About Lolita Pro

Real Life Photographer

I have over 15 years experience as a Real Life photographer.  I started with a Pentax K1000 35mm camera and have never looked back.  Only in the last few years did I make the transition to digital shooting, and I now shoot with a Canon 20D, high-end Digital SLR. 

In addition to my years behind the lens, I also bring with me over a decade of Photoshop experience.  I began using Photoshop with version 2.5, which was the first version available for the PC.  Up until then, Photoshop had been a Mac-only application which I had dabbled with, but never really used to its potential.  Currently I am using CS3 with a variety of plug-ins to allow me additional creative freedom.

 

The Process

The merger of SL photography and RL photography is not an easy task.  First, you can't pose your avatar exactly how you want to.  You must rely on poseballs and gestures.  I can't simply tell you to "turn your head towards me a little more ... now look up."

Fortunately, Never30 has produced an exceptional Second Life photo studio.  In addition to the physical studio, I have created custom backgrounds to compliment a variety of avatars.  I have purchased additional studio lighting, poses, props, etc ... which means I have many thousands of Linden dollars tied up in my studio equipment.  But that's just the beginning.

Rather than using the in-world snapshot features, when I take a photo I capture it directly to the hard drive, bypassing the snapshot controls.  A model portfolio session typically lasts 60-90 minutes, in which time I will take 80-100 photos.  Those photos are captured at the maximum resolution available from Second Life.  Once the photo shoot is complete, I sort through the images and select the best ones.  The selected images then go through an extensive Photoshop workout to richen the color and add all the subtleties that make up a professional photo.

Glamour shots usually have a softer look to them, which must be added in Photoshop.  Also, jewelry must have a highlight added to give them that sparkle (not "bling").  Eyes must be retouched to give them a "catchlight" and possibly adjusted for their aim. 

Fantasy or digital backgrounds are also added in Photoshop.  One client wanted to be the nose-art on a Real Life WW II bomber.  After posing her in the studio, I digitally extracted her avatar and then digitally painted her onto the nose of the "Memphis Belle."  In the finished photo, the metal seams and rivets all appear normal, just as they would when the nose art was painted over them.   You can see that image in the gallery.

Hopefully this has given you a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes work that takes place before  you receive your finished photos.  Just like in Real Life, photographers in Second Life are often misunderstood.  People don't stop to think about the hours and hours of RL time spent to produce your SL photos.