Use of Flickr

Since to day, I started to centralise my pictures on Flickr.

The best way to look at them is by using the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/richard_call_sl/albums

I will keep publishing also pictures on Facebook, but due to some discussion on their Rules of Conduct, not everything will be published there, and will carry a link to the complete set in the Flickr albums.

Some quick experimental shots

Been focused on som experimental shots with the photographer Sue Amber standing model.
Not really worried on perfect, but more on the realisation of the picture itself.
It are indoor pictures, so used a flood lightning, as shadows were not expected, as our focus was on the mirror effect in the picture.
Mirror effect not created by melting 2 separate pictures in one, but mirror as created within the SL world....
Some more pictures in this FaceBook album.

Some advices for a better life in SecondLife.

This is not a guide how to have the best love life in SecondLife, or to earn your life in SecondLife, because you can't.
You can't write this down.
What I wrote down here, are my personal opinions, and are not The Truth.

No, I would like to put down some points to help you have a better experience of SecondLife when you are in it.

1. Select which viewer you use on what you want to do:
1. The widespread Firestorm: I find this a perfect viewer if your job is hosting events, creating in-world content, or just visiting all the awesome places around in the world. Due to its user interface based on the user experience it will make your life easier and less messier without too much HUDs and scripted attachments stuck on you;
2. The so despised Official SecondLife Viewer: If you want a very low lag experience, use this one. OK, be careful not to overload your avatar with scripted attachments and HUDs. I would advice this viewer to the people who would like to have a very active moment in the world, such as medieval battles, or whatever battles, bikers on their ride, and so on;
3. Niran's Black Dragon Viewer: I would call this The Viewer for photographers, movie shooters, and so on. But it is also a viewer that requires a High End hardware system, in graphics, memory and CPU;
2. A desktop system is always better than a laptop. Laptops are always build for more general use, so they can be easy because you can move around the house with them at any moment, but if you really want or need the best quality, then invest in a standalone system. I use a laptop to connect me when I am out of the house, travelling, but then I don't take pictures or so. I just come on to meet the people and relax. When I want to take photos, I will only do that on my desktop station;
3. Change your graphical settings often. Even if your hardware can run Ultra graphical mode with all maxed out, you don't need that. As photographer my daily life in SecondLife I live in a standard graphics setting, with much of the rings and bells disabled. And when I need them, I switch them on, use them, and switch them off.
4. Make sure your drivers and operating system are up to date;
5. Try to use a cabled connection to your network;
6. If you are using WiFi connection, take time to go on a wireless channel that is not or very less used around you;

I will update this list it comes up, so you can get a better experience of the awesome world of SL.

Selina Torva Phototshoot

Busy on the Selina Torva Photoshoot, already had a 2 hour session of photos at the Bumrose Marina. Did some beach and yacht pictures.

You can see the initial results of the first 2 hour shoot on Thursda the 3rd in the following FaceBook Album.

A second 3 hour session was done on Friday the 4th, focusing on bedroom lingerie shots. The result is in the same FaceBook Album.

Lushy The Brit Photoshoot

This photoshoot was done in one go, in a whopping 6 hours and a bit photoshoot on Saturday the 28th of November.

Starting in the Marina of Bumrose, moving to the beach and ending in the castle bedroom, this awesome session with the model Lushy The Brit was an awesome experience.

You can find the complete shoot in this FaceBook album

What do I use for my job ?

• An own build tower computer, so boosted in Memory and Video;
• Using 2 Video Adapters, 1 NVidia, and 1 Intel, as this allows me to multi-task with no major lag in SecondLife;

• SecondLife viewers - I do say viewers, as I switch a lot between viewers depending on what I want to do:
  - NiranV Dean Black Dragon Viewer: The best viewer for Photography in SL, as it allows you a lot possibilities to you Media, Windlight and general graphical UI to the world;
  - SecondLife Viewer: Maybe weird for many of you, but it is the viewer I use for Video capture. This is really the lowest lag possible viewer to use;

• Pictures I usually take in a resolution of 6016x3312, so huge, but this gives the advantage that the pixilation on the borders get better removed during scaling;
• I use GiMP (http://www.gimp.org/) on my pictures, but only for 2 things - crop out what I want in my pictures, and scale them to 1024x768;
• For video editing I use the tool ShortCut (http://www.shotcut.org/). A simple straight-forwared but very powerful free video editing tool;
• 1024x768(4 :3 ratio) is my standard. Why, because it makes a picture more natural, and also gives the best results during posting or using as picks or profile picture;
• I do use effects in my pictures - but effects by the viewer I use. So often I play with Depth of Field (DoF), shadows, windlight settings, and sun position;
• One of my main tools in SL for poses is the Lumipro HUD (https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/LUMIPro-HUD-V3/2585413). An awesome tool with Light, Eye Gazer and Pose system;
• Next to this one I also use: AnyPose BVH (https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/AnyPose-BVH-Pose-Stand-Now-with-AnyPose-Animator/774336) allowing me to tweak poses and to create my own poses and animations easily;

Oh, and OK, photoshoots with me take time, a huge amount of tim within SL.. But usually you get your pictures then also immediately.

Welcome to Richard 'Call' Photostudio.

As an amateur photographer, I am trying to do some art within SL.
Please feel free to visit the gallery and the island.
And if you need any more info, please contact me.

And as an amateur, I leave it up to you to show your gratitude.
So if you like the pictures I took from you, or if you like in general what I do, feel free to drop something in the cash register on the desk.

Oh, forgot to tell you. Light, Depth of View, and any other effect are all created in-world in SL;
And I only use GIMP for 2 thing: cropping and scaling.
Poses - what's that ? I try to capture that image created by your movement at that moment (AO, Dance system,...)

The raw pictures I take are of a size of 6016x3312 pixels - 24bit depth. I crop them to a 4:3 ratio, and scale them down to 1024x768 pixels.
If you want I can set the raw shots available for download in real life.

Feel free to visit my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Richard.Call.Dayva