The Opposition

[Sneaky0704]

Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure: 0.6 sec (3/5)
Aperture: f/2.2
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Lens Type: EF50mm f/1.8

I was messing around with my chess board and tripod. What do you think of the lighting and composition?

[R lake]

I like you focus on the opponent. Nice picture.

[lputman]

I like the focus too and I like the warm tones.

[waffles]

Have you tried putting the camera in as one of the peices? As it stands now it's a good shot, but it's one that's pretty common.

If you just had that row of pawns, then it would look more like you're looking at the opposition since it would look like you were more in the game.

[peeperita]

i really like the light......i am assuming it's ambient.....candles or incandescent maybe.....

a couple of thoughts for you.....

although i appreciate where you're going with this, that chair in the background doesn't add anything to the composition for me....and the board is slightly tilted in the frame.....

i do like how that one pawn seems to be staring down the opponents.....

thanks

peeper

[ctnfeathers]

I like the light too, and how it highlights the dark pieces and pops them off of a similar colored background...which at the same time makes them look more dangerous/menacing because of camouflage. I agree though, that the couch does little for the photo and I would suggest moving the board closer such that the color of the couch is the background but not the fact that it's a couch.

Also, you could rotate the photo a little to align the board to the frame and get rid of whatever is in the lower left corner.

I don't know if you did it on purpose for a more natural look, but the dark pieces are not lined up perfectly and so some are obscured by the foreground. It might look a little cleaner and more...menacing if the opposition was rigidly aligned (military style), equally spaced between the foreground pieces.

Great idea and photo though. Esp the light!

[Sneaky0704]

Thanks for all the comments!

I wish I were still at the location I took that picture, but it was just a vacation cabin in Georgia. I've been looking for places around my own house that I can get similar lighting and a good background.

I think I have a place where I can get a similar result and attempt a re-shoot of the idea this weekend.

peeper - yes the light was incandescent, but it was all coming from the room behind the couch. I didn't even notice the light on the board after I had first set it up to play a game. Then I walked by it again later and it caught my eye.