Scylla Rhiadra

I'm fascinated by the idea of portraiture in SL. I'm particularly really interested in trying to catch "personality" through portrait photography. Which is hard and a bit paradoxical. In RL, our facial expressions are probably the most visible and dramatic way in which we express our emotional state and our personality. In SL, on the other hand, that mode of communication is invisible, hidden behind an impassive blank mask, or (maybe not much better) generated through AOs and expression HUDs designed by someone else, and used by countless other people. My AO does, sometimes, express how I'm feeling, and something of my personality -- that's why I chose the one I did -- but it's almost coincidental when it matches my RL mood, like a broken clock being right twice a day. So, I want to use portraits to communicate more deliberately something about personality and mood. And it's fake, of course: I'm painting expression on, rather than spontaneously expressing it. (This portrait took no fewer than 4 different kinds of animation HUD, all working together). But it's a really interesting challenge. And maybe I can catch something authentic about the person through a portrait of their avi?

/me swats Chris across the top of the head. I don't know where you are right now, Chris, but wherever it is . . . I hope that hurt a little.

Jumpman was definitely the grease.

That's a really good idea, actually! The camera uses a pose ball, which I can of course move around to position my avi properly: height was really the only major problem. That said, I'm probably not going to be posing on the camera all that much, so it's maybe not such a big deal anyway.

Indeed. Kind of weirdly like RL in that regard, no?

Personally, I think that it's silly becoming obsessive about it, one way or another. I made my shape proportional because I actually prefer the look: shorter legs and torso relative to my head size looks, to me, "curvier" and more . . . substantial? . . . without actually ramping up my boob and hip size. But that's entirely a personal preference. I think, at this point in our history, that everyone is aware of the degree to which ideas of feminine beauty and ideal body shape have changed over time: we all know about "Rubenesque" women in the 17th century, and anyone looking at actresses and models from the 50s and 60s must, surely, be very aware of how different these are from current cultural standards. But it's also true that there were different aesthetics in the art world that "distorted" bodily proportion for artistic effect. Michelangelo's David, for instance, has HUGE hands, and rather undersized genitals, because these carried a symbolic meaning. And the Mannerist painters deliberately elongated limbs, especially on the women they painted. I've always thought that the stereotypical SL avatar -- over-tall, with short arms, long legs, and a small head -- reflected RL standards of beauty for sure, but it's also a kind of aesthetic of its own: it's a "look" that we associate with the residents of this place.

Thanks Rhonda. Being comfortable is, of course, what is most important. My new larger shape is just a bit taller than yours (by maybe an inch). I'm going to stick mostly to my original, shorter shape, but it's nice to have the larger one that I can "slip on" (so to speak) where it feels "right" to do so.

Thanks, Wulfie. I think you're right. And, as I've said somewhere above, I don't remember ever actually being criticized for my height, except by the occasional beanpole male friend who thought it was hilarious. (But, again, they were just joking around.) The immediate thing that made me think about this, actually, was buying some new mesh furnishings, and realizing that it was all fairly oversized relative to my height. Fortunately, almost all of it is mod, and can be resized. But a camera and tripod I bought, which comes with a pose and is not mod, was clearly designed for someone a good foot taller than me.

Actually, I'm not sure how tall my old system avi was/is. Taller, I think, than I am now, but shorter than most of the women I used to hang with back ca. 2009-2011. I know that when I made an alt in 2013, I deliberately made her more "realistic" in height. That's now my perception too, I think, although maybe the men are beginning to move to the more realistic side as well? Again, though, most of the men I know are still pretty big. And, again, the animations, furnishings, and buildings don't seem to have adjusted (although many of them are, of course, just old now.)

Thanks, Coby, that's a great reference point! My "small" shape (I've made a somewhat larger one now for occasions when it might be useful) is almost exactly 1.78 m (measured by prim) as well. Most of the males I know, however, seem to be somewhat taller than your friend. Although I haven't actually measured them (they get fidgety, and won't stand still long enough.) Yes, my new larger shape comes in at just under 1.93 m, and I had exactly that problem: with the arms slider maxed out at 100, my arms were still a couple of inches too short.

To judge from some of the responses I'm reading below yours, it sounds as though you may be right: there may actually have been a shift away from the super-tall female avatars. And maybe, on the basis from what I've seen elsewhere, that's true of the men as well. Interesting and, to my mind, generally good (although I'm not a zealot about this). But I wonder if the makers of animations, furnishings, and structures have clued into this yet? Uh huh . . . Sure, Dillon. Sure.

Probably because you kind of are? Where are you at, btw? It looks interestingly neolithic!

And the Inaugural Portrait from my new photography studio is, of course, of . . . me. Well, at some point, I'll get someone else in there for a photo. They'll lose a bet, or something . . .

I probably over-empathize with my avatar? Yeah, I totally get that. It's definitely not my preference, but it's better than reaching for my dance partner's hands somewhere around his upper abdomen. The trick is to focus your cam view on the upper body, and ignore the fact that you're really doing a Peter Pan. But if I make a somewhat larger avi just for these circs, it won't be as much of an issue anyway.

My avatar(s) have always been a bit on the short side (which is odd, because I'm a little on the tall side in RL), but I'll confess I don't remember ever being given a hard time about it (except jokingly by friends and dance partners). Apparently it does happen, though. I tend not to wear really high heels (I mean, seriously, ouch, right?), so I can't take advantage of that. Mostly I just use the "adjust" feature where it exists, or my "hover" value to fix height disparity. And I mostly stick to one shape, generally in two versions ("small" and "normal"). Then I can easily and quickly switch back and forth as the situation seems to demand.

Thanks Dillon! Is that 1.85 metres, as measured with a prim? Or as indicated in the viewer? It's good to know that maybe I don't need to stretch myself toooooooo much. As for the "trend" towards more realistic height . . . well, maybe? I know that people were saying that back in 2011 as well. If what you say about 1.85 metres being within the "average" range is true, then maybe that's actually happened?

OMG. Green Lantern. Ah, the memories, the memories. All we need now is to resurrect a thread by Jumpman Lane.

So, I recently fixed my avatar's shape to make it "proportional" --i.e., 7.75 heads high, longer arms, etc. For reasons I won't bore you with, I also gave myself a "realistic" height (about 1.7 metres), which, of course, makes me look a bit like a pre-teen in this world of giants. I need to make another shape, also properly proportioned, that is large enough that 1) I don't look weirdly small next to object that have been designed for avatars a foot and a half taller than I am, and 2) poses and animations (such as, most obviously, couples dances) work well without too much or any adjustment. What is our collective sense, these days, of a good, functional height for a woman in SL? I'd like to keep myself as short as is possible while still not looking entirely out of place, or having to dangle my feet a foot off the floor whenever I sit in a chair. Ideas and suggestions?

Or, if it's at all like my RL kitchen, a sink full of last night's dirty dishes. Which, while it may make my kitchen look more "alive," is making me wish I were dead this morning.

Well, I sure didn't know this! Thanks, Sara: very cool and useful info!

Almost finished setting up my new studio. I think the last tenant may be buried behind the sink, but otherwise it should suffice for my modest needs.

Thanks, Lil. Then I guess I'm covered -- literally, and figuratively. Although, I suspect that it may be time to move some of my pics over to Flickr, which is likely a more appropriate venue.

Great shot, and I love the shadows! Also, you live in a very liberal neighbourhood.

I think you've found one.

Not sure if this is too risqué or not, even with the covered-up naughty bits. I guess we'll see.