Having your photo taken in Second Life can be an amazing experience, whether it’s for your profile, a pic with friends or a model portfolio, however there are a few things that you should consider first before committing yourself to a photo shoot.
Every photographer is different and they each have their own methods, styles and ideas, some may want to photograph you without your AO, while others will want to take some shots with you wearing it for a more natural look, you may even be asked to remove your hair for some poses for a better final result.






It is up to you to make your photographic needs clear and to be very specific about what you want as far as backgrounds, lighting, focus etc, it’s a good idea to write a notecard with your specifications to give to the photographer.
Pricing varies also, some photo studios charge more than others and most photographers will require a deposit, ask to see samples of different styles of works, either at the studio or on Flickr and take the time out to shop around.
One photographers idea of a great photo may be another photographers idea of a disaster, it depends both on the photographer and how specific you are about what you want in a photo.




A good photographer will discuss your photos with you and not do a rush job, being able to establish a good relationship in any business is certainly a plus, particularly in Second Life as you are not working together on a face to face basis.

In my opinion there are a few types of photos that can be the end result in a photo shoot, some are simply average, while others can make your avatar look like a cartoon, then there is the work of art, that photo which is just perfect and that is what you want from a photo session.
One particular style of photo that stands alone is the morph, this is where your avatars face is super imposed over a real life photo I am not a huge fan of morph photography, as I feel that for some it may take away your true look and your avatar identity.
Morphs can be quiet well done and if this is the look you are after then you should be very particular about what you are trying to achieve, try Google search for photos that you would like to use.
I have had many photos taken in Second Life and with mixed results at the end and I have finally found my photographer of choice.




Samuil Tigerpaw, the owner of **IS** Photography is a brilliant photographic artist, I always contact him with any new ideas I may come up with for updating my profile or portfolio.


More Information:


 **IS** Photography.
To read Pandora's interview with Samuil check out this blog.