How to Shoot Spectacular Second Life Screenshots: Iris Ophelia's Way... Versus Linden Lab's Way

Iris Ophelia's ongoing review of virtual world and MMO fashion

Shortly after I posted my five point checklist for flawless and Photoshop-free SL snapshots last week, someone on Plurk shared a Linden snapshot done to advertise the company's "New Year, New You" image contest, shown on the right. Of course, I couldn't resist applying my checklist to a redo of this image (pictured above) using my current avatar and my much creepier avatar circa 2006.

I did need one extra step, which was to make sure that the images of both avatars were the same scale, for the sake of a more balanced and proportionate layout. It's not perfect but, given that it took no more than a few minutes to take and edit, I'd say it's pretty good!

Let's put them side-by-side for a compare-and-contrast:

I want to add something as well, something that has been eating at me a little. Normally when I criticize the work of a designer or creator, I try to balance each negative point with a positive point where possible. I decided when I first started writing about SL fashion, which is so much more direct and personal than writing about RL fashion, that I never wanted to be the reason that someone quit creating instead of honing their skills further. What we really need to remember is that not so long ago these promotional images were few and far between, and for the most part quite old. They've come a long way in a few short years (due in no small part to the Linden fashionistas who champion community activities like "New Year, New You" in the first place) and it's important to acknowledge as much. Even when it feels like Linden Lab is still lagging behind.

Iris Ophelia (Janine Hawkins IRL) has been featured in the New York Times and has spoken about SL-based design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan and with pop culture/fashion maven Johanna Blakley.

Comments

[Ehrman Digfoot]

I saw this image the other day and thought of your post, Iris. Seriously, who is taking these awful promotional images? As someone who uses SL regularly and would like to share SL with my non-user friends on my social networks, I'm really embarrassed by these images. It's one of the reasons I've clearly linked my SL profile with my RL Social Network profiles, but never the other way around, that is, I rarely link my RL social network profiles with anything SL related.

[foneco zuzu]

Well, they are not hiding anything, if one can not accuse the lab on this is that they are false advertising!
One that logs into Sl will look like that, until changed, via frebees or Linden into Ophelia's!
And the contest photos can give a newcomer a much better insight of what he/she can become!
So for once I have to say, its the way to go Lab!

[Iris Ophelia]

@foneco I'm not talking about the fashion choices at all. That's why I used my old newb look rather than a look from last year. I agree that showing default avatars is completely appropriate in this context.

I don't agree that showing that avatar poorly lit, alongside another image in a completely different scale/aspect ratio helps at all, though. It just gives a bad impression and overshadows the purpose of the image (to show how your avatar has evolved) altogether.

[GoSpeed Racer]

Several years ago a contractor for Linden Lab asked my permission to use some of my Flickr photos for the SL homepage. I gave them permission but they used none of my pictures. You can't even give them free pictures to use!

[Will Szymborska]

@foneco

Way to go LL for NOT putting their best out there to potential customers? I don't get it. It isn't 2003 anymore. If people can't display SL properly and spend their time playing IMVU and Farmville on Windows ME that's their decision. LL should be trying to attract customers and boast the graphics that their service offers.
Its 2012 and the internet has moved on, it takes a bit more these days to attract a crowd.

Also, yes whoever is approving images like that to advertise their service.. they need to be fired. Skyrim wouldn't release screen captures of their game with the graphics equivalent on low and take the photos at strange angles with awkward lighting to advertise their service.

Of course these days LL is more concerned with Vampires (using top trending movies) and catering to people who want to breed fake animals to attract new customers.. but I'll save that for another day.

Bottom line is LL is recovering from M Linden era decision making and needs to think like a tech company in 2012. That image is a perfect example.

[Connie Arida]

Linden promo pics are "honest" and as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike

[foneco zuzu]

Valid points in all!
And just wish that a new user could login as i do, using ultra settings and 32AA and 32Af forced via hardware (2 bad for that i cant use mesh viewers), be on SL or OS grid, cause the image you got at a sunset on a lovely island looking at the sea is worth a thousand words!
Lets have faith that things are changing, if not via the lab, via other grids!
As i say, competition is the key, until the lab realizes they are not alone, they will not even bother to stop the bleeding that is making more and more move on, and les and less coming in!
But for that, we all must support in a way or another the free time spent By open sim developers, cause more and more it seems they will be the future!
The lab can't even understand how it could be the door to other metaverses and use its knowledge to provide a united grid, with a door that would be Sl, to all!
And right now what is doing is exactly the worst, letting Sims that are marks of what Sl can be, die, not supporting enough the oens they promote on their destination guides and making users, as soon as they discover the joys of building, to leave to other places where they can do so much cheaper!
So it will be needed more then this campaign to start moving Sl to a good port!
But we have to have hope, cause in the end, Sl is still the only place where your dreams can really become true!

[Pussycat Catnap]

I'm somewhat seriously baffled by all of this.

Anyone who looks at some of my screenshots on my blog and in the 'Vanity' thread on the forums will see that you can get much better without needing to photoshop and frankly, even on not so high end setups.

LLs need do nothing more fancy than read the many suggestions in that very forum thread, this blog, my blog, and other blogs... and use the very tools they themselves have made for us...

Even a low end machine can crank the graphics up when posed still, and accept the 1 to 5fps to take a still image. ;)

A normal, modern computer, in the $300-500 range, can crank those graphics up to ultra while actually running SL in the 10-20fps range, and leave them high while getting 20-50fps.

Simple use of the light presets built into the current viewer, dialing the sun right, facing the right angle, and rezzing a few local lights - and you can get shocking results that need not enter photoshop or Gimp at all.

I can't believe LLs tolerates marketing and graphic design people that have no love for their craft... I've worked in companies where those departments hated the corporate mission, and -STILL- turned out better work.

I could go down to San Francisco City College, hit up the freshmen graphic design class, and get work LEAPS ahead of what LLs puts up... And I could have them make all that work using only LLs own tools...

I go to the website of -ANY- other commercial 3D product, and it just so outshines this stuff its embarrassing to be a part of SL.

I could enter a club in SL like 'The Shelter' recruit a few nooblets, teach them how to use the screenshot tools, and get better...

So LLs... WTF?