Photospot on SL Unearthed is a semi-regular feature that highlights a Second Life spot that is a cool place at which to take portrait photos inworld. Not an entire sim, not even a complete parcel, but just a single specific location - a spot - with portrait opportunity.
If you're looking for a spooky sim to creep around in during October, Cute Poison should be on your list. Home of the Cute Poison mainstore and mall, the sim is fully fleshed (and rottenly decayed) in sinister glory. Lucky you gets to visit there for today's Photospot, which is a charnel yard situated up a hill and some distance from the landing point. Let the beacon be your guide.
Come prepared for an appropriate level of spookiness. The sim is holding a Scream Hunt for the final days of October; find a few sneaky ghosts, gain the prizes. You might want to allot extra time for that. But for now, head up the hill, past the sign reading "Pet Cemetery" and follow the path to beyond the iron gates where the beacon awaits you. You have arrived.
Every which way you turn, there are intriguing backgrounds to line up with. Many of the items, such as tree limbs and fence rails, could also be used as visual framing devices. Think of the fencing (and related items) as a kind of "window" to shoot through. Line up your camera and see what there is to see.
The ground area, like so much of this macabre setting, is made of sculpts. When you want your feet clearly visible, the stairway (with its invisible collision prim) is probably the safest place to stand. To help the appearance of fog/haze extending further into the distance, I removed the Linden water from my view by unchecking Advanced > Rendering > Types > Water (or use Ctrl+Alt+Shift+7). Toggle it back on when done shooting, or let it return automatically upon relog.
The sim is cast in a state of neverending night, but you can still use Windlight here. The light can be modified to accentuate the darkness or to dispell it entirely. I enjoy boosting the highlights and modifying the colors. The charnel yard itself is mostly shades of gray and subdued tones which accept colored light quite amiably. If you (or your model) also dress in neutral tones, you'll be able to work with the full spectrum of color. Otherwise, like I did, work with colors that play well with what you brought. (The outrageously wonderful outfit worn here is an October gift from hoWear.)
And further, if you do as I do, you'll find ways in your graphic program to discover new colors and lighting. But however you work it, it all begins with the charnel yard. Be sure to check it out.
Flickr members: you're invited to join the SL Unearthed Photospot group and add your pictures taken at Photospot locations to the group pool.
Take note that very little in SL stays the same for very long. After even a short while, Photospot locations may be gone or changed in a significant way that renders their SLurls ineffective as originally intended, so be sure to grab these opportunities as they come!
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