Chess Shot

[Mayhem]

Hello Again, can you please critique this photo?

[MartinW]

Welcome Mayhem!
Honestly.. I have no business critiquing others work, but I couldn't help myself when I saw this beautiful set and board!
I like this shot, although the depth of field is a little narrow for my taste. I would love to see both the first and second rank pieces in focus, or at least both pieces in the second rank :)

[Mad Aussie]

Here Martin, you have every right to critique others work ... every opinion, experienced or inexperienced can hold valuable insight or perspective for the owner of the photo in question. So don't be shy ;)

What an intricate chess set this is! Easy to see why it appealed to your eye Mayhem.

There appears to be a yellow cast in this shot. The 'white' squares are far from white, and even if they are ivory or similar it still seems too yellow to me. The program setting you used has been fooled by the light it would seem.

The crop at the bottom is too tight for my liking. I'd have liked to see more space under the leading chess piece. Alternatively, crop it well up his legs so the crop looks meant and purposeful.

The plant pot in the back ground is a bit distracting as well. Another angle may have eliminated that and created a softer, less busy background for this.

Finally I think I would have used a higher fstop to try to create a deeper Depth Of Field. Having other chess pieces in focus also may have been more pleasing I think. Again, the program setting has chosen this for you I think. If you have an aperture priority setting on your camera then try that to control the DOF a bit more.

Welcome to ph.ca ... keep em coming! :)

[Marko]

i like the play here and Yup way cool chessboard!
Personally i find the orange background to be distracting especially where it cuts the chess piece at left.
If this were mine I may have shot closer and more downward so that the chessboard itself would be the background. Just a thought.
Welcome to the forum again!

[Mayhem]

Wow! You guys are awesome! Thanks so much for the feedback... I've learned so much!

[SteveFrancis]

Nice work :) Very original