Capablanca...

[aekonet]

...endgame:



br aekonet

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Otmar,

I know nothing of chess (and little of photography), but this looks well photographed to me.

The only minor thing that draws my eye are the shape+brightness rear feet of the board (especially the right hand one).
I'm guessing the front ones were even more obvious and you carefully placed the foreground taken pieces to hide them, but other than a bit of burning or cloning in PP, your options at the rear edge were limited.

That said, it works for me, well done.

HTH,

[Donald]

I like this image very much indeed. It is a simple concept, but complicated to set up well in order to make a good picture. It is very well lit and the strong blacks and whites make for an image that does grab attention and demands to be looked at.

[Daisy Mae]

I really like this too Otmar...beautifully concieved and technically exqusite.

My only gripe?

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=chess


The chess board is so iconic that almost everyone has a shot in their portfolio along with Umberellas, Ladybirds, Sunflowers, Balloons, Dice, Dandelion seedheads etc

As icons there are a zillion images of them out there and that makes it very hard to come up with something new and exciting. Your shot is lovely..no doubt about it but it doesn't bre ak the mold or offer anything new to me and if you are photographing the 'much photographed' then it is ( for me at least!) all about finding a new perspective.

As i said though...technically a great shot.

[John 2]

Beautiful Mono Otmar. It's the quality of the conversion that makes this for me. So well controlled.

[Shadowman]

Very nice.

[kdoc856]

Beautifully done, Otmar. I looked at the link Sharon provided and certainly think yours stands to be viewed with the best of them.

[Daisy Mae]

Beautifully done, Otmar. I looked at the link Sharon provided and certainly think yours stands to be viewed with the best of them.

Oh dear...it certainly wasn't my intention to suggest that it didn't...only that with Iconic subjects you really have to come up with something very, very different to 'stand out' from the rest. This shot does as Kevin says stand to be viewed 'with the best of them' To make it stand out 'from the rest of them' is where I am suggesting the problem lies with oft photograped and Iconic subjects.

[Digital]

This is one real nice photograph.


Bruce

[Wavelength]

Awesome shot indeed

[bambleweeney]

The chess board is so iconic that almost everyone has a shot in their portfolio along with Umberellas, Ladybirds, Sunflowers, Balloons, Dice, Dandelion seedheads etc

Damn ! they've been done already ???
Agreed a nice shot, very nicely lit and probably fiddly to set up. The whites are just about perfect and really nice and silky on the white pieces. For me the only downside (albeit a small one) is that it's a little confusing and I'm kind of missing a focus. Re-arranging the off board pieces to provide an eye line might work or perhaps using a snoot or grid to put the endangered king in the spotlight (pun not intended). All in all though a nice shot with super lighting.

[Daisy Mae]

[QUOTE=bambleweeney;340179]Damn ! they've been done already ???
Agreed a nice shot, very nicely lit .

..and your response proves my point precisely..thank you Paul!

Quote as above from you Paul.... 'a nice shot, very nicely lit'...it is nice ( so nice you named it twice !) what it isn't..is different , in perspective and processing and at risk of repeating myself ad infinitum on the subject...

If you photograph somethig much photographed it has 'been done already' and you have to work that bit harder to get it to convey another aspect and get it noticed and appreciated..to say something unique.

[Brownbear]

Stunning image.. Beautiful light, shadows and detail.

[aekonet]

Many thanks for your kind comments!

br Otmar