraits are posed photos taken in a controlled environment while as candids are unplanned pictures taken of people in the act of being themselves.
Portraits show people as they'd like to be seen and candids portray them as they really are.
Both can be produce as mundane or sublime.
To make the step up from mundane isn't hard.
In fact, the average novice can achieve significant improvement through better composition and lighting alone.
You don't need a lot of training to shoot candid photos after you master the features of your digital camera and the rules of composition.
You just go out and take pictures.
Portraits, on the other hand, demand some special skills if you want the images to look like portraits.
The good news is that these capabilities are within the range of the average photographer; you just need someone to fill you in on the tools and techniques that work.
But first, a few ground rules.
Take care of these mere aspects, and you can't go wrong:

1. Make it possible for your subjects to look at their best.
   Propose that they wear suitable clothes and also invite them to have a change of outfits so they can have pictures with different looks.
   Boost them to use a friend or family member to help them prepare.
   Provide access to a good sized mirror so that they can check their appearance.
   A portrait subject who feels confident about his or her appearance will photograph well!
2. Get to know your subject's personality.
   Be cautious about trying to make a somber, serious type individual look cheerful and queer.
   The picture can look constrained and simulated.
   It's easier to get a cheerful type to look serious unless it's an executive portrait (where serious is good), go for the smile.
   Use what you know about the subject to create a portrait that reflects his or her individuality.
   
3. Present well-situated surroundings to help subject remain lax.
   A clean, organized shooting area puts your subjects at comfort, as can some soft mood music.
   If your subject doesn't feel like he or she is standing in front of a firing squad, your photos turn out much better.
   Successful portraiture begins with getting your subjects into the right frame of mind.
   Loose, confident people sit better than nervous, tense ones, so make every effort to start things off right.