Jordyn McGregor

I started mine off with the mesh head/body and a decent AO and skin, and then hit MP for free or promo clothing and hair. Gacha stuff can be picked up cheaply too. You can find some diamonds in there if you have the patience to look hard enough. Also if the SLB17 event is still on and you have the time, hit there for the freebies. And don't forget things like Fifty Linden Fridays or groups that have tons of group gifts - Scandalize for example has a whole wall of them, along with many lucky letter boards for group members. It is sometimes worth joining groups that gift regularly that do have join fees - Truth is an example here.

I think most people were too busy freaking out on Facebook.

"Kevin" is the name used for really dumb people. In SL, Kevin is just an annoying, spamming beggar trying to scam people out of lindens by "claiming" he has saved up 238 lindens, but needs 462 lindens to be able to afford to buy a skin/shape for his avatar.

Yes that is true, there is a sign at The Black Fair about him 😄

Yeah "Kevin" has become a "thing"...especially on Facebook.

I dunno. You do have cute pixels, but you = socks to me.

I'm really struggling seeing you as no longer a pair of socks.

^^^ This ^^^ Also it is more than a skin that makes an avatar "realistic". Shape is very important too, so check out demos (unless you are good at modifying your shape - I'm not!!!). Take some time to explore the eye options out there as some brands are more realistic looking than others.

I think it can be both. Some pictures are specifically to promote and sell an item. Well that's what mine are for anyway, and a lot of other bloggers as well. Others are more in the stylist camp. They create looks using the item, accessories and whole mood of a picture. That's more the artsy pictures that tend to maybe not show the items as clearly. I do believe it is its own art form. Just look at the creativity of the stylist bloggers and photographers. You cannot tell me that is not worthy of its own genre! But I don't believe it has its own rules. There is not one way to do something and everyone has different perspectives and ways of looking at something. No two bloggers are the same. Give them the same dress and you can get a hundred different pictures showcasing it. To me backdrops add atmosphere to a picture, or show a way in which the items being shown can be used or enjoyed. Example - a beach backdrop for a bikini, formal scene for a ballgown etc. I think shop vendors look better on blank or plain backdrops as you can interpret the item your way then. Backdrops should always add and never overtake or distract. Much like backdrops, poses should add and never distract from an item. They add an attitude and life to a picture, show features of it and can make a picture fun. Yes sometimes plain is best for showing off an item, but you need some spark and movement in pictures too. Windlight adds another layer of fun to a picture. It can almost be a filter if you want to add an arty effect, or just add some shadows for a touch of realism. And you do have to watch out for changing the colours of things with some of the windlights. It is all about the mood you want for your picture. I don't believe RL and SL fashion photography differ too much. Both want to sell an item and show it off at its best, both depend on finding that right look, right angle and right editing to make the picture something special. Yes there are more technical issues in SL photography, but they can be overcome with the right poses, accessories and editing. But I think it is easier to be more creative with SL photography than RL. After all, we can do anything, look anyway we like, and have access to whatever our minds can come up with inworld. All are just my opinions. I am far from an expert, just an enthusiastic amateur.

Just me, as usual, standing around looking pretty and pondering what to do today. But I bet I'll still be here in 3 hrs time...still standing around and looking pretty.

I'm not very good at that particular style of photography. I think it's cos I am not really artistically minded. I like simple pictures that showcase the items I am blogging that will (hopefully) make someone go "Omg I want that *item* now!"

Quick reference! I have rented from Teagan for many years now, and still do, and could not recommend her parcels highly enough! The parcels are gorgeously landscaped and she is a delight to have as a landlord. Helpful, patient (especially when you are a pain in the butt like me who moves from plot to plot regularly and need my rental moved over) and just the best! All my thumbs up!!

To me, this equates to the type of pictures I do when I am blogging. For me, my priority is showing off the outfit to its best. I tend to take my pictures as close up as I can without cutting out too much of the outfit, and because I hate full body (head to toe) shots. If I have to do one, I try to find a sitting pose that will work for the outfit as I find that easier than trying to fit my full avi into a standing shot. I heard once that you shouldn't cut fingers or toes out of pictures as that is a disturbing image, and also not around the knees, so I always try to keep that in mind when I am framing up a shot. 1. Accessories - choosing bags, jewelry and hair that doesn't cover it up and compliments the look I am going for. 2. Pose - One that suits the outfit, doesn't clip/hide the texture or features of the outfit and makes me want to buy it if I saw it on someone else's blog. 3. Background - Do I want one that will make the picture part of a scene, or just a simple backdrop that will make the look the focus? This is usually the part that takes me the longest. 4. Windlight/Shadows - I tend to use these to add a little extra to the pictures, but sometimes things look better without them. It all depends on what look I want for my picture 5. Editing - I tend not to do much editing to my pictures because I spend time making sure they look as good as I can inworld, that often I don't need to fix anything. But if I do, it's just little fixes like hair/body clipping, alpha conflicts etc. Then I simply blur, add my current favourite filter and then I crop the picture to what I think looks best. A couple of examples... P.S. EYES! I always make sure they are looking either directly into the camera to "connect" with the audience, or if they are looking away, it's because it suits the mood of the picture.

Doc Martin.

I don't like to think. I'm a blonde.

^^^ This ^^^

Have you tried asking the creator behind DP YumYum?

Sorry, don't know the skin, but good luck finding it!

Click on the World tab at the top of your screen, then go to Sound Explorer. It will list all the sounds currently playing around you. Highlight the one that is annoying you and then blacklist it. You can also turn all your sounds off by going into your preferences and muting them in the Sounds & Media tab. Or you can inspect it, find out who owns it and if your home is on rented parcels, ask them politely to go into their land settings and tick the restrict sounds to parcel in the sounds tab. I would probably do that anyway in case they have any other noisy stuff lurking about.

BoSL is still around?

Nowhere does it say in the TOS when you sign up to SL that you HAVE to be the ethnicity you are in RL. I find the world we are now living in a very scary and sad place.

I left the skypad!!! Had to take a photo cos it is just such a rare occurrence. And yes, that's Orwar being put to work.

I can't speak for the quality of darker skins as I do not use them. I simply appreciate the beauty of the avatars who do though and think that it's definitely come a long way from how they used to look. "Jordan" has always been a tall skinny white girl. First a blonde, then brunette, and now black haired. And my post has been misunderstood. I was replying to a previous post where someone commented that they get told "nice black avi" and she didn't say how it made her feel, but given the theme of the thread, I'm assuming it's not a compliment for her. I was trying to give her one, but people will interpret things how they will interpret them.