Questions for Photographers

In RL, photography is a love of mine. I've been playing around inworld with it for a while, with small successes here and there. Unfortunately, I'm not around enough to really devote enough time to learning the craft well enough. But today, I decided that maybe what I need to do is start devoting more time when I am around to doing what I love - and photography is what I love.

So, I realized I have plenty of prims to set up a skybox studio to play around with. Nothing over-the-top, just the basics. But I don't know where to start; what I need and I need some help with recommendations for the minimum requirements to get me started.

Obviously, I need a camera since the camera controls built into SL are not enough and are clumsy to use. Has to be a camera which I can use on myself. Are there differences in cameras?

What about a good pose pack? Something which will give me a decent amount of static and moving animations? Or, do you think I could manage to cull together these things for free. I do have a lot an enormous amount of these things in my inventory already.

Lighting and backgrounds? Again, basics only. Don't want to spend a lot of money.

Skybox A decent sized, low prim one. I saw one that looks like a NY studio which was only 25 prims - not bad (and I'm from NYC originally) which appeals to me, but not sure if it's large enough or not. What size should I look for to make sure I have enough space to move around in. My plot is 4096 square meters but it's kind of narrow (30' or less).

Thanks for any suggestions you can give me!

You might get some ideas by reading the description of this studio:

http://slexchange.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&file=item&ItemID=569747

Camera: Don't bother. Use PrtScrn and paste to a graphics program. The more advanced programs like PhotoShop and Gimp have lots of cool toys, and you can add your own background on separate layers if desired.

Lighting: Create a prim and make it emit light. You can color the prims and/or the light that they emit for different moods. You can move the light prims around your avatar for different effects.

Just some ideas.

I get a lot of use out of my Photosphere, which is inexpensive and has plenty of very cool backdrops that can be rescaled with a simple voice prompt, producing excellent and unusual effects. The lighting is pretty good too.

I like to take shots in hi-res... the bigger the pixel count, the longer it takes, but to me it's worth it. I then save to hard drive and mess about in Photoshop, which I'm rubbish at, but it's fun. I also knocked together a very basic white room, which is good if you are crap at Photoshopping and you want to transplant the resulting image onto a different background of your choosing.

I have a pretty bog-standard pose stand, which I drop various poses in when I find them, and now have a large collection for every occasion.

Mind you, that studio that Scott linked to - that looks intriguing. May have to swing by that in-world and see what that's all about.

I am the world's worst photographer in RL, but I have a lot of fun playing with snapshots in SL.

As Oryx suggested, however, it can be very simple and very free, with much the same results if you put your mind to it.

You don't need to buy anything.

Max, I've been admiring your work for a while. You give me a lot of hope, based on what you just wrote I've never worked with Photoshop at all, that part of it is kind of offputting at the moment, so hearing someone else say they think they are crap at it but can do it gives me hope!

You are too kind

Wow, that's quite something. Slave lights and all! Brings me back to those days I spent with my ex-husband in his commercial studio. If I wanted to waste $7000L and be done with it, I might actually think about buying that (then again, if I make a good profit selling my old land...lol)

I have an N30 I rarely use: I tend to either shoot outdoors or standing inside of a hollowed, dimpled sphere with a full bright, flat color on it. I light the scene either with my Mysti (makes for good fill) or using a quickly rezzed light prim. I keep one in my inventory that I can attach to my hand, too, for those "no build" sims.

The camera controls can be fiddly, especially when you're new to using them -- but these skills come with practice.

Mari

The main problem I have with the camera controls lately is LAG! Ugh! I click on them over and over and over, and not a damn thing moves! Drives me insane

Just out of curiosity, are you using the UI camera controls? (The 'buttons')

If so, you may find that using the mouse shortcuts is better for you, I know that I never use the buttons any more.

Alt+click and drag rotates left and right, and zooms in and out, CTRL+Alt moves left and right and up and down, and ALT+Shift (I think) pans left and right.

I'm constantly sending my camera flying around, and these shortcuts make it so much easier for me, and alot faster too.

What Kiera said: learn the keyboard stuff. It's *way* better than using the palette.

Imagine the difference between using the movement palette and just walking. It's kinda like dat.

Mari

Elora -- I have damn near every studio in SL LoL. If you want to check them out, You are always welcome.

Screw the camera too. I have one and find myself using the inworld tools more often than not -- and Ctrl 0 is your friend.

Studios are good for inworld newb pictures. The quorum is correct in saying that a lot of these things are unnecessary. However, I do like the inworld camera because I can jack the rez up to 3200x2800 and get a super high rez pic which gives me a little more room to manipulate back in the lab

The Photosphere is okay but i find myself fighting with my camera and it drives me nuts when I click off and hit the damn thing and the menu pops

The N30 is nice with all of its features but is a lag monster. Plus all the damn serial codes, used to get the studio, modeling table and hud to work piss me off

Studio X -- Not bad for a freebie. Had some nice features and didn't weigh down the sim

Glam Studio -- this one was okay also. It has a music feature

I find myself going back to the Blue/Green box a lot. Make up a couple of hardware lights and suspend my poses off the ground. But, the whole N30 set up is really nice if you want to attract customers.

CC

CC, Mari, Kiera: Yes I have been using the camera controls and that is the problem. I had started using the keyboard controls recently for zooming in and it was amazing the difference! Like finding a whole new world. The first time I used it to get a close up of my face I was so startled how close it got, I couldn't believe it took me that long to use it.

So I guess I need to just get used to discarding the camera controls completely and just remember the commands for the keyboard already. Probably should make myself a little cheat sheet and stick it in a notecard to have handy for a while until they become SN (second nature )

CC: Thanks for the offer to take a look at your studios. I'll certainly take you up on it at some point. In fact, probably will make a point to look at everyones studios that allow me, to make comparisons. I can see how you say the studio isn't exactly necessary, however, I'm the kind of person that enjoys having a space dedicated to a hobby and since I have the space/prims this probably will be the best way for me to get motivated to accomplish my goals.

I'll have to look for that Studio X freebie.

Now - 9 months here and I just have to figure out how to rez a skybox to put it all into

Studios like the N30 system are fine for 'model shots' with a fixed background. I use mine a lot for making profile pics for myself and my friends. And it is nice to have the lighting controls and special efects.

I have two N30 cameras, and honestly, I can do just as well with the in-world camera keyboard and mouse controls, and using an alt logged in at the same time as my "camera'. If you need to lock in a specific angle to get repeated photos of a model in different outfits, the cameras are great. For anything else, you don't need them.

Taking snapshots to hard disk is THE way to go. Cheaper than in-world snaps, preserves aspect ratio, and you can edit in Photoshop as needed.

Ya, it jes takes learning. It's funny, cuz I'd list them for you, but they've just become muscle memory after a couple thousand piccies. I do know that control-0 will become your friend (and don't forget control-9 to escape a zoom).

Torley Linden has a good video tutorial on some of those.

Mari

Hello there!

You've received some fantastic advice thus far, but I'd like to throw in some advice, if you please...

1). You don't need a camera to help you take photos--this will only get in the way. When you take photographs, you'll just want to use the alt-zoom (or camera controls) to set up your shot, and snap away. You can do this by snapshotting to hard drive, or by using the 'print screen' button on your keyboard (which copies the entire screen to your clipboard--from here you can just paste into Photoshop and crop) Anything that claims to 'help you' take better shots, or anything that allows you to 'look through' a lens, it will only get in the way. Line up your shots, simply with the in-game camera, and then do your cropping and postFX in Photoshop (or whatever equivalent program).

2). If you plan to do fashion, portrait, or editorial, you will want a few pose packs. Some are free, and some are not. Even the free ones have 70+ poses in them, and are excellent.

3). You will want to create a handful of prims (any shape) for lights. Make these the color you want a light to be, activate the 'light' feature, and use it when you want to light a scene. Naming these something easy to remember is helpful, so you can quickly pull them out when needed.

4). Build a green screen (2 or 3 sided--I use 3 sided). Make sure the green screen is bright green (like my Glowbox color) and make sure it's 'full bright.' This will allow you to take a photo with your subject on the stand, and then easily crop out your focal point in your paint/photo application. Not sure your knowledge of this, so I'll be brief--select the green color and then 'inverse' your selection. Then copy your focal point. Now you will be able to drop this in whatever background you want. Matching the color and light of the subject to the new background takes time...so practice practice practice. There is no need to use the preset photo studio backdrops--it is best to find and/or take your own background images--or, take the shoot on location, and you won't even need the green screen or studio.

5). Make sure you take high resolution snapshots in SL. And always make sure your graphical settings are maxed out when your taking pictures.



Now...for my shameless plug. I specialize in film and studio gear--and I recently just created an entire set of photography gear called 'The Professional Series.' Remember, before I told you that cameras will not help you take better photos...this is completely true, but what they will do is immerse you into your character and role in Second Life. And if you want the most realistic gear for your studio, or to carry with you on location, the Professional Series is the cream of the crop. The cameras also have working flashes, which is a very cool effect as well.

So, swing on by my studio, and have a look at the equipment. If you're serious about photography in SL...you'll want to get a Glowbox piece.

And if you need any help what so ever...setting up your studio, or learning the ins and outs of photography, or post FX...please IM in world. I'd love to help out. I even have some green screens and lights made already.

Here is the Slurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fucosa/239.583/157.584

If you want to see all the gear on Slex: http://slexchange.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&MerchantID=32504

Come have a look at the gear. Good luck.

Second that.
I tend to blur the background out of focus slightly to give it more depth or replace it all together. Even light effects can be done with photoshop. You just need a clean image to start with (actually you don't, but it helps not hving to spend time cleaning it up).

Don't worry about a studio. Your friends are on the dance floor anyway. Learn to adjust for shutter lag. Use Ctrl-0 (zero) to zoom in even past the mouse wheel zoom. Ctrl-8 zooms out and Ctrl-9 resets the position.

And finally, Windlight was made for sunsets on the beach. Absolutly gorgeous.

Photoshop tutorials are all over the web.
http://www.hsl.unc.edu/Services/Tutorials/Photoshop/Welcome.htm
Or just google "photoshop tutorial" and dig in.
I think I started out with a Dummy's guide or Idiot's guide or whichever. Cheap and straight foward.

Have fun and I hope your rich. Your inventory will soon be overflowing with thousands of textures

I'm not at all an expert on the subject but I thought I'd throw this in. Someone earlier mentioned using PrintScreen to capture an image. I have been using a program called MWSnap for quite a while. It works similar to doing a print screen but it also allows you to pick a user defined rectangluar area to capture. The program is freeware/shareware and should be easily found doing a web search.

Here's 5000 words, give or take

http://www.sluniverse.com/pics/pic.aspx?id=267929
(outdoors, default sun (I think 2-3 pm), 0.5 intensity mystitool light for very low fill)

http://www.sluniverse.com/pics/pic.aspx?id=262998
(background was a hollowed, cut, fullbright cube, default sun at midnight, default setting white light prim for face keylighting)

http://www.sluniverse.com/pics/pic.aspx?id=264803
(outdoors, default sun shortly before sunrise, no fill light)

http://www.sluniverse.com/pics/pic.aspx?id=256921
(N30 background, default sun around 3 or so pm, not sure on the lighting)

http://www.sluniverse.com/pics/pic.aspx?id=256134
(Outdoors, "fine Day" sun, don't recall time, no extra lighting)

No post processing was done on these.

Elora - this link will teach you how to build a basic photo studio for your personal use... and it's not hard It won't have the fancy backgrounds, but like some of the previous posters have said, you can put in the background using Photoshop (or other photo editing programs; I use the free PhotoFiltre).

http://ornamentaltutorials.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-to-build-photo-studio.html

This other link is a great resource to all things photography and photo studio. He also lists a number of free photo studios in-world that are open to all residents to use.

http://runwaykidz.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/photostudios-for-dummies/


EDIT:
Studio-X on SLexchange
http://slexchange.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&file=item&ItemID=183409

Oh, and about the skybox - there are a few for free or 1L on SLexchange, like this for example:

http://slexchange.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&file=item&ItemID=290051

You might want to look at Enkythings 1L shop inworld too.

How big you want it to be depends entirely up to you and what kind of photos you want to take. If you generally focus only on your avatar and take close-up shots, you don't really need a huge background/backdrop so your skybox won't have to be very wide.

Michael, thanks for taking the time to write all of that! Very helpful. And I didn't mind the shameless plug at all I'll try and look you up when I have time inworld!

Hehehe I must have 10 copies of that one floating around in my inventory already! Never considered it as a studio tho. Good call.