I suppose i can report about my own photo shoot.
*
models, avatarsI model myself, which means that both female and male avi in my vendor and ads are all my own avatar.
I think any designers can tell you that, using your own avatar can be a double edged sword. The convenience! depends on the product, you can change your hair, shape, skin... the possibilities are endless. For me, making avatar for myself is one of the most enjoyable activities in SL , even to this day... even after I'm getting tired of everything else.
On the other hand, you may not really know your avatar may not be suitably fine looking for product you sell...
I have seen so many 'noob looking' avies on the vendors. The most surprising thing is that, many of the Top popular SL designers even have those not so ... hmm how should I put it... well, they still put avatars that are leave something to be desired on their vendors...
I try to step back and look at the raw photo file from objective point of view, and until I think everything is right it wont go into the vendor.
(some new products were held back just because photo didnt come out well enough.)
Anyone in SL for some time can tell you, that many who had suffered inventory loss one time or another , at any level, is very disturbing.
Material and monetary values of possessions aside, it cut into the productivity of photo shoot or settings, as well.
In my case, I suffered a significant amount loss of female outfits , probably several thousand items...
as you can see, now, my female avatar is mostly nude.
Good thing that in SL, you dont have to worry about your modesty , especially in your own private land, i just throw on basic skin and shape with favorite updo prim hair.
one of the corner on my skibox workshop is colored white, so I dont need studio background.
*vendor graphic and functions
My petpeeve about photoshop enhanced vendors....
THERE ARE TOO MANY THING in a picture. you can't tell what they are trying to sell.
however you look at it, the marketing functionality of vendor graphics comes first.
"Daini Ken by Frederic Prevost"
"Product name"
Product is the main subject of the picture. Your fabulous backgournd graphic is not.
Attractive and compelling
Class- yes, class.
I omit price from graphics, just because at any time price can be changed with circumstances, and when you are in SL, price is easy to find out by clicking buy option anyways.
i use freebie modeling poses for female photoshoot, my own AO and one sit pose for male photoshoot.
Just that certain feminine or masculine gesture is attractive to either gender, while some masculine AO poses just doesnt work with female AO.
I should redo old vendor graphics... the pictures are just too dark. (I didnt use photoshop at that time, and just uploaded into SL directly. But to see your own learning process is just fun to look at, even tho I dont really make any sales from old products. Its a document proof of my SL evolutions.
the next process is actual file saving.
Sometimes I make only one picture per product. Sometimes countless pictures from different angle, poses, lighting even with different av.
*Moods, spontaneityEach batch of products, it shows my different state of my moods. And its always spontaneous. I do not plan.
I have vendors with same graphic layout, same background, same settings every single products in the store... It works perfectly if you are selling one kind of products or similar items with countless variations, such as Hair, jewelry...
My products dont fit that description.
Some uniformity can be achieved by white /gray background and logo types.Therefore when i feel like photo shoot of my certain products, I only do the one I want to do.
SL is not my occupation nor job that put the bread on the table. It is my own place to be raunchy and obscene. This place allows me to be deadbeat and vulgar. Why would I wont to set schedule or *plan strategy for marketing for annual and quarterly forecast"?
Answer is big fat NO.
I made some of those gothic chokers back in late 2007. They sat in my inventory for more than a several months. Hell yes.
Some made it to the vendor few weeks ago finally. They are not in SLex yet. They may never will.
Apparently I did not like the result of photo on few products. so three more products have not made it to the vendor still to this day.
I redid some photo today and I'm still inspired to finish tomorrow, so three more may be in the vendor in a few days.
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when I started my store more than a year ago, I did not foresee where I am at. I never planed to make hats at all until I made the first one. The chokers and collars took backseat even though the store was started from selling only of those.
So there. Now you know.
Limited edition Valentine Top hat.
