12 Weeks to Better Photos Week 5: Composition

I have some catchup to play with the 12 Weeks to Better Photos course. I am about 4 weeks behind. Bad blogger!
All 12 lessons can be viewed here . This tutorial was originally offered through the 2 Peas in a Bucket scrapbooking/photography website. Show them some love here.

Week Five is Composition.
Probably my favourite thing about photography is composition. I love how a different perspective or angle can really bring life to a photo.
Here are the guidelines for this week's challenge:

• 1. Keep it simple - eliminate distractions
• 2. Apply the rule of thirds
• 3. Keep an eye on the horizon
• 4. Frame your subject
• 5. Fill the frame
• 6. Try a new perspective

Here is mr. Duck. For this photo I attempted to place him in a rule of thirds position (#2), with his eyes falling on a cross section in the top left corner. This (hopefully) adds more depth then if he was simply dead centre in the frame. Also, by shooting him against a neutral background and achieving bokeh, it eliminates distractions (#1)

Exposure Time:	1/800
Aperture:	f/5.6
ISO:	800
Focal Length:	105mm (157mm in 35mm)

and say hello to his friends, the goslings (not to be confused by the uber dysfunctional Gosselins). I think this photo again utilizes rule of thirds (they are all on the bottom 3rd of the picture, with emphasis on the left side of the frame), but because I was able to get way down low at their height (thanks to a rather steep hill) it added a new perspective (#6),  a very different way of usually seeing some baby geese from way above looking down on them.

Exposure Time:	1/800
Aperture:	f/5.3
ISO:	800
Focal Length:	62mm (93mm in 35mm)

I think this photo nicely meets "fill the frame" (#5). Much more interesting and engaging then if I stood several feet away and attempted to get their whole bodies in the shot:

Exposure Time:	1/1250
Aperture:	f/5.6
ISO:	800
Focal Length:	105mm (157mm in 35mm)

What are your favourite rules of composition? What drives you when composing a shot?