[Chad Arnow]

Patrick,
I really like that last one. The image of the encamped warrior at the ready or of the warrior's gear in the corner, at rest but ready to be donned at a moment's notice is very evocative. Back in my apartment days, I used to display my Del Tin 2140 in its scabbard and belt, hung over a hook by the door as if it had just been taken off.

These kind of images are cool because they add an element of humanity and realism to this hobby that the thoughtful and proper musuemesque displays we do at home don't always give.

[D. Rosen]

I think i've got a couple more lying about, but here's one for now. A very simple "still-life" that I saw as I was just passing through the camp of the Guild of St. Michael at the Bristol Reniassance Faire. I did not stage this, I believe that its set-up was coincidental. I believe that the sword is a Lutel German Military Sword. The image is too large to post here and my editing program is fighting back. So here's a link...

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2217088990094896639CoJtcS

[Michael Mercier]

There's no sword involved, but how is this one with my son and my Valentine hounskul bascinet?

[Kirk Lee Spencer]

Hi Michael...

Great picture.

I really like how the dark backdrop really highlights the beautiful silver of the helm and how it draws out the pure color and tone of the newborns skin.

Great looking boy you got there! Something to be really proud of... and I really like the knowing mature look he has on his face.

May he bring you a lifetime of joy

take care

ks

[Kirk Lee Spencer]

Hi all...

Here is a composition built around a beautiful Anglo Saxon sword by Patrick Barta. It is a reconstruction of the upper part of a beautiful 8th century hilt found at Fetter Lane in London.

In this work, I wanted to highlight the natural homage between a father and son. How sons will often want to reach out for their father's stuff and how this reaching, and the respect and loyalty involved, is reflected in the medieval act of homage where the lord sits with his sword on his lap and how the vassal would demonstrate his loyalty by reaching out and touching the hilt of the sword.

This image, while simple in concept, was very difficult to pull-off for several reasons:

First
Since my hand is a prop, I could not take the picture. My oldest son, Joshua, took the pictures on a camera he was completely unfamiliar with. I had in my mind how I wanted it to look, but with someone else is doing the camera work the angle was never the way I wanted it.

Second
My youngest son, Johnathyn, whose hand is in the picture, simply could not hold his hand still (or any other part of his body for that matter). Image after image came out blurred because his little hand could not stay in one place for more than a nano-second. However, I finally I got one I could work with. I was not completely happy with it because it looks like I am using my thumb to pin his hand against the hilt to hold it still (Which is exactly what I was doing!)

Third
While I was setting up the picture Johnathyn found some dirt to play in... So his fingernails were dirty. At first I thought it would look more authentic... but then I determined it would be too much of a distraction. And I was not about to go through sitting in a thick mountain-man leather jacket in the hot and humid Texas sun trying to get another with clean fingernails... So I just photoshoped the dirt away.

Since it was a close-up, I just used materials I found around the house to create an impression of a wardrobe. The red velvet is one of my daughters dresses I threw across my lap. The sash is just one of my wife's scarfs. And the rope looking edge is part of a Christmas decoration.

The sword is very photogenic. The only problem was keeping the sunlight from washing out the highlights. I shot the picture in dappled shade to try and reduce the highlights. I really liked to depth and texture the reflection of the tree gave to the blade. However the green leaves in the tree above has given the pommel a strange greenish cast.

I was happy with the image but I had two concerns. First, the lower right corner seemed empty. Most of the elements had floated to the top of the composition. There was no way to crop the image to correct this. Second, I was concerned that the connection with the act of homage would be missed. The solution I found was to put the word "Homage" in the empty space in the lower left. At first I used white lettering which seemed to bright, so I toned the color of the letters down to match the skin tones in my son's hand hoping it would connect the word with what he was doing.

Anyway... there are some thoughts on this particular composition called "Homage."

ks

[Greyson Brown]

I think this was one of the favourites for Christian Fletcher's contest (I know many here commented on it), and I have always like the innocence that your son's hand introduces into the piece. It just wouldn't be the same with two grown men.

Thanks for sharing the story.

-Grey

[Jean Le-Palud]

I thought it would be a good thing to give life to this thread again

A very simply staged one...

Both swords made by Rob Miller of Castle-Keep http://www.castlekeep.co.uk/