Help: Rule of thirds - overkill

[poker]

Judging by these three examples, you know the rule pretty well. But that's good - as a jazz drummer told me, you need to learn the rules before you can break them. Shooting events is stressful enough without trying to force a new a new technique on yourself. If you were hired to do this, then someone likes what you shoot.

Yeah...maybe too well

I'm shooting the event for free but it's a pretty good event in which the photos should add plenty to my port. It's at a museum honoring a jazz artist.

But - I think I'd shoot what you were expected (so to speak) to shoot, and then after I was sure I had everything I needed I'd try some different things. Different angles. Stand on a chair. Lay on the ground (easy for me to say). Get up close with a really wide lens. Angle the camera. Etc.

I'll keep that in mind. I hope I won't fall of the chair during a speech

I've been concerned with my use of close wide angle as well. It has a nice effect but I think I'm not using at the right time. There are times it's worth distorting the subject and times I tell myself, "I distorted the subject!"