How to make ANY photo look better, regardless of your camera or its setting!

Since there are SO MANY areas of photography to discuss, I wanted to follow up with an article on how to get better pictures, REGARDLESS of which camera you have.
When most people go to take photos, where do they typically place the main subject?
If you are like how I used to be, it was smack-dab in the middle of the frame. After all, the middle of the picture is where the main subject is SUPPOSED to be, right?
Well, that is right...sometimes.
In this post, I'm going to help teach you about something that photographers use in composing great images: the "rule of thirds." Basically, the "rule of thirds" helps you place your picture's subject in the most aesthetically pleasing way.
Here's a grid that will help me illustrate this point:

(Photo of grid sheet from Digital Photography School, www.digital-photography-school.com)
In order to avoid getting too wonky, I will help break this down into how I learned this: try breaking from the "center" mold, and try placing your subject in one of these nine planes. For example, if you are taking a photo of your child, try having their eyes be in the top of your frame. This will create more of an interesting visual element, and may help those who look at the photo really focus on the child, as opposed to what's surrounding them.

Another way to create more interesting photos is to incorporate lines into your photos while thinking about the "rule of thirds." This allows the viewer's eye to follow the lines to the subject and helps to anchor the subject into the picture. Lines can also create an effect that causes those who look at the photo to wonder what's beyond the frame:

So, the next time you go to take a photo of your child (or any subject, for that matter!), try to think outside of the box of putting your subject in the center and try to think of the little "rule of thirds" boxes. Of course, as any photographer, rules are made to be broken; however, in the meantime, it will be fun to challenge yourself a bit and try something different!
If you are interested in learning more about the "rule of thirds," please feel free to e-mail me at reflectionsbyrosie@hotmail.com, or check out this article:
http://www.digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds