Hey there! I really love your poses and aesthetic posts, and have been wanting to try my own hand at it for a while now.
What would be your tips/resources for someone dipping their toes into the more custom side of gposing? I've done a bit of vanilla stuff, and do use some light appearance mods, but things like shaders, posing, and custom camera positions still elude me.
This is a tough one because, in my opinion, a lot of tips I can give is mostly just "practice practice practice" as I didn't get remotely close to where I am now overnight. I've been gposing and working with mods + crimes for YEARS.
Like this is how I started vs how I do now:
Not the best examples but I wanted two completely unedited shots to keep it transparent
There is (according to the timestamp of this photo, which is not my earliest, but the earliest I could find) a nearly 5 year difference. I can promise you, I did NOT get this overnight. It was a lot of trial and error, a lot of finding my own style, a lot of experimenting, etc.
Some tips and advice from personal experience:
First and foremost, PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE: I was not kidding when I say it is all about just practicing and doing what YOU think would look good. Don't let others tell you what looks good or what doesn't unless you specifically ask for constructive criticism. At the end of the day, it's your gpose, your work, so long as you're happy with it? No one else's opinion matters.
Do not be afraid to experiment with new styles or even new OCs: Sometimes just having one OC to gpose can make things feel stale and boring, but we feel compelled to stay with JUST ONE for a myriad of reasons (which is fine!) and it makes people afraid to branch out a little. So if you want to experiment? Do it! Want to dress your OC how they wouldn't normally dress? Do it! Want to experiment with an alt that is vastly different from your main? Do it! You never know until you try.
Do not be afraid to use pre-made poses: Maybe this was just a twitter thing, but there were a few times I saw people shaming others for using "premade poses" instead of doing it themselves. Don't listen to these people, they're the WORST kinds of people, I promise you, they have nothing good to say (unless you're kissing their ass). A lot of creators, especially people who make poses frequently, make poses for them to be USED. They are a resource, free for people to use, take advantage of it.
Gpose for YOU, not for others: This is easier said than done, I know, but the biggest thing is you have to gpose only if you want to/if you're in the mood to, not to try and garner for social clout. At the end of the day, this is a hobby, we need to remember that.
Lift others up as you'd want others to lift you up: Now this is something I really need to remember to do myself; it's easy to get lost in the sea of praise when someone compliments you, or if a lot of people compliment your efforts. Remember to give the same love you get; just noticing someone's work can be a strong motivator, and let's be real, a single kind word about someone's work can really make their day. You never know.
Numbers don't matter at the end of the day: At the end of the day, we're all a bunch of nerds playing a game and playing dress up with our imaginary friends/digital dolls. Its easy to get swept up in the popularity contest that is social media, but that can go away at a moment's notice. So don't place your value as a gposer/creator in the numbers. Take pride in knowing you put your best efforts into something.
And now actual gpose resources:
Now I don't have a lot of "special" tools I use that aren't available elsewhere, but here are some things such as filters, plugins, etc, that I use to make my gposing a lot easier.
Elvashades (Gshade/Reshade Filters): I pretty much EXCLUSIVELY use Elva's shaders and have for the better part of 6-7 months. Their filters are incredibly easy to customize, come in a variety of styles, and they actually show how their filters work on multiple skintones. Even better: their filters are gshade AND reshade compatible! So no matter which you use, they'll work just fine.
Elegy (Shaders): Now a lot of folks know who Elegy is; they're the creator of the Rue body and make a lot of more fantasy/victorian-style outfits (I love their work), but they also have a few shader sets that I personally enjoy for softer shots.
Leggerless (Poses): Lately I've been obsessed with Leggerless' poses, as they're quite versatile, and they have TONS of different themes that fit whatever I need. I also have the easiest time adjusting them, which is a huge plus in the checkbox.
Elio (Gpose Stage Props): ELIO is a creator (or creators*) that make detailed gpose stage props. They literally have WHOLE SCENE SETUPS on on a single minion that are perfect for something niche, or if you just want something simple. (Personally I use their studio photoshoot prop as a backdrop for my mod previews!)
At the current moment, this is all I can provide, but I encourage anyone with advice, tips, resources, etc, to add onto it. I'm always open to trying to help folks, whether it's just giving my own advice on gposing, or just providing resources.