Corset

20141018_005

Details:

Skin: Deetalez Skin Kimber (Freckles) brown Mixedtype
Eyes makeup: [KoKoLoReS] BP – Smokey Eyes – black @ Cosmetic Fair
Hair: Exile::Check Out Time @ Collabor88
Corset and panties: -Pixicat- Vintage.Set (Allure) @ Collabor88
Choker: ZC : Nizam Pearl choker *white*
Earrings: Zaara : Ayanna Jhumka earrings gold
Body: Slink Physique
Hands: Slink
Pose: DM – Miss Ornamental

The Beginning of Summer

20140622_004

Details:

Skin: DeeTaleZ Skin Anouk brown Mixedtype
Hair: Exile::West Coast @ Summerfest
Bikini: Zaara : [Mesh] Naisha Bikini top S *cobalt* @ Summerfest
Kimono: -tres blah- Summer Kimono (M) – Floral @ Summerfest
Necklace: (Yummy) Sea Trinkets Charm Necklace
Glasses: (Yummy) Captain’s Aviators – White @ Collabor88
Hands: Slink Mesh Hands (av) Elegant

Relax

Relax

Credits:

Skin: [PXL] FAITH SK NE LEB C2 + rose lips + smockey eyes
Eyes: IKON Kaleido Eyes – Ancient (M)
Hair: ::Exile:: Little Things:Bleach
Top: coldLogic top – jansen.peach (M) (A)
Pants: coldLogic jeans – cuoco.03 (M – cuff2)
Earrings: LaGyo_Spots and wire earring R Montenegro at The Arcade
Boots: Maitreya Stagioni Boots * M-L Cordovan
Pose: Torridwear

Deep

Deep 2

For today’s post, I did a bit more styling than in my last posts. Mesh is making us lazy as it is not as easy to layer up though some great pieces like this Celoe corset are perfect to wear aswell as a very sexy single top or with a blouse under it for a wiser effect.

Deep

One of my fun with pictures is to enhance them and to play with photoshop to add depth. Strawberry Singh is inviting us to share some of our secrets in one of her last articles. I have learned taking pictures and editing them mainly through tutorials made by others bloggers. I can hardly give any secrets as I actualy don’t have any but trusting my own eye.

Deep  After Before

So here are some of the things i do with my pictures:

1. Use good windlight settings. It is easier to edit a picture which is already good than make something pretty with an ugly lighting. You can download the new WL setting I have used for these pictures. It is a bit pinkish.
2. Use a pose which works fine with the outfit, complements it, ads expressivity.
3. Basics things like high resolution png files are always a good start as the simple fact of reducing the picture later removes a lot of imperfections. I also use anti-aliasing as high as i can without crashing. Some don’t bother about that, I do as I don’t blur the pictures most of the time. It irks me when I see the jagged edges while working on photoshop.
4. Next step is to clean the picture using a photo edition application: remove the black lines, liquify the bad angles, smudge, clone stamp the holes.
5. I enhance the shadows from Second Life with dodge and burn. I basicly emphasize the light and dark parts.
6. I am playing with the colors: curves, vibrance, contrast, saturation. While doing that, try to preserve the details.
7. I add a layer an overlayed gray layer with a default render light filter. I play with the intensity so it adds to the shadows, giving even more depth.
8. Each picture is different. I have some settings I can apply directly with some windlight settings but it is not a guarantee it is going to look nice as each color reacts differently. Each pictures receives a different treatment, with different values.
9. Crop, searching for better framing. Rule of thirds is your friend.

As a conclusion, it is only through practice that you can learn. Nothing replaces your eye for what is good or not. You may learn technical tricks but your pictures will only be valuable if you develop your own style and your own edition settings through time, adding a personnal touch. Try new things, play. Sometimes the result is not what you would like but maybe next time, you will be able to fine tune the settings to get the right colors, the right lighting. Practice, practice, practice !

Credits:

Skin: *League* Jen Medium Feline
Eyes: IKON ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Light Sand (M)
Hair: ::Exile:: In The Meantime:Fawn
Eyelashes: Slink Mesh Lashes
Shirt: Izzie’s – Bow Tie Blouse white
Corset: [celoe.clara.corset.deep.M]
Skirt: [celoe.nikka.snow.snow.S]
Tighs: Shiny Things Solid thigh-highs – teal
Earrings: Paper Couture P.C; Tulle Wrapped Earring
Bangles: Zaara : Pallav clear bracelets
Ring: Zaara : Raga oyster ring *pearl*
Nails: Leverocci – Round Nails_1FA_RosyManicure
Shoes: [LeLutka]-REN/Pearl
Hat: LaGyo_Bow hat baja blue
Poses: (pda)

Watermelon

Watermelon

Credits:

Skin: *League* Jen Medium Natural
Eyes: IKON ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Light Sand (M)
Eyelashes: Slink Mesh Lashes
Hair: ::Exile:: All I Am :Fawn
T-Shirt: coldLogic top – keen.white
Capri: coldLogic capri – may.watermelon
Belt: (TokiD) flower belt – sunflower
Jewels: MIEL ELO Set
Headband: ::{u.f.o}::lovey-dovey – white lace at Collabor88
Shoes: (TokiD) casual sandals (gold)
Poses: Glitterati

Old and new

Test WL

This outfit is almost old and new as the upper body is covered with system clothes and sculpties while I am wearing mesh pants, belt and shoes for the bottom. Both have benefits of different kinds aswell as annoying characteristics. Nothing like system clothes and sculpties to create an outfit. You can layer them, move the pieces, make them fit. It allows for more creation. Of course rigged mesh are… rigged, wear them as they are, no change is allowed. For example, while I absolutely love the textures on mesh clothing, it is nearly impossible to wear boots with mesh pants. For a big fan of boots like me, this is really annoying. While I understand this makes a huge additional work for the designers who are already playing with 5 sizes, I would appreciate to see boots versions for pants. I am not asking for perfection, as it varies a lot from the height of the boots but if at least the pants could be smaller at the ankles so they don’t go out of the boots, this would help.

Tests contrastes

As I don’t want to sound like I am only ranting about mesh… tiny sculpted prims are a hell! It has been bugged for years now in the official viewer. As soon you zoom out, they disappear. You have no idea how often I have clone stamped jewelry from other pictures because I had forgotten to click on everything for the 36th time for the pose i prefered.

Ok, enough rant, now the credits:

Skin: *League* Jen Medium PinkChampagne
Eyes: IKON ‘Sunrise’ Eyes – Light Sand (M)
Eyelashes: Slink Mesh Lashes
Hair: ::Exile::Tonight Tonight:Fawn
Cardigan: *League* Vintage Lace Cardigan -Teal
Shirt: [LeLutka]-DARDA dress/depth (part of)
Pants: Maitreya Leather Legging * S Teal
Belt: not so bad . MAUD belt
Nails: Leverocci – Round Nails_1FA_NudeManicure
Earrings: Donna Flora DREAM earrings
Ring: Donna Flora BICE ring
Boots: Leverocci – Range Boots_Sand
Poses: Diesel Works

Sodalite and Gaelle Shape

Sodalite 2

I am in love with the colors of this Chantkare dress and to play with a more couture look, I have paired it with the new leggings from Maitreya in sodalite blue.

Sodalite

Gaelle V2 Portrait

I have updated the marketplace and the in world store with the new version of the Gaelle shape I have been using in my two last posts. The shape is made to fit a size M of the standard sizing system for mesh clothings. So she is a bit curvy and very sexy.

If you’re brave enough to endure the Marketplace and its problems due to the new direct delivery system updates, here is the link. Otherwise, I advise you to pay a visit to the small temporary Dunes shop in world to try a free demo.

Credits:

Shape: ** Dunes ** Gaelle V2 Shape Size M or Marketplace
Skin: ::Dutch Touch:: ::eSmEE:: pEACH – CLA (makeup) EB1 MU3 + ::DT:: MakeUp – EyeLiner – nr 2
Eyes: IKON Utopia Eyes – Pale Trojan Blue (M) and Aspen Green
Hair: [LeLutka]-BONJOUR hair – StrawberryBlonde
Hair 2: Hair: ::Exile:: Rivers Run:Chardonnay
Dress: CHANTKARE TAMARIND DRESS BRASS
Leggings: Maitreya Mesh Leggings – Sodalite
Earrings: [MANDALA]Tukemono Mesh Earrings ./Gold & Silver/TDR
Ring: je suis…voyante *gemstone*
Nails: Leverocci – Round Nails_1FA_PinkManicure
Poses: Marukin

Driftwood

Driftwood

Today I went for a look mixing two colors: driftwood as main stream with skye blue accessories to give more life it. The dress is a new release from ColdLogic and is mesh. The accessories are made of the new linen Kayla pumps from Hucci, a purse from LaGyo and the Jewels are a mix’n match from Je Suis, Zaara and LaGyo.

Zaara Lingerie

If you are looking for a very sexy but classy set of lingerie, I strongly recommand you to pay a visit to Zaara as the new Chanchal is in store and comes in nine different colors, including classical or more daring ones. I have picked the mocha. As you can see in the above picture, taking a look at the back is really worth it as the little blue details of the face are used for the satin fabric of the back.

Credits:

Shape: ** Dunes ** Gaelle Shape V2 (not yet released)
Skin: ::Dutch Touch:: ::eSmEE:: pEACH – CLA (makeup) EB1 MU3 + ::DT:: MakeUp – EyeLiner – nr 2
Eyes: IKON Utopia Eyes – Pale Trojan Blue (M)
Hair: ::Exile:: Rivers Run:Chardonnay
Dress: coldLogic dress – vergara.linen
Lingerie: Zaara : Chanchal Lingerie *mocha*
Ring and Necklace: je suis…voyante *gemstone*
Bracelet: ZC : Vyomini chained bracelet *turquoise-silver*
Earrings: LaGyo_Olrich earring silver
Nails: Leverocci – Round Nails_1FA_PinkManicure
Purse: LaGyo_Lora purse Celestial
Shoes: ::HH:: Hucci Kayla Pump – Summer Blue
Poses: (pda) and Torridwear