The rule of thirds is a very general and basic guide to composition. But the rule does more than keep photos interesting, it makes me start to actually think about what I am shooting.  It is one of the first things I read and learned about video and photography. The rule is an easy way to keep photos interesting and used for composing/cropping shots. Basically you want to cut the frame into thirds, vertically and horizontally. On some cameras there is a setting that will show it on your view finder. You should place your subject on the line or at a crosshair of the horizontal and vertical lines. This is a natural place for a viewer to take a first glance.  Sorry, but you will start to notice it everywhere you look, photos, movies, and especially documentaries.  Here is what it would look like to split up the frame in thirds.

As you can see the statue is on the left third line.  Again this is a basic concept and there are more complex ways to compose shots.  But I love that I think about this when taking photos.  It allows me to actually think about the shot I’m taking rather than snapping away and hoping that one of them is decent.  When thinking about the composition I may notice something else I want to include or exclude; it also allows me to clearly define the subject that I want.  The rule of thirds is a wonderful tool for everyone and gets you thinking about your composition.  Here are a couple more examples from the Philadelphia Flower Show.  The last photo may not necessarily by a rule of thirds example, but I tried to get level the flower on the bottom third line rather than the middle of the frame.  Click on any image to view the full photo.