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.
DarkWood Cathedral has been part of Second Life since...well, since pretty much forever in virtual terms; the parcel gives 2005 as a date. The money tree here has been a favored target for newbies way before I was one myself. As a newbie, I stopped by here frequently, and that's how I originally learned of this place. The chapel itself is accessible across a drawbridge which you'll need to click to put into position if it's not down already. Cross the bridge, and enter the chapel. Say it with me now, "aah, wow!" I might have missed one, but I don't believe there's a sculpt anywhere in here. Everything you see was built with good old-fashioned prims and intricate textures. Go ahead and start snapping pictures, but we're not there yet.
Move onward to the depths of the church, then off to the left. Beyond the candle alcove, you'll find a back door. Out here, there's labyrinth to walk. Or, step around it and just keep tracking the beacon to arrive at the Photospot for today, this secret garden fountain.
Move onward to the depths of the church, then off to the left. Beyond the candle alcove, you'll find a back door. Out here, there's labyrinth to walk. Or, step around it and just keep tracking the beacon to arrive at the Photospot for today, this secret garden fountain.
The fountain (which is not so secret now that we've found it) is divided into four directional sections. The one closest to us offers some pose balls to help us relax. Hop on and check them out. (Use /1 hide in Local to make most of them disappear, but be kind and use /1 show to restore them before you leave.) Also, it takes a bit of maneuvering to get yourself standing on the fountain ledge, but once that has been achieved, almost anything goes.There is also a very photogenic tree nearby, so near as to officially include it as part of our spot. Unfortunately it has no pose balls. It is possible to sit "on" the tree (which is a sculpt), but it's going to look pretty funny as the bounding box places you in the middle of the air. Of course, if your model is a fae or air sprite, that could be appropriate! Still, even without sitting on the trunk, I'm sure you'll be able to use the tree itself as a worthy portrait setting. You can even find appropriate angles to shoot through the tree toward the fountain, allowing the possibilities of framing your model with the leaves. Windlight will help you discover the many colors within the tree leaves and its surrounding flowers.
The fountain, the tree, the flower patch, the water - for myself, it all combined to a romantic feel of ancient days. It seemed to call for elegant clothing, with a touch of poetry in the air. The hint of glow within the fountain's waters contributes to this feeling. It's the sort of thing that readily encourages one to go a little over the top with dramatics. Perhaps my musketeer is about to burst into song for his beloved. It's just that kind of place.
After the fountain and tree, and beyond the church, there is a lot more in this area to explore. Go ahead and wander around to grab a few more shots. I won't tell.
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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