Difference between revisions of "Snapshot resources"

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The following consists of miscellaneous info which often isn't easy to find, but very useful if you take Second Life snapshots, including postcards. Historically, documentation in this area has been sparse, and Residents have provided some great resources, so this is an ongoing endeavor at compiling those in an easy place — please help keep this updated!
{{Help|Multimedia=*}}


== A state of snapshots ==
The following consists of miscellaneous info which often isn't easy to find, but very useful if you take Second Life [[Snapshots]], including postcards. Historically, documentation in this area has been sparse, and Residents have provided some great resources, so this is an ongoing endeavor at compiling those in an easy place — please help keep this updated!
The history of snapshots in Second Life hasn't been well-chronicled. Every Resident ''vérité'' takes a picture at one point during their Second Life or another, but until recently, there's been a poor understanding of fundamental "pillars", including how many postcards get sent out, how many snapshots are uploaded to inventory, as well as the finer points of taking beautiful pictures.


Dismissing snapshots as "just for fun" neglects much context: in increasing amounts, the first exposure someone who's not yet part of Second Life may get of our world are Resident-taken snapshots. Especially on sites with a much broader audience like [http://www.flickr.com/photos/torley/ Flickr], the art of fine photography helps communicate our passion for capturing real emotions experienced in our online world.
== [[Help:Snapshots/A_state_of_snapshots|A state of snapshots]] ==
^ Torley's personal notes on how things've come to be.


In addition, taking better snapshots also helps increase your self-confidence. Snapshots require a combination of skills, including precise camera control, knowledge of lateral features (like adjusting the sun to get desired lighting), and frequently, avatar customization. Putting all of them together to get "the perfect shot" is a testament to how "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta meta]" quality snapshotting can be.
== Guides ==
* '''[[User:Torley_Linden/Snapshot_tips|Torley Linden's personal guide to high-quality Second Life photography!]]''' - Awesomely comprehensive, richly illustrated.


Better snapshots also hint at dreams for a lovelier Second Life. Applied post-processing effects are done in absence of the ability to perform the same magic in realtime. But as new features emerge, avid virtual shutterbugs can indulge in them, and build on their repertoire of techniques used to create beauty as they see it! For example, the [http://torley.com/be-luminous-enjoy-with-renderglow-true RenderGlow] ([[Help:Glow_Rendering|more info]]) feature added in 1.15, and planned to be a more accessible part of the interface, has already captured the imaginations of photogs in search of softer looks.
* '''[http://www.vintfalken.com/tutorials/ Vint Falken's tutorials]''' - Vint serves up fabulous slices of knowhow with a specialization in beautiful post-processing of your inworld shots.
* '''[[Advanced Snapshot Tips]]''' - collection of tips by the community regarding snapshots.
* '''[http://lunajubilee.com/2010/06/26/bootcamp-photography-preparation/ BootCamp: Photography Preparation]''' - Luna Jubilee's guide to SL snapshot prep


So where do we stand today? Bert Linden recently began work on regular metrics reports for postcards. For the first quarter of 2007, over 300,000 postcards were sent out. That's substantially more than the almost-269,000 sent during the whole year of 2006! We've seen an enormous surge in postcard sending, much of it prompted by the new Orientation Islands, which feature a postcard station as a basic first step in learning your Second Life. Also, as Resident-run social sites continue to expand, there can be no stopping the sharing!
== Video tutorials ==
'''How to take a snapshot'''
<videoflash>prno9o9n2ic</videoflash>


With so much photographic activity trackable, and much of it not (we don't know how many snapshots you saved to disk), it's clear that more resources prominently be put forth to educate and entertain snapshot enthusiasts, new, old, and everything in-between. By improving our quality in quantity, we gain more of an appreciation for the Grid we live on, and preserve our digital cultures in ways never thought possible before. All of this also challenges preconceived norms: parallel to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machinima machinima] being taken seriously, are Second Life snapshots merely ''computer screenshots'', or a ''new form of art''? Hindsight will make us wiser, as it tends to do.
'''How to send a postcard'''
<videoflash>iFzbvZc1BX4</videoflash>


In the present, as the old adage goes, "practice makes perfect", and what's important is you're enjoying yourself as you "capture the moments". The resources below are intended to aid in rewarding your continued self-discovery.
<font size="3">'''[[Video Tutorials|Watch more video tutorials!]]'''</font>


Enjoy your photographic memories!
== Social sites featuring snapshots ==


: -[[User:Torley Linden|Torley Linden]], 2007-04-26
Many social sites take advantage of the [[Snapshot API]] to publish snapshots and additional details.


== Tips 'n' tricks ==
* '''[http://flickr.com Flickr]''' - The popular photo-sharing service, with [http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=secondlife&ss=2&ct=6&s=rec over half a million pictures tagged "secondlife"].
From the [http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/ Knowledge Base] (these links may break soon as we move to a new KB system, please fix them if you notice they're broke!):
** Via '''[http://www.sluniverse.com/pics/flickr.aspx Snapzilla-to-Flickr]''' and '''[http://snapshots.slbuzz.com/crosspost SLBuzz-to-Flickr]''', Residents can crosspost to another service to have their postcards also show up on Flickr, where they easily be organized.
 
** '''[http://www.flickr.com/groups/secondlife/ Flickr's Second Life group]''' - The most popular. Look inside the [http://www.flickr.com/groups/secondlife/discuss/ discussion] area for varied photographic tips 'n' tricks.
* '''[http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/article.php?id=132 How do I take pictures or snapshots of things inworld?]''' - Start here first!
** '''[[List_of_Second_Life_Groups_on_Flickr.com|List of all Second Life groups on Flickr]]''' - Lots catering to special interests!
 
** You can also use Flickr's [http://www.flickr.com/tools/ tools] to upload snapshots from your hard drive, and there are a variety of 3rd-party amusements like [http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/ fd's Flickr toys] and [http://www.dumpr.net/ Dumpr] which you can apply to your images.
* '''[http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/article.php?id=176 Guide to the snapshot window's options]''' - Intermediate-level skillz!


* '''[http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/article.php?id=393 Advanced Snapshot Magic]''' - A video tutorial that shows you how to zoom, get great lighting effects, and more. You'll also want to see the "personal lighting" tip in [http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/article.php?id=394 this followup installment].
* '''[http://slpics.com Snapzilla]''' - The original pioneer to really make use of postcards in such a widespread manner, its success has encouraged many Residents to share their inworld memories.


Did you know you can:
* '''[http://www.koinup.com Koinup]''' - The first social network for all virtual world residents, and also has the ability to send inworld postcards to your Koinup gallery.


* '''[http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/article.php?id=391 Save textures to your hard drive?]''' For example, if you've uploaded snapshots to your inventory, this lets you export them so you can upload them to other sites and post them outside of Second Life.
* '''[http://mixoom.com/search Mixoom]''' - Postcards are part of Mixoom's community site offerings. It also allows uploading of [http://mixoom.com/photos/browse photos] from your hard drive.


* '''[http://torley.com/snapshot-tip-turn-render-ground-off Hide the ugly gap between the water and horizon?]''' (This is workaround for a bug, SL-24381.)
* '''[http://slprofiles.com/postcards.asp SL Profiles]''' - This page allows you to quickly add SL pictures to your profile on this community site.


* '''Hide foot shadows?''' [http://secondlife.com/knowledgebase/article.php?id=339 Client menu] > Rendering > Features > Foot Shadows.
* '''[http://bloghud.com/ blogHUD]''' - Use this gadget to send send your postcards to the web.
 
* '''[http://www.flickr.com/groups/secondlife/discuss/72157600062846532/ Use "Slow Motion Animations" to make action shots easier?]'''
 
* '''[http://www.flickr.com/groups/secondlife/discuss/72157600055309030/ Move the camera around while taking a freeze-frame snapshot?]''' Great for getting an ideal angle with little fuss.
 
* '''[http://emmanowhere.blogspot.com/2007/04/using-flickr-photos-in-second-life.html Use Flickr photos as streaming media in SL?]'''
 
Also:
 
* '''Changing image size and quality settings has ''no'' effect on sending postcards.''' Postcards will always be 640x480 (or smaller, depending on aspect ratio) and have [http://torley.com/bigger-better-postcards-for-sl lousy JPEG compression]. This is a bug (internally, SL-21141) which has persisted to this day. Hopefully, it'll be fixed. It hasn't been reported in the [https://jira.secondlife.com/ Issue Tracker] yet, but if you happen to, garner support from fellow Residents with votes and let [[User:Torley Linden|Torley Linden]] know.
 
== Social sites featuring postcards ==
* '''[http://slpics.com Snapzilla]''' - The original pioneer to really make use of postcards in such a widespread manner, its success has encouraged many Residents to share their inworld memories. As of April 2007, Snapzilla currently boasts over 150,000 pictures and is en route to a "2.0" upgrade.
 
* '''[http://slbuzz.com SLBuzz]''' - Postcards are [http://snapshots.slbuzz.com/search part of] SLBuzz's  community site offerings. It also allows uploading of [http://photos.slbuzz.com/search photos] from your hard drive.
 
* '''[http://slprofiles.com/postcards.asp SL Profiles]''' - This page allows you to quickly add Second Life pictures to your profile on this community site.
 
* '''[http://flickr.com Flickr]''' - The popular photo-sharing service. They recently abolished their [http://tinyurl.com/2f4hx6 NIPSA restrictions] in favor of a [http://blog.flickr.com/flickrblog/2007/03/introducing_fil.html content filtering system], so Residents can show their SL snapshots in public searches.
** Via '''[http://www.sluniverse.com/pics/flickr.aspx Snapzilla-to-Flickr]''' and '''[http://snapshots.slbuzz.com/crosspost SLBuzz-to-Flickr]''', Residents can crosspost to another service to have their pictures also show up on Flickr, where they can be easily organized.
** '''[http://www.flickr.com/groups/secondlife/ Flickr's Second Life group]''' - The largest. Look inside the [http://www.flickr.com/groups/secondlife/discuss/ discussion] area for varied photographic tips 'n' tricks.
** '''[http://www.flickr.com/groups/secondlife/discuss/72157594588674941/ Links to all Second Life Groups on Flickr]''' - There are many Second Life-related groups. More keep appearing, so this likely isn't "all" of them — add ones you notice are missing!
** You can also use Flickr's [http://www.flickr.com/tools/ tools] to upload snapshots from your hard drive, and there are a variety of 3rd-party amusements like [http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/ fd's Flickr toys] and [http://www.dumpr.net/ Dumpr] which you can apply to your images.


== Useful utilities ==
* '''[http://slinside.com/index.php?option=com_ponygallery&Itemid=263/ SLinside.com]''' - German Second Life Community Pics
Add programs you've personally found valuable.


* '''[http://picasa.google.com/ Picasa] (free, Windows and Linux)''' - Elegant photo organizer. Add your folders to be scanned and perform some light image enhancement while you're at it.
== Tools ==
* '''[http://picnik.com/ Picnik] (free version available, web-based)''' - Online image editor super-easy to edit your snapshots (in both basic and more fun ways), then post them on the web, or save back to hard drive. Integrates seamlessly with Flickr. [http://torley.com/picnik-is-beautiful-convenient-and-a-lot-of-fun See Torley's review.]


* '''[http://www.den4b.com/projects.php ReNamer] (free, Windows-only)''' - Batch-renames your files. Great for taking a heap of snapshots named "Snapshot" and turning them into something more descriptive. Also see [http://torley.com/renamer-great-utility-to-rename-your-files Torley's review].
* '''[http://www.den4b.com/projects.php ReNamer] (free, Windows-only)''' - Batch-renames your files. Great for taking a heap of snapshots named "Snapshot" and turning them into something more descriptive. Also see [http://torley.com/renamer-great-utility-to-rename-your-files Torley's review].
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* '''[http://www.optikvervelabs.com/ virtualPhotographer] (free, Windows-only)''' - Incredibly tasty little Photoshop plugin to add extra "pop" to your snapshots. Had a nice collection of presets and can simulate film grain, sepia, bloom, etc.
* '''[http://www.optikvervelabs.com/ virtualPhotographer] (free, Windows-only)''' - Incredibly tasty little Photoshop plugin to add extra "pop" to your snapshots. Had a nice collection of presets and can simulate film grain, sepia, bloom, etc.


* '''[http://www.gimp.org GIMP] (free, Windows, Mac, and Linux)''' - The "GNU Image Manipulation Program" is a freely distributed piece of software for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition, and image authoring. It works on many operating systems, in many languages. A lot of Photoshop's features are also available in GIMP, and there's also a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimpshop GIMPshop], which emulates PS' functionality even closer.
Also see '''[[Texture_Tools]]''' for image editors and more.


== Related resources ==
[[Category:Tutorials]] [[Category:Creation]]
You may also be interested in seeing this wiki's compilation of:
[[Category:Textures and Snapshots]]
* '''[[Texture Tools]]''' - Image-editing stuff you can use to prettify your pictures. Some overlap with this page.
* '''[[Video Tutorials]]''' - An assortment of multimedia guides, good for those who enjoy seeing how things actually work inworld.

Latest revision as of 13:14, 4 December 2010

The following consists of miscellaneous info which often isn't easy to find, but very useful if you take Second Life Snapshots, including postcards. Historically, documentation in this area has been sparse, and Residents have provided some great resources, so this is an ongoing endeavor at compiling those in an easy place — please help keep this updated!

A state of snapshots

^ Torley's personal notes on how things've come to be.

Guides

Video tutorials

How to take a snapshot <videoflash>prno9o9n2ic</videoflash>

How to send a postcard <videoflash>iFzbvZc1BX4</videoflash>

Watch more video tutorials!

Social sites featuring snapshots

Many social sites take advantage of the Snapshot API to publish snapshots and additional details.

  • Snapzilla - The original pioneer to really make use of postcards in such a widespread manner, its success has encouraged many Residents to share their inworld memories.
  • Koinup - The first social network for all virtual world residents, and also has the ability to send inworld postcards to your Koinup gallery.
  • Mixoom - Postcards are part of Mixoom's community site offerings. It also allows uploading of photos from your hard drive.
  • SL Profiles - This page allows you to quickly add SL pictures to your profile on this community site.
  • blogHUD - Use this gadget to send send your postcards to the web.

Tools

  • Picnik (free version available, web-based) - Online image editor super-easy to edit your snapshots (in both basic and more fun ways), then post them on the web, or save back to hard drive. Integrates seamlessly with Flickr. See Torley's review.
  • ReNamer (free, Windows-only) - Batch-renames your files. Great for taking a heap of snapshots named "Snapshot" and turning them into something more descriptive. Also see Torley's review.
  • Autostitch (free, Windows-only, Mac and Linux versions planned) - Easy-to-use 2D image stitcher that turn a collection of snapshots into a breathtaking, wide-angle panorama. Also see Torley's tutorial on how to specifically use it with Second Life.
  • virtualPhotographer (free, Windows-only) - Incredibly tasty little Photoshop plugin to add extra "pop" to your snapshots. Had a nice collection of presets and can simulate film grain, sepia, bloom, etc.

Also see Texture_Tools for image editors and more.

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