Friday, July 1, 2011

Taking Second Life Photographs is like Buying Toothpaste

DDLE2 (moderate)


When I was a young explorer (yes, this is an "in my day" reference) you'd go to the store to buy toothpaste and there were 3 choices.  Didn't take long.  These days there is a 50 foot aisle with hundreds of options and I find myself just standing there, eyes glazing over, trying to remember which one I bought last.

The number of features available to the inworld photographer is starting to make me feel the same way.  I'm still playing with buttons and settings.  Frankly if we get too many more graphics and lighting options I'll never get a photograph of anything - it's just too much fun to "see what happens if I click this".  Choice is good and the results are a major improvement - it's just not an environment which breeds speed or efficiency.  At least not for me.

DDLE2 (moderate)

Today's destination is DDLE2.  DDLE apparently stands for Designing Dynamic Learning Events (DDLE)  course in Second Life.  My google powers have deserted me because I can't find any information on this island apart from the name and the fact that this is a really cool location for arbitrary button pushing.  :)

Some things I have managed to figure out.  I normally use ctl/alt/left click to control my camera and the same combination allows you to define the object to be in focus when using Depth of Field.  This is very nice for an old brain that really makes little attempt to memorize keyboard shortcuts.  I leave that to my 18 year old cat who seems to know all of them and invokes them periodically just to keep me humble.

DDLE2 (moderate)

Unless you choose otherwise, an avatar will always be in focus.  I will never be great at portraits and I'm not really interested in portraits of me at anytime.  But I was the only one there so I took this shot just as an example of the default depth setting.

DDLE2 (moderate)

I promise to get back to focusing on the regions I visit. :)  In the meantime buttons for shadows/depth of field/windlight/atmosphere/east angle and more await.  If you encounter me somewhere standing like a lump and being non-responsive, well I'm probably just wondering what will happen if I "do this".  It's nothing personal I just have too many choices in front of me and I'm finding it difficult to make decisions.

DDLE2 (moderate)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

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- Gidge Uriza

Honour McMillan said...

@Gidge I adore you - but that made me laugh. The idea I could win anything associated with fashion is unbelievable. :)

Honour McMillan said...

@Gidge but I am totally flattered and pleased. :)

Uccie Poultry said...

Nice pix! Most depth of field shots I've seen from Second Life thus far appear to be from people with a tilt-shift lens fetish. I get tired of looking at scenery that appears to be a poorly photographed scale miniature. Of course, if my setup supported depth of field I'd have my share of such pictures. But I'd certainly try hard to make nice pictures like yours.

Honour McMillan said...

@Uccie aww thank you :)