The End Of The Battle

[drama]

Have been planning on doing some chess shots for a while, this is my first attempt
Two views of the same scene

The Defeat



The Victory



C&C welcome

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

your composition & lighting need serious work.

and please clean your 'product' before shoot, and also clean up the backdrop.

[wildstallion]

This would look better on a chessbaord, at the moment, its not good.

[Singer high]

Yup, chess pieces belong on a chess board. Arrange them such that one king is in a checkmate position.

Can also try taking in B&W.

[drama]

I delibrately left the coins & backdrop dirty, to signify that war is not clean or clinical
War is dirty, there is no clean victory or defeat

Also didnt want the chess board background, as I felt it would dilute the message
War is no game

Why I didnt use B&W was because the dirt would not show up as well

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

Originally Posted by drama I delibrately left the coins & backdrop dirty, to signify that war is not clean or clinical War is dirty, there is no clean victory or defeat Also didnt want the chess board background, as I felt it would dilute the message War is no game Why I didnt use B&W was because the dirt would not show up as well

all said & done, your pic still have no impact.

1) Dirt deliberate, but it look like its accidental, cos if its deliberate, it should be hell lot more.
2) No game, but the background is too 'clean' to call a battleground. a darker image would be better to emphasize your point.
3) both your defeat & victory are essentially the same, only a change of angle. It does not tell a story. seriously... in war, a victory is total annihilation... a siege, etc... u can have a down king, with pawns all over him... that in itself creates a story... yours does not. a victory could also be a line of whites with a black pawn trailing... a story as well... but yours is neither here nor there.
4) Lighting, the shadows dun work, its a single light... if i'm taking this shot, i'd do in a manner, i put a white paper over the light, placed it on the side of the table showing 1/2 of it like a sunrise, and have pawns lined up taking their silouette, also, likewise, i can also take the lights to the extreme by forming long lines that look like a cage for captured king.

its up to our imagination to create a scene, but to make it look acceptable takes effort.

How would u rate this pics? i give them 1/10. No offense. thats how i feel.

[babykailan]

it's nice to have a vision but you must execute it thoroughly to bring forth that vision.

you can try to :
1. use more intricate, detailed chess pieces.
2. do a darker, b&w version. you dont see everything in war.
3. use creative angles, go low down. try not to do top down.
4. banish the shadows or lessen it, it is too harsh now.
5. the placement of the pieces do not suggest anything to me. they are just "there". no impact.

pictures like these in my opinion are very superficial, cheesy and clueless. there is no substance and all your conceptual blabbering only serve to make it sound more ridiculously disparate between your vision and your execution.

Chill and keep shooting!

[drama]

Thanks guys, for the detailed & very good critique
You have motivated me to work harder

I knew I was handling a difficult task & didnt plan it or execute it well enough
And of course you guys saw right through my amatuerish attempt

I appreciate being humbled & look to get better with your guidance, thanks again

DCA : Thanks for the 1
babykailan: Thanks for the compliment on vision, I know its cliched but couldnt help it



I tried it in B&W
You were right, tons more impact