Mostly because I'm tired to death of it (unless I build a theater in Bryce for my musicians). I really think I'm going to have to invest in a new video card-working with several figures, poseable clothes, props, etc., just is difficult to manage-it sort of 'blanks' out (green) while things are being moved-and I'm working in mesh/fast track (128 mg RAM and that helps a lot, but I suspect a new card is the other answer). The solution for the time being, I think, is to export to Bryce--where I can do a much better job of lighting. I find it tough to light in Poser-even using 'point at'-for instance, when I did that for singer, the light was deflected by piano lid, I guess, so even that didn't work very well. Also, they sometimes just 'revert' or something-go a little nutty when you move one. Anyhow, I think I used Anton's Kassandra and Micogames Sten and the transmaps, background, "rug" texture, etc. are mine. Diane

Amazing... the piano guy actually looks like a real person, not a Poser Mr. PotatoHead! Nice reflectivity on the piano as well, and the singer looks great (especially her hair.) The top she's wearing is cute, too... :-> I like her expression and her lively pose -- lots of personality. The textures are very good. But I see what you mean about the lighting... the only drawback to the picture is that flat unshadowed light. A vignetted sort of light would give the image more atmosphere. Have you tried using the One-Sided Square prop in Poser as a lighting reflector/baffle? This is one of my favorite tricks for adjusting Poser lighting. After moving and coloring your lights to roughly what you want, you create one or more One-Sided Squares. Leave the square colored white, move it just up out of camera range (into what would be, in theatre parlance, the "flies") and then mess with the position, angle and transparency settings to have the square either divert light where you want it to go (on the singer, off the piano), or use transparency maps on the squares to direct and shape the shadows. To keep the squares themselves from casting their own square shadows, you can turn off the "Cast Shadow" checkbox under Object Properties. (This doesn't affect their reflectivity.) I like your whole "Jazz Singer" series. -Nemo

Thanks Nemo, I'll try that. I have to admit I just have trouble determining 'where' the light is in Poser. Just more practice I guess. I understand the idea of the baffles-my photographer uses them all the time and we move and adjust for the right shading/shadowing (which we/he checks with a quick Polaroid first). I felt the whole idea of the sort of 'club' feel needed an atmospheric type lighting, but nothing seemed right and this is too 'daylighty' for the image. Thanks for the tip-I don't know if I dare mess around in this image any more-its gotten really balky at best (smile). Diane

Diane: Looking good. Only quibble is with the carpet: it's too pixelated. Why don't you try tiling a carpet image a whole bunch of times, to get area coverage without blowing up the detail so much? Bob