I'm about half-way done with this. I'm titling it "Unjustly Held". I feel like something is missing from this scene, but can't figure out what it is. Something that more clearly ties it to the title, maybe. Comments or suggestions would be appreciated. -asp1vip * leather armor and dagger is JKeller's Rogue for Mike. Helmet is Michael's Armor from Daz3d. I made the window arch and bars in Rhino, the texture for the walls and arch in PhotoPaint with help from UVMapper.

Maybe a little more anquish on his friends face, showing that he was taken unjustly, or maybe their hands touching in some way, but yet not touching....Sharen Good work by the way

I think Sharen hit it right on the nose, a little more anguish on the face, but I really like the pic, especially the fact that you can't see the captured mans face, makes you wonder :)

If it's helpful, What bothered me was the sword. For a while I thought it was a knife falling from his hand. Tired eyes perhaps.

It is also very "clean", the right amount of dirt, and wear can add to the drama of the scene....and also maybe playing with a more dramatic lighting, with heavy shadows could enhance the mood as well. Rawn

Hmm. I was envisioning as he knelt, he stuck the tip in the ground so he'd have a free hand, yet it's ready close by if he needs it.

Then it should have a shadow. The same as the guy. I think.

And ground should be disturbed to show that it's not solid rock. You think?

"...the right amount of dirt..." I agree. I was going to wait on more lighting and dirtying it up until I had all the major stuff in the scene. More anguish on his face I will do. And their hands closer but -just- not yet touching; I like that idea.

I can't wait to see your changes...if you decide to do them...Sharen always nice to see pictures change as the work progress'

You could also move ypur camera a bit to crop some ove the wall and make the character and the hand more of a focus.

It almost looks like the arm is "cut off" at the shoulder as opposed to being attached to someone. Are you keeping this as a straight poser render or will you be doing postwork in an image editing program? In addition to dirtying up the ground texture, you might add some rocks or try to create an uneven ground in Rhino and use that instead of the flat Poser ground. If you're doing post work, I'd render it with the prisoner but apply black over the face and shoulder, masking it so that it fades in from the shoulder to the face. That will also give it more depth. This is a challenging concept - how can one create the perception that the prisoner is being held "unjustly?" I look forward to seeing the final version!

I'm not much of an expert but I think Bobasaur is right about the ground, the walls are too perfect maybe some chips, the sword doesn't look right in my opinion and I think that the prisioner's arm should fade away. Even thogh I've said all that its still good as it is. Chris

"If you're doing post work..." I was going to see how much of it I could render just in Poser alone. "...the prisoner's arm should fade away." I used a box in poser as the base for the wall. The opening is via a transparency applied. Problem is you see the back (inside) surface of the wall. So I used a flat square prop with color set black and set it against the back (inside) wall. The cutoff of the arm is because of this. Maybe I'll just use a flat square prop for the wall instead and perhaps that will solve the "back (inside) wall" problem I have. Then I could actually create "space" inside and you'll see more of the prisoner. (c'mon 5 o'clock so I can go home and try it! ) I hadn't thought about creating the ground in Rhino. I was just thinking texture and bump map. Hmmmm. Got me thinking now!

Interesting picture. It has loads of potential. Here's my 2pence worth: Without adding more textures, I advise working on the lighting. If this is an evening rescue, strengthen the shadows of the background and use with a bit of "moonlight" or a torch for the light source. If this is a day time rescue, crank up the light so the shadows are noticably connected to the figures. Right now, everything seems to be floating in space. Either way, on your leading light, crank your "map size" dial up to at least 1024, though 2000-4000 is better. Then set your "shadow" dial to .25 to .5. Set all other lights to "no shadow".

I'd think some graffiti about tyrrany or freedom on the wall might help both with the grunge and with the unjust issues. ....or perhaps a few bullet holes and blood Stains on the back wall?

The title refers to what really? Is this a man saving his lover, or a soldier his king. The hand has to tell the story. Chains maybee around the wrist, something like that. A nice soft glow from the interior my help depth. But that's post, right? Sorry. I would also like to see the finished product. This is not an easy image to make work. Keep at it. Good start. Q

That should br "might help depth". The glasses are going back. That's it :) I meant it, very courageous subject.

You might even consider modeling the wall (including the opening and the bars) and then a cell behind it (kind of like an open box on its side with the opening turned toward the window). That way you could put a backlight in the box to give you an outline of the prisoner without highlighting the prisoner's face.

Or may be you could....

Or may be you could....

Or may be you could....

"That's part of the fun isn't it!" said Bobasaur with a grin.

He doesn't look like he's kneeling on the ground, to me. He almost seems like he's floating above it. Maybe changeing the shadows might help.

I don't see any drama in the picture at all. The man's face doesn't seem to show any emotion. "Unjustly Held" implies the picture should be more about the prisoner than the visitor. The visitor is looking away from the prisoner, almost as if he doesn't even know the prisoner is there. I'd suggest using a Point Of View that at least shows the prisoner's face partly through the bars. If you do things right you might still be able to the faces of both people. Or just showing the back of the visitor, but the prisoner's face somehow framed nearby. I agree with all the other comments about the scene being clean, needing different light as well. But none of those would make up for the lack of drama and emotion I've already mentioned.

You know, asp1vip, if you just want the hand there that's cool, it makes the image more interesting, more mysterious. Don't let us "know-it-alls" change your artistic vision of the image. I had a photo in mind, at the beginning of my career, I must have gone back and redone it 10 times over my career before I could get it just right. Sometimes, there's one or two like that, that challenge your skills, that resist the vision. But they teach you an awfull lot, they show you where you've been and where you're going. That's a precious tool, my friend. Render on and thanks for the opportunity to share in the creative process. Q