Inspired by the current Song Lyrics side challenge. I know the flag is an anachronism, but I could not find a historically accurate version in the time available.
Set up and processing follow song lyrics.
The Drummer Boy of Shiloh
(Will S. Hays)
On Shiloh's dark and bloody ground
The dead and wounded lay,
Amongst them was a drummer boy
Who beat the drums that day.
A wounded soldier held him up
His drum was by his side;
He clasped his hands, then raised his eyes
And prayed before he died.
He clasped his hands, then raised his eyes
And prayed before he died.
Look down upon the battle field,
Oh, Thou our Heavenly Friend!
Have mercy on our sinful souls!
The soldiers cried, "Amen! "
For gathered 'round a little group,
Each brave man knelt and cried.
They listened to the drummer boy
Who prayed before he died.
They listened to the drummer boy
Who prayed before he died.
"Oh, mother," said the dying boy,
"Look down from Heaven on me,
Receive me to thy fond embrace-
Oh, take me home to thee.
I've loved my country as my God;
To serve them both I've tried."
He smiled, shook hands---death seized the boy
Who prayed before he died;
He smiled, shook hands---death seized the boy
Who prayed before he died.
Each soldier wept, then, like a child,
Stout hearts were they, and brave;
The flag his winding sheet, God's Book
The key unto his grave.
They wrote upon a simple board
These words: "This is a guide
To those who'd mourn the drummer boy
Who prayed before he died;
To those who'd mourn the drummer boy
Who prayed before he died."
Ye angels' round the Throne of Grace,
Look down upon the braves
Who fought and died on Shiloh's plain,
Now slumb'ring in their graves!
How many homes made desolate?
How many hearts have sighed?
How many, like that drummer boy,
Who prayed before they died;
How many, like that drummer boy,
Who prayed before they died!
For those who may not know Shiloh was one of the bloodiest battles of the US Civil War. Almost 100,000 men were involved and about 24,000 became casualties. In describing the battlefield General Grant, the Union commander, later said, "it would have been possible to walk across the clearing in any direction stepping on dead bodies without a foot touching the ground."
Nikon SB-600 w/ photoflex diffuser fired via SC-17 cord TTL to model left and above. Slave strobes fired behind and to model right from the floor. Model left after the strobes fired for the remainder of the 30 sec exposure. Shot RAW.
Great expression and pose on the boy. I'm not sure about having the flag leak through, although I see that's the point in order to meet the challenge. I just don't favor the the lines on his face, sorry. DOF choices seem solid, colors are rather muted but I'll assume that was to support the somber mood. Overall, I think this image will evoke emotion in other viewers, which makes it successful. Although I think I'd have rather seen a shot of the boy drumming with the motion blur in the drumsticks, I can't fault this particular shot for much and so I'm going to give it a good score anyway. :) Best of luck in the challenge!
Solemn image, would work with it a little more - actually do check whether the stripes can be eliminated from the boy - and a little less conspicous vignetting.
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