help needed to take portrait photos..!!

[rajuguide88]

hi there, i'm actually new to all this photography & learning day by day. I'm about to receive my 1st DSLR soon (though i'v used them before). but the main thing is that there's a photography contest in a college near by & i really wish to participate & under their themes section they have mentioned the following:

"We are looking for any portrait which captures, creates or stimulates an emotional outpouring i.e. photographs of people showing an artistic vision into either the subject's or the photographer's life and personality. Yes you got it right! We are looking for photographs that go by the theme 'Emotive Portraits."

now this is something which makes me confused. I really wonder if i'd be able to have some nice portraits with my upcoming dslr Canon EOS 500D with a 18-55mm kit lens.

so i'm looking forward to have some guidance from you guys how to have portraits & how to conduct the same..!!

any kind of comments are welcome.!! TFL