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  1. #1
    News & Rum-or-ator opus's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    That's really cool. Did you see it as you took it, or did it surprise you once you looked at your shots?
    Drink Coffee. Do stupid things faster with more energy.


  2. #2
    light wait photophorous's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    I like it. The smoke is very cool, and the arm/hand are well placed. The first thing I thought when I saw it was, "I wonder how many times he had to reshoot that to get the lighting right?" I'd never get it right. BTW, a coworker of mine just leaned over my shoulder to say he liked this one too.

    Paul

  3. #3
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    Death Plays Chess

    This image was not touched up in any way. The only I did was crop it a tad. The smoke and the figure in the smoke is real. What do you think?
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Death Plays Chess-dpc-1280_large.jpg  
    Last edited by mtbbrian; 10-09-2005 at 11:12 AM. Reason: UNSticking As Featured Photo for 26 September 2005

  4. #4
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    Thanks. I am glad you like it.
    No, I didn't see the figure in the smoke at first. In fact, I didn't notice for several days. But when I saw it, it really struck me.

  5. #5
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    Quote Originally Posted by photophorous
    I like it. The smoke is very cool, and the arm/hand are well placed. The first thing I thought when I saw it was, "I wonder how many times he had to reshoot that to get the lighting right?" I'd never get it right. BTW, a coworker of mine just leaned over my shoulder to say he liked this one too.

    Paul
    Kewl!
    Lighting is really tough sometimes. I have learned a lot by working on the set. You have to shape light sometimes. And even then there are some that won't like it. I have heard that this shot might be too harsh for some. I personally like the stark contrast thanks to the subject at hand.

  6. #6
    News & Rum-or-ator opus's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    wow, weird things are happening in this post! Is it haunted ... ?

    I call this "flippage"
    Drink Coffee. Do stupid things faster with more energy.


  7. #7
    Love + Music + Photography = Life CLKunst's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    Way cool shot Tim! Congrats on the very interesting smokey figure. Really a thought prodder. Thanks for sharing.
    C.L. Kunst - CLicKs Photography
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  8. #8
    Senior Member readingr's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    Excellent, I like how you captured the smoke and chess board. Looks like difficult lighting conditions.

    My only minor nitpic is the burnout on the chess board itself hs lost all the detail, just a hint of the checkerboard would have made it perfect.

    Is it my warpped mind or does it look like Robocop? or am I thinking of the Robot in Scifi called maximillian schell or something like that?
    "I hope we will never see the day when photo shops sell little schema grills to clamp onto our viewfinders; and the Golden Rule will never be found etched on our ground glass." from The mind's eye by Henri Cartier-Bresson

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  9. #9
    Grumpy Old Man Overbeyond's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    If I had a nic pic on this one I would not mention it because it's way too good, so original and everything else good I cannot think of. I strive for originality and so far have failed. This will keep me going.
    Tom
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  10. #10
    Senior Member julsoph's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    I love this photo. Really incredibly cool shot...and as others have said, original.
    Emily

  11. #11
    Re Member LeeIs's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    lovely shot! and to top it off the smoke looks like a figure intently looking at the player's next move. Nicely done. I don't mind the over exposted board so much.
    Liban

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  12. #12
    Panarus biarmicus Moderator (Sports) SmartWombat's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    Rooboc, definitely
    PAul

    Scroll down to the Sports Forum and post your sports pictures !

  13. #13
    Moderator of Critiques/Hearder of Cats mtbbrian's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    I like this photograph..
    There is a lot of symbolism going on.
    The board seems a little too hot, but since you can see the pieces well, it seem to bother me as much.
    What made you do this photograph anway?
    Welcome to PR.com too BTW!
    I look forward to seeing more from you.
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  14. #14
    mod squad gahspidy's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    Welcome to the forum. Very good image, and the harsh lighting is what makes the shot work. It creates the atmosphere of being in a smoky dimly lit room with just a direct light lighting the game.Great image
    please do not edit and repost my photos


    gary


  15. #15
    Seb
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    Quote Originally Posted by Tim Eberly
    This image was not touched up in any way. The only I did was crop it a tad. The smoke and the figure in the smoke is real. What do you think?
    Tim, this is quite striking. The lighting conditions appears to be difficult as people have stated but you nailed the exposure. I really like it.

    Seb

  16. #16
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    very cool, love this shot......................the board is spot on for me, the pieces look surreal, almost hovering above it.

    great shot, congrats

    anew.

  17. #17
    Just a Member Chunk's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    This image really grabs one. and I think you ought to sell it for a lot of money to one of the anti smoking groups.

    Something that's not a criticism - I wish the game were more developed with fewer pieces on the board and more scattered around the edges.

    I also have a few suggestions for title -
    Checkmate
    End Game (these would be better with an end game on the board)
    Fool's Gambit

    Hope you post some more.
    ----------------------------


  18. #18
    "Artisaliethatmakesusreali zetruth" PlantedTao's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    Damn that is cool...

    The lighting on this is very harsh, but your framing of the subject and clarity of the pieces make this picture work. You did a great job on the composition of this...and it is really amazing that the "figure" was captured in such a perfect spot.
    I love chess and this is a classic shot showing a hand moving a piece, but I have never seen one pulled off this well. Congrats.

    I have to agree with Chunk that an end game would have thrown this photo over the top, but that is asking too much I think

    Curious, was this Film or Digital?
    I'm always mentally photographing everything as practice.
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  19. #19
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    I agree. Too many pieces on the board and the burn out is a shame.

    But the lightning, the hand pose, the smokey figure. That get's it over the line for sure.

    It's going to be a while before I see a better shot!

  20. #20
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    Quote Originally Posted by anew
    very cool, love this shot......................the board is spot on for me, the pieces look surreal, almost hovering above it.

    great shot, congrats

    anew.
    Wow! Now that is awesome! I'm replying to anew's post because I agree with it.Imo showing detail in the board would have detracted from the myserious mood.
    A small nit is the whisp of smoke in the upper left center that is mildly distracting to me.
    Terriffic shot! Welcome to the boards. Congrats on the sticky!!
    Mark.

  21. #21
    Member sweetdeal22's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    i only have a one word comment: wow.
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  22. #22
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    Quote Originally Posted by sweetdeal22
    i only have a one word comment: wow.
    Thanks to all for the nice words and thoughts regarding this image. I should answer a couple of questions.

    Yes. It is digital.

    The whisp of smoke bothers me a little too, but at the same time proves to me the image is unaltered.

    The lighting had to be this strong in order to get the depth of field I was working with. Sometimes you lose something in order to gain something else.

    I plan on posting some more pics soon. In the meantime you can visit one of my Websites. www.timeberly.com or www.painfreecomputinganddesign.com
    Cheers!!

  23. #23
    News & Rum-or-ator opus's Avatar
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    I'm wondering why this never ended up as Featured Photo. It was stickied to do so, but never made it there.

    Drink Coffee. Do stupid things faster with more energy.


  24. #24
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    Re: Death Plays Chess

    Amazing capture...advertising agencies pay thousands of dollars to achieve affects like this...great job...well done.

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