The Chess Board

Black & White Digital Capture

A series of prints about chess in the world — the game, its pieces, and what they do when they leave the board. The series began organically with a single image, The Bishop is Often Fianchettoed in the Corner; when The Castle Casts a Long Shadow appeared two weeks later, a portfolio was underway.

Work in progress
Prices range from $300 to $3,000 · inquire

The Bishop is Often Fianchettoed in the Corner · Olănești, Romania

The Rook Casts a Long Shadow · Rodos City, Greece

Knight Guards the Castle · St. Athanasios Gate, Rodos City, Greece

Attack by Brute Force · Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

Draw Due to Insufficient Material · The Colosseum, Athens

Two Queens on the Board · Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris

Pondering Moves · San Francisco

The Game Within the Game · Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco

Complex Position · Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris

Trapped Pieces · Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

Rapid Chess · Elli Beach, Rodos, Greece

Knights are Tricky Bastards · Symi Island, Greece

Pieces in the Hands of a Grandmaster · Les Halles, Paris

The Horse Moves Above the Board · Paris

King and Queen Stroll Across the Board · Jardin des Tuileries, Paris

Pawns Fighting for the Center · Ancient Stadium of Rodos, Greece

Linked Pawns · Le Marais, Paris

Last Piece Standing · Temple of Apollo, Aegina Island, Greece

Sacrificial Square · Temple of Aphaia, Aegina Island, Greece

Pieces Leaving the Board · San Francisco, California

About This Portfolio

Chess has always been a popular activity in the Yalom family. The photographer’s father has always been an excellent player, and Reid played tournaments between the ages of 10 and 13; his brothers and his son enjoy the game, and his sister has recently taken it up. His mother, Professor Marilyn Yalom — though she never played — wrote the notable book Birth of the Chess Queen (HarperCollins, 2004), which brought to public awareness that the piece we now know as the queen began as a vizier with limited movement, and was transformed into the queen during the rule of the strong monarch Queen Isabella of Castile.

All prints are archival pigment on rag papers.

All images are available for purchase · prices range from $300 to $3,000 depending on size and edition · inquire or call 415-509-5388