Widescreen

To me, nothing beats a candid, posed photo. This is a perfect example. The father and child are certainly meant to be in the position they are found physically (posed) yet the quizzical look on the child's face and his posture are perfectly unposed (candid). The combination of how the figures are posed and the look on the child's face combine to make this a fantastic portrait. The keys to this picture are taking into account the posing techniques highlighted below and taking not only fully posed pictures but also clicking the shutter when your subjects least expect it (as it appears happened here).

As for posing, the figures here are lit on the side by the sunlight. Lighting figures from the side is one of the best ways to use natural lighting to provide the shading which gives a picture a sense of three dimensionality. It also avoids the spectral effects, such as lens flare or silhouetting that backlighting can produce.

Second, the figures are seen from a low point of view. Getting the lens below the subject and pointing it upwards creates a sense of monumentality or largess. In other words the figures appear larger and more prominent in the scene than they do from a straight-on point of view. As visible here, this choice helps the child stand out in the scene, as opposed to becoming lost in the setting if viewed from higher up. Think of how much larger your dog looks when you get on the floor and look up at him or her, the same concept applies here.

Third, this picture is not of the standard size. Our minds have become accustomed to seeing pictures in what are today's typical sizes: 3x5, 4x6, etc. By using a ratio at or near 2:1 (the width is twice the size of the height) this photograph already has an allure to it. Notwithstanding what it actually shows the picture is already visually interesting because of its unique size. Cropping a photograph to a different size is a great way to add instant visual appeal.

So, like the unknown photographer did here, be sure to think about how the light is striking your figures, mentally picture different available points of view, think about options other than standard sizes for the finished photo, and click the shutter when your subjects don't expect it - you might get a gem like this one!