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Still Life: Conceptual work with two Etruscan Chess Pieces: "Marital Games."

Rachel Foster

New member
Still Life: Conceptual work with two Etruscan Chess Pieces: "Marital Games."

I'm a bit hesitant to post and not quite sure where this might belong, if at all. I am torn between Entry Digital and Risk It. Wherever this ends up (possibly on the cutting floor!), this is an idea i've been fiddling with for over a year now.

The main point is that people play games in relationships and the results are often disaster. Using pieces from a chess set (Eutruscan design, I *think*) I bought on Santorini, I'm trying to make a symbolic statement about game playing in marriage. This is my latest version and is closest to what I'm trying to get.

The final result will be called "Marital Games." It was shot ISO 400, f/5.7, 1/25s, 105mm (Rebel Xti, 24-105, tripod and remote shutter release).

My question: What are the obvious flaws? What works and what doesn't?

marriage2-1.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Rachel,

I like this concept. It's a great long term project and to do it well, be prepared to work hard! Perhaps decrease the size of the figures and in other versions unfold the arms to allow for other options. That will allow you to spread your wings and really be creative. It's a great idea.

Asher
 

Doug Earle

New member
Great concept that I hope you'll keep shooting. My main comment is that it is too dark and needs better lighting so you'll see the figures better.

One suggestion is that since you are working with the concept of games people play in marriage, and since these are chess pieces, you might consider including the chess board in the shot. You might be able to convey a lot by using the spaces to help define relationship.

Can't wait to see more of the work.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Good ideas! Just don't discard blackness from your choices as it provides the most room for speculation of other factors to be considered in these peoples lives.
 
Hello Rachel, a delightfully tricky situation. I would consider using strategically placed pawns as offspring. Rug rats are perfectly fertile grounds for marital games and are often key to prolonged misery as all is endured and/or avoided 'for the sake of the children'. A pawn at a forty five degree angle around the Queen's skirt so to speak to emulate a child peeking around the protective legs of a parent rings particularly effective. Overlapping wedding rings in rough condition placed between the two major pieces is also an added option. Just bouncing ideas en passant...
 

Charlotte Thompson

Well-known member
Rachel

good to see you again!
love your art here very much the colors are mellow and absorbing!
good idea as well-
what about "back to back" with a child in the center- as Blackford mentioned, I believe a pawn-

Charlotte-
 

John Angulat

pro member
Hi Rachel,
I love the use of the chess pieces, especially the choice of arms folded. It works very well.
My only comment might be to brighten the lighting just a bit to bring out some added detail. I think the location of the pieces is spot-on.
 

Rachel Foster

New member
Thanks, all. Lighting it is!

I've tried using pawns and the chessboard, but it looked "busy." I think I'll try it again leaving more space. I'm anxious to see how that looks.
 
I like this idea as well Rachel and look forward to seeing your progress with it. There have been a lot of good ideas for you to consider and "play" with. You might even get a bit darker and add another Queen to the mix:) I can't wait to see how you unfold those arms as Asher suggested!
James Newman
 
Hello Rachel,


Yes, the combination of both pawns and squares does seem a bit over the top. I think because the pawns are universally known and the King and Queen are obviously pieces that you might have enough for the chess motif without the board. If not then perhaps standing the board on its end as an out of focus background then choosing its appropriate distance from the 'family' to control the 'busy' effect will complete the motif. Hmm...I am curious also...how many kids do they have? Perhaps a little planned parenthood on the part of the creator can lessen the 'busy' effect? (grins, just kidding. I am sure you thought of that.)

Regards, William
 

Rachel Foster

New member
I think this could be a series, actually. First, I want to concentrate on just the two, male and female. The "pawns" could come later, maybe.

The chessboard that came with the set is quite ornate. Perhaps a simply drawn, minimalist grid would be better.
 

Rachel Foster

New member
Reworking the pieces: First, I reshot and upped the lighting. ISO 400, f/8.0, 1/20, 70mm. It looks pretty much the same. I seem to be resisting upping the lighting. I'm wondering if I understand what is suggested. The details on the pieces are about as clear as they can get, so perhaps it is something about the chess pieces.


Original:

marriage2-1.jpg


New:

games4-1.jpg
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Bonsoir Rachel

I like very much this idea of the serie and the subject as well.

I do like the contrats with black background and the lone statuettes…

I would suggest for your lighting problem:

Shoot with a tripod
Set your camera to 100 ISO
You don't need ƒ8
ƒ2.8 should be far enough (no need for dof here)

Use a black large piece of paper as background

and… shoot raw!

However, look, your image is full of potential!

marriage2-1.jpg


Quick select of background and darkened
Invert selection and lighten up midtones
Statuette selection sharpened with 25/25/0 USM
Deselect then : smart sharpen 70/0.4 of the whole image
 

Rachel Foster

New member
Thanks, Nicolas! I'm shooting tripod, remote shutter release. Dropping the ISO didn't occur to me. I tend to shoot 400 as habit. On this shoot, I did as you suggested but dropped only to f/4.0. I'm using my best lens (the 24-104 f/4.0 IS, L series). Numbers for this shot are ISO 100, f/4.0, 70 mm, 1/15s.

This one I'm liking a bit more. The more light allows a hint of shadow cast by the pieces, yet keeps the bleak, dark background.

iso100firstcr.jpg




I'm liking this one much more.
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Much better!

The standard MUST be 100 ISO! increase it only when needed!

I think that on this last one, midtones would benefit of a little enlighting, easy with curves in PS
and the metal to be a little less reddish…

Like this?

iso100firstcr.jpg


But it would be much better (the corrections) if done on the RAW file… as I had to denoise a bit after opening up the midtones…
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
I have the RAWs....will fiddle! Thanks.

Bonsoir Charlotte
this is what I have extracted from your raw file…

I do like the original lanscape orientation… it brings more space to their "vague à l'âme".
I just have darkened the sides with a large vignetting effect but could keep some light in the center of background… hope you'll like it!

021_C1-4_1.jpg


Now they are in the middle of nowhere…
 

Rachel Foster

New member
It looks wonderful, Nicolas!

I am going to let this version sit for a bit and see if I still like it when I look at it again.

Any other suggestions?


In the meantime, this was the chessboard scene:


board1.jpg



I'm wondering if anyone thinks it's worth pursuing? I would reshoot with the lower ISO and kicked up lighting. As is, the only alterations were to darken it considerably (to make the board recede into the background) and then bring the pieces back to original (but still dim) lighting with the history brush.
 
Just a thought but have you considered maybe doing it with a little light painting using a small flashlight or LED? I do it quite often and sometimes get some very nice results. With that you can also use low ISO and longer exposure times to get the lighting just right and just where you want it. It might be fun to try.
James
 

Ken Tanaka

pro member
I am getting to this late. Rather than offer technical suggestion, if I may offer some conceptual thoughts for your consideration, Rachel...

The intellectual attraction you've discovered lies entirely in gesture. The body language of these stylized chess pieces, and their positional relationships to each other, represent the essence of what is often taught in advanced undergraduate figure drawing and painting classes.

You can monkey with lighting and other technical adjustments but in the end you won't end up with more evocative images. Personally, I would suggest nailing your lighting down to something just above your first image. Then lock down your camera position to just below the figures' eye-line. Set a goal to capture no more than, say three scenes that convey very different emotional conditions and make a triptych of the images.

Then move on to look for other inanimate still-life scenes that have the potential to convey human emotion. I think you may find it a fascinating undertaking.

But I recommend that you not over-invest your energies into these chess pieces. They're beautiful but I think you've already captured most of what they have to offer.
 

Rachel Foster

New member
Thanks, Ken. I like the triptych idea.

I also think the exercise might be helpful in working on my technical skills, but other than that, you may be right. I'm thinking of working with the chess board idea a bit (part of the triptych,perhaps).
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I am getting to this late. Rather than offer technical suggestion, if I may offer some conceptual thoughts for your consideration, Rachel...

The intellectual attraction you've discovered lies entirely in gesture. The body language of these stylized chess pieces, and their positional relationships to each other, represent the essence of what is often taught in advanced undergraduate figure drawing and painting classes.

You can monkey with lighting and other technical adjustments but in the end you won't end up with more evocative images. Personally, I would suggest nailing your lighting down to something just above your first image. Then lock down your camera position to just below the figures' eye-line. Set a goal to capture no more than, say three scenes that convey very different emotional conditions and make a triptych of the images.

Then move on to look for other inanimate still-life scenes that have the potential to convey human emotion. I think you may find it a fascinating undertaking.

Ken,

Here I can again commend your view but must protest it's closure of what I consider a more open project, working with these two chess pieces. You see things as they are. In that I have already suggested moving the arms.

This requires some photoshop work but hardly difficult. The advantaging of proceeding further, thus, is to provide a challenge to be creative in a small defined world with limited physical options but great opportunity. Rachel's work is on the human personality and the mind. So already she has most all the resources to work creatively here. She can take her ideas further, even to the nth, with just this couple.

But I recommend that you not over-invest your energies into these chess pieces. They're beautiful but I think you've already captured most of what they have to offer.

In concrete terms, you are likely correct. It's up to Rachel as to whether or not she chafes at being fenced in to just a few iterations.

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Asher, how can I move the arms?
It's quite simple, Select, copy paste, reselect, Transform! The latter is where you play. Look at postures you like in greek vases or Egyptian tomb painting or from you mind. If when you look at couples socially you want to sketch that on snap a picture, then this might be something for you.

As Ken points out, your idea may be self limited and you may have no artistic push to go further. On the other hand if you are truly moved and energized to do more, then this is worth considering. I'd experiment with some graphic surgery in photoshop and see if you are truly energized by the idea, not just intrigued by my simple suggestion. If this idea is not something that drives you, play a little but don't commit; move on if you don't get to own it. That, I think, is what Ken feels too.

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
This kind of project holds promise of the photographer working towards a defined goal. This is the work we'd love to host more of.

Asher
 
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Ken Tanaka

pro member
Rachel; My suggestion not to "overwork" this exercise was not intended to stifle you. Quite the contrary; it was intended to prevent you from stifling yourself. When you grind away at groping for new possibilities with such limited content you run the risk of spinning your wheels unproductively. But if you recognize, and keep close, the essence of what originally grabbed you you can expand to other, perhaps more productive, possibilities.

In my own opinion digital manipulation of the chess pieces to create new gestures offers no magic. Finding naturally, or nearly naturally, occurring possibilities represents a far richer opportunity, albeit also a far more challenging one.

weston_pepper_number30.jpg

Edward Weston, Pepper #30, 1930
 
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Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Ken,

That's a lofty standard you set. Weston diid not merely take his object to the window and photograph them. Rather he spent days and even weeks in lighting them to bring out the form he wished from what he began with. The lighting is no happemstance. It's the end result of driven obsessional experiementation. The finding of just the right light and position to transform his found objects consumed him. This self diversion from social interaction was a major source of marital stress as no one could walk near the room for fear of altering some undetermined magic as the light changed under Weston's watch.

But now he did it. That's his work. It's done! Likely, such pictures are now just his style, at their best. Of course, there is always someone who might move ahead, that's how art progresses.
Asher
 
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