[#473] The Cheap Seats

This town ain’t big, this town ain’t small.
It’s a little of both they say.
Our ball club may be minor league but at least it’s triple A.

Alabama, ♫The Cheap Seats♫

It’s that time of year again, the smell of grass and the crack of bats and a full nine innings (sometimes more) which means the Baseball season is under way. I’ve noticed on social media fellow bloggers & photographers were at it right on opening day but I was preparing something and I wanted to do it without rushing or feeling overwhelmed by it.

The pose fair is about to begin tomorrow and fortunate enough for me the posemakers at Just Posing created a pack of poses called “Batter Up” with five different poses (a mixture of male and female which I’m sure you can get creative and go outside the box and use them all with either gender in mind) to choose from you’ll be able to catch the essence of the great American game. Also the bats are included with the poses so that you won’t have to try and find a compatible bat and figure out how to make it look right, they are included and fit each pose like a glove (haha see what I did there?)

I wanted to capture the spirit of a small time baseball spot something along the lines of what you might have seen in the movie, “The Sandlot” which is one of my top 5 favorite baseball movies of all time. Though I couldn’t quite find all the pieces I needed to make that I decided to be more low key and make something that was more of like a park ball diamond or something that little league and softball teams play on.

I’m not the greatest at set building so I used various things that I had laying around and the way the entire photo session turned out was really a fun process and turned out great. Those are the kind that really boost your confidence and add to the fun of what blogging can be. Yes I am a blogger for Pose Fair but I don’t feel like when I was doing this scene that it was a requirement, it was fun and it made me think of the summer and how I’m going to enjoy being outside not having to wear a jacket and spending time outside smelling the grills around the neighborhood.

For the outfit I went with things that were simple and what is more simple then jeans and a t-shirt? I could have looked in my closet and found something I’ve already worn but I had my eye on a basic tee at the Hipster Men’s Event made by CHEERNO, who we all knew as someone who made various mesh accessories, skins, you name it and after a break he’s back to creating and doing clothing which is just as well put together as anything I’ve ever seen from his brand. The “S/S 18 Tee Basic” which I am wearing in “Sand” because I felt like plain white was just something that was too obvious and wanted to deviate from the norm even if just a little bit. The tee fits the Belleza, Signature (Gianni), and SLink mesh male bodies but maybe some of the others could try a demo and see if they can use alpha cuts to make it work for them. It’s really cool as far as basic shirts go and definitely something I personally recommend if you are looking for casual wear.

Before I wrap things up, I wanted to take a quick moment to say that even though I created this blog earlier in the month of March I didn’t put together my first post until the 31st of the month. Today is the true 4 year anniversary of These Conversations Kill and with 473 posts under its belt this site has been one of my best achievements and I wouldn’t change any of what I’ve done with it or on it in these 4 years. I’ve had good times and bad (as all of us have) and I feel that even though I may not be where I’d like to be I am just on the verge of it and my thoughts have changed and progressed and will continue to bring my style from the grid to the grid. Thank you to all of you that have been a part of this journey past, present, and those who are a part of the future. Time for you get to the good stuff and enjoy the first round of Pose Fair for 2018!

Until then, onto the next conversation…

HEAD: CATWA – Skell ✦ Previously Blogged
EYEBROWS: [theSkinnery] Hallford Brows Style 1 ✦ Previously Blogged
FACE: LV Designs – Brennan Tone 2 ✦ Previously Blogged
BODY: Belleza – Jake ✦ Previously Blogged

HAT: Ascend – Josh Baseball Cap – Fatpack ✦ Previously Blogged
SHIRT: *CHEERNO* S/S_18 TeeBASIC Sand ✦ NEW @ Hipster Men’s Event
JEANS: BlankLine – Jeans Pants (Fitted) [Dark] ✦ Previously Blogged
SOCKS: C’est La Vie! – Ilva Short Socks (#1) ✦ Previously Blogged
SHOES: FLite. Lowtop Ducks – Black ✦ Previously Blogged

POSE: ~Just Posing~ Batter Up! ✦ NEW @ Pose Fair

[#472] I Will Be There Once More…

You don’t have to stray
Two oceans away
Waves roll in my thoughts

Pearl Jam, ♫Oceans♫

Whenever I come across a Fisherman’s beanie (whether it be one with or without hair included) I feel that my scenes should have something to do with water and boats and or both. So after I received the Kenny hair from Modulus my first thought would be to find a location with those things in mind. Fortunate enough for me as I was looking at one of my resources for locations to potentially take photos at I instantly saw Erebos Harbor and I took a cab there.

Shortly after I started to explore and walk around, I found the perfect location. There was a dock with several boats and a great view of the ocean and that to me felt like a winner. After getting set up and getting everything just right (in my eyes anyway) I went to work and from that this photo came to pass.

Lighting is something I struggle with at times and half of the time getting things to look how I think they should (or want them to). With this pic I do feel like all the conditions were right and I was satisfied with the outcome and I do hope it shows to anyone taking a look as well.

At the beginning of the post I mentioned the Kenny hair by Modulus, which is available right now at Shiny Shabby (openened on the 20th). It’s a well made fisherman’s beanie with a fringe of hair coming out of the front and a little bit on the sides. I’ve been going with brown hair lately mainly because mine is that color in the real world. The hair comes in 5 color packs each with an integrated tinting HUD which also serves to help change the fabric color of the beanie (6 different shades).

If I were to do anything different about my look I would have given myself more facial hair, maybe more of a fisherman’s beard to go along with the beanie but it still turned out as a good look that works for me. Focusing on different angles and more singular products feels like it has been working out better for me since I started doing things a little bit differently

Recently I’ve just been posting one primary picture on the blog and not doing more than one but because I enjoyed the scenery around me at Erebos Harbor, I thought I would capture myself from another angle and get more of the water, and with the type of ambience I had really just gave me that feeling that I made the right choice by deciding to come here.

You’ll also notice that I’m wearing the Fugitive Flannel from Razor that I picked up while I was browsing The Clique event when I was there. Actually there were a few things I grabbed but whether I get around to blogging them while the event is running is yet to be seen. A lot of irons in the fire going on right now and I definitely do not want to burn myself out or not think of it as being fun. That is one of the sure signs and death knell’s of a blogger.

A few more details about the Flannel are that it comes fitted for Belleza male bodies but also has fits for several women’s bodies and it is made so that it is loose fitting to avoid anything poking through that might do so. I am wearing the blue version but it also comes in both black and yellow just in case blue is not a color you tend to wear a lot. I wear a lot of things that are usually black so it was down to blue or yellow for me and while yellow would have been fun, I think when the idea for this photo was formulating blue was the best choice.

Recently I found out that myself and 19 others (Lucky was also included in the 20 woohoo) were selected as the official bloggers for Pose Fair for 2018. I couldn’t be more excited as I’ve been going to the event for longer than I can remember as a consumer and this year I will be a part of it as a blogger. This is one achievement that I honestly never expected but I am going to make the very best of it. For the other official bloggers, congrats on your being selected as well I know some great work is going to come out of this all around.

The event starts April 1st and runs through the 30th so you have a whole entire month to check out all the goods that will be showcased to help you aid you in your creative blogging and photography. I have seen a lot of the designers that are apart of this and there are well known stores and there are some that you may not be familiar with and I hope to help bridge that as well.

It’s once again that time for me to wrap this up and look towards the future (as now I have plenty to plan for). We’ll see what tomorrow brings and I hope that I can get those creative brain waves going on whatever and wherever I am lead to. If there’s anything you might have a question about feel free to contact me through social media which you can find the access to on the right sidebar of the page or in the about me section.

Until then onto the next conversation…

Photo taken @ Erebos Harbor

HAIR: Modulus – Kenny Hair ✦ NEW @ Shiny Shabby
HEAD: CATWA – Skell ✦ Previously Blogged
EYEBROWS: [theSkinnery] Hallford Brows Style 1 ✦ Previously Blogged
FACE: LV Designs – Brennan Tone 2 ✦ Previously Blogged
BEARD: Nivaro – Rugged ✦ Previously Blogged
BODY: Belleza – Jake ✦ Previously Blogged

JACKET: Razor – Fugitive Flannel – Blue ✦ NEW @ The Clique

POSE: WRONG & The Owl. Static Male Poses #12

[#471] Pretty Fly…

You know it’s kind of hard
Just to get along today.
Our subject isn’t cool,
But he fakes it anyway.

The Offspring, ♫Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)♫

While it’s been a busy few last couple days I thought I would get a quick post out of the way as I had an idea for something goofy and quirky so I put on my photography hat and went to work. I needed to throw a little fun back up on the pages after doing something more on the serious side in the previous post. It just happened my inspiration came as I was hanging out at my friend Lucky’s place and he allowed me the opportunity to do a photo at his place.

It also gave me the opportunity to feature some cool things that I thought worked well together. This post won’t be a big as they have been since this was a just a short jog in a sense but like I said it was fun and I hope others can find the humor in the soundtrack I chose for the entry as it’s kind of a classic in a way.

Modulus just released the new Darren hair over the weekend at The Clique event, which is inspired by the film “The Breakfast Club”. While most people are unsure of what that is, I was a youngster when the film was first released and probably was not watching movies like this at the time. It is one of those films that is a favorite of many not just those who saw it then but those who have come across it in the years since. Darren is modeled a bit after the character, John Bender, who is played by Judd Nelson (who just happened to voice on of my favorite Transformers in the animated movie that debuted a year after this film).

Sometimes male hair when aided by accessories (like hats for example) fall short of expectations but this hair which has an incorporated headband (with 6 fabrics available in each of the color HUDs with integrated tinting) figuratively shapes this hair. It’s definitely something that works with a lot of the other Modulus releases for instance if you own them and go from just hanging out to playing some type of sport activity (or being goofy and playing living room basketball like my goofy self) it is a great transition.

If sweatpants and sweatshirts are your thing then you’ll definitely want to head to GUTCHI as soon as possible and become a group member (free to join at present moment) and pick up their most recent group gift which is this complete outfit that comes complete with a HUD that allows you to color 6 different parts of it (with a choice between 7 different colors). It’s available for owners of Belleza (Jake) and Signature (Gianni) mesh bodies and is definitely worth giving the store a look along with the other items (including shoes and accessories) that they sell which are excellent quality.

As I looked through my varied and copious amount of poses in my arsenal I found that I really didn’t have what I was looking for or something I didn’t already use that would fit the idea I had so it was off to the Marketplace to see if I couldn’t find something that would be just right. I came across a set by AM Poses which really caught my eye (several different styles of Dunk style basketball poses) and that was all I needed to see. The pack of poses even includes the ball so that you wouldn’t have to look all over try and find a ball if you didn’t have one (or create an extra expense if you are on a budget).

While I wrap this up I want to thank Lucky again for allowing me use of his space to pull this idea off because it was a lot of fun trying to be nerdy while appearing to be serious and Air Jordan like. Though it is time for me to get back into prep mode to figure out what will come next as I do have several thoughts but which one is the easier to pull off will be what you see next on the page.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and strive to have a wonderful week!

Onto the next conversation…

HAIR: Modulus – Darren Hair ✦ NEW @ The Clique
HEAD: CATWA – Skell ✦ Previously Blogged
EYEBROWS: [theSkinnery] Hallford Brows Style 1 ✦ Previously Blogged
EYES: Avi-Glam – Prestige Eyes
FACE: LV Designs – Brennan Tone 2 ✦ Previously Blogged
BEARD: Nivaro – Rugged ✦ Previously Blogged
BODY: Belleza – Jake ✦ Previously Blogged

OUTFIT: GUTCHI – Sweatpants & Shirts Premium ✦ Group Gift

POSE: AM Poses – Basketball Poses (Includes Ball)

[#470] Into The Abyss

Into the abyss
Nothing that I know, I can’t hear what you say
Am I already dead, into the abyss

Three Days Grace, ♫The Abyss♫

Lately it seems I’ve done a few blog entries with shots taking place in a prison cell; while I myself have never actually been locked up in a penitentiary it can be a very good metaphor of locking yourself up on your own prison. There are times that we isolate ourselves from various things for reasons that we don’t have an explanation for even when it sometimes seems demanded by those around you. As much as you wish they could help you there’s no true way for them to because you just have to find your own way to freedom.

Blogging itself can be very freeing at times when you come up with what you think it is a good look and a good setting/lighting/windlight etc.. Other times you can consider it a prison as well when you hit a creative block and designers that are counting on you to promote their items for an event or release at their store and there is a deadline for it. You tend to feel locked away but the best thing you can truly do is loosen up as difficult as it may sound. There are bloggers out there who seem to never take breaks and continue to create great looks and posts and I admire them for that but I know who I am creatively and I work hard at creating something that I’m not going to look at when I’m scrolling through my Flickr feed or anywhere else I’ve shared it on social media and get a gag reflex because in my mind it was horrible to me.

For the soundtrack to this blog, I choose a relatively newer song from Three Days Grace (thanks to a discussion with my colleague Lucky). While it may not be the Three Days Grace (the Adam Gontier version) that I am more of fan of, the song itself fit the mood of what I wanted to go for and encapsulated some of the feelings going through my head as I was going through the stages of editing and now writing this entry.

There are not as many pieces to list and cover in the credits as there were last time so it will be a little less frenetic to list them. I wanted to keep this idea simple and for it to be effective and I feel I did that with the help of the “Alcatraz Cells” by Mad’. Out of any of the prison backdrops or skyboxes that I have used, this one felt like it gave me the most realism and creativity with how it was built and textured so hats off to Eve Kazan (sorry I know you have a more prolific name in world but this way people will find you easier) for making such a great prop to aid me in this shoot.

Major applause to the DUFAUX brand for this prison jumpsuit that you can get as a group gift right now at their in-world store. This well designed one piece outfit is also one of the best I’ve seen of its kind in a long time and the fact that it fits the Aesthetic, Belleza, Signature (Gianni) bodies is a plus as well. Though for those people who are still wearing SLink, NX-Nardcotix, and TMP are left out of the fun on this. Though maybe with a little adjusting and alpha cuts it could work alright for them and as it is a gift it can’t hurt to give it a try.

Here’s a better and fuller look at the “Alcatraz Cells” which as I said is put together nicely. It includes the pose you see in both pics and has poses for both genders so it is a unisex pose prop/backdrop. In all there are a total of 4 poses (each gender) that range from laying to sitting and also standing. It is fully furnished to fit the poses that are built in so you don’t have to worry about finding your own prison cell furnishings because that can be a task by itself if you’ve ever tried it (and I’ve looked into it before).

Also I have a double dose of Modulus for you in this entry. I’m finalizing my coverage of Skin Fair 2018 by wearing the “Geron” skin for CATWA brand heads and having blogged all of the M-Bare skins from the fair, I honestly cannot pick which one is my favorite of the three that were released. If I were actually backed into a corner and asked about it though I would say I might favor “Garrett” because it was a great reason for me to wear the LeLutka “Andrea” head. Few skins I’ve seen for it have honestly motivated me but “Garrett” did. Geron is just as handsome and maybe a less edgy compared to Graham also for CATWA. There is definitely a difference between them as Victor was the head I wore for both which gives you parity (sometimes skin creators tend to release things that look way too similar and Chucky is good about not doing that.)

Here’s an extreme closeup of the Geron skin as well as the best look of the “Drew” hair that’s currently out for sale at the Man Cave event. As much as bloggers love to hear how much they are valued, I also think that creator’s also need to be shown they are valued as well. There are times you see how people may not say great things about the people that make the clothes or skins they wear or the hair on top of their heads. Some of it may stem from ungratefulness and when they do see that it does effect them. I want to express my gratitude for Chucky Hollak and the Modulus brand because I know a little bit about what he does and he’s a hard worker and does so to provide great things for us to use and photograph every day. Thank you for having me be a spokesperson for your brand as well, it means a lot and probably more than I could ever say in words or actions.

Now that I got that off my mind I can talk more about “Drew”. This hair has similarities to Harvey in a way but what gives it a different character is how hair separates in the middle. You get the same great amount of colors as all releases from Modulus (25 in all across 5 different color packs with the option of purchasing them all in a FATPACK). I’m not sure where the inspiration for this came from but it reminds me a little bit of some scenes from the Netflix version of The Punisher, towards the end of the series and also in some flashbacks.

Quite a bit of time has passed since one of the last eye releases by MESANGE but I’m happy to be wearing one of the newest releases that is currently a part of the latest round of We Love RP. The “Wyn” eyes are really stunning as you can see in the up close shot and there are 14 other colors available for eyes enabled for Omega as well as mesh eyes. I really hope to see more eyes as the brand has shifted their focus to creating tattoos (which are great as well but are more female oriented). Perhaps we’ll see more eyes at the next round of We Love RP, keep your eyes peeled because if there are you’ll see them here.

It’s that time once again for me to wrap this entry up so that I can leave you with the credits and begin sorting things out for the next idea and visual you’ll see. Soon I will be celebrating my “Bloggiversary” and perhaps will create a special entry just for that (and I hope I am able to come up with something worthy of it).

Onto the next conversation…

HAIR: Modulus – Drew Hair (Monochromes) NEW @ Man Cave
HEAD: CATWA – Victor ✦ Previously Blogged
EYES: MESANGE – Wyn Eyes ✦ NEW @ We Love RP
FACE: Modulus – Geron Skin (Fair) ✦ NEW @ Skin Fair 2018
BODY: Belleza – Jake ✦ Previously Blogged
TATTOO: { Speakeasy } Flame Tattoo ✦ Previously Blogged

JUMPSUIT: DUFAUX – Jail Coverall (Group Gift)

BACKDROP: Mad’ – Alcatraz Cells [Light]

[#469] And This Is War…

It’s just the two of us
A silver cross
And some strength that you won’t believe
Well I’m not afraid
I’m gonna make you pay
I’m gonna wipe that smile off your face

Our Lady Peace, ♫Wipe That Smile Off Your Face♫

Having someone to work with, collaborate and to bounce ideas off of is something that I feel is very lacking in the world of blogging. Maybe it’s just me or perhaps my way of going about things that brings about the belief that most bloggers are not interested in working together for fear of competition or plagiarism or whatever goes through ones mind.

Personally I’m not really out to compete with anyone and I know that everyone has their own style, some styles might be similar or some may contrast drastically. We’ve all got our ways and that’s what makes things exciting and unique when you’re browsing Facebook, Twitter, Flickr or whatever social media you might be attached to. There are so many out there and probably will see more to come in the future as technology advances. What might we see in the future? It’s a very good question.

My good friend and at times partner in crime, Lucky Spiritor created a very cool scene that inspired me to complete a visual I had in my head for a long time but never knew exactly how to go about it; that is why for the background of this blog the credit goes completely to him. You can find the blog he did with the scene by clicking HERE.

There are a lot of elements in this post so I’m a bit afraid of getting too wordy in my writing about what you are seeing. Like my friend, I have thought of a series of visuals that connect together and this is the first of them which I am going to call “Battle Scars”. It’s almost normal now for us to read about some type of fighting overseas and that US Soldiers (and also those from other nations) being killed in active duty. First and foremost if there’s anyone who reads this that has served or is currently serving in the Armed Forces, I thank you for doing what you do to defend our liberties and keep us safe from those who might harm us.

Most of the personal things on me are products I have been using lately and can be filed under the “previously blogged” category. The more I start using these on a consistent basis, I may add a page on the site which will state that unless I credit it that I’m going to be wearing them. I am wearing a new pair of eyes which I do have a better view of that you will see as you get deeper into the blog. I’ll tell you more about them after the photo which accompanies them.

Finding good soldier/mercenary gear is difficult to find and there are very few creators in world that handle these things which led me to begin scouring the marketplace. There I found the tactical vest and pants that I am wearing which are very well textured and made and the vest can be resized to help fit just about any mesh body out there.

The gloves I’m wearing are a past group gift from E-Clipse Designs but the store may still have them up with other past gifts. They are bento enabled and have an included HUD that you can change the color from either black or brown with the click of a button.

The wall of guns is from a gacha machine that is the brainchild of both the xin and Toro stores. I believe that it was created as part of a GTA V / Bank Heist type set which included a bunch of different gadgets and items. Though sticking with this wall, I feel there is plenty of firepower for a massive skirmish in whatever war zone this picture is based in (I haven’t decided yet where it would be).

For a soldier what can be more important than a wall of guns? More guns! As you can see there are several different handguns as well as a slick looking sniper rifle (a Call of Duty fans dream I’m sure). On top of that throwing in some tech that helps an operation go as smoothly as possible.

The rifle and hand guns (along with the magazine clip + compensator) belong to the very well crafted and detailed “Sharpshooter” gacha from BAMSE who specialize in making great weapons for gachas. I’m pretty sure that most males that blog these kinds of scenes have items from their machines (as well as anyone that might role-play). The brand doesn’t slouch when it comes to making these interesting pieces and definitely helps add a little more definition to a scene.

The case comes from the same gacha machine as the gun wall from xin + Toro, while the table itself comes from [NikotiN]’s “Dealer Kitchen” set. The grunge type look of the table works well with the gritty scene of the remote location that houses this tactical operation.

Avi-Glam did not just release skins at this years Skin Fair, they also released a min-set of eyes called the “Prestige” eyes and are exclusive to the event until it ends on the 26th of March. There’s still plenty of time to get this set which offers 15 different color irises with the choice to have small, medium, or large sizes. For those of you with CATWA and Omega enabled eyes, there is a HUD for you as well as one for regular mesh eyes that are also included.

I have a good idea where this theme of blog entries is going to go but until the rest of them are done and posted I truly don’t know if they’ll be quite what I have seen in my head. Though it will be definitely worth the effort of trying just to see how far I can allow my mind and creativity go and give a little bit of life and story to them.

This blog had a lot going on for itself with all the different gacha items in the background and it was really cool of Lucky to allow me to use the set he had created for himself to build a visual from my own mind. I’m not the best decorator when it comes down to it and usually prefer something already on a sim or a backdrop. Sometimes I am able to push myself to create a scene that even I am surprised of but it doesn’t happen often.

Now that I’m done getting carried away, I’m going to leave you to what I consider to be one of the most important parts of the blog: the credits. Be sure to click that link to Lucky’s blog as well because he does some great stuff as well.

Onto the next conversation…

HAIRBASE: Labyrinth – ‘Buzzcut’ Hairbase ✦ Previously Blogged
HEAD: CATWA – Skell ✦ NEW @ Skin Fair 2018 ✦ Previously Blogged
EYEBROWS: [theSkinnery] Hallford Brows Style 1 ✦ Previously Blogged
EYES: Avi-Glam – Prestige Eyes ✦ NEW @ Skin Fair 2018
FACE: LV Designs – Brennan Tone 2 ✦ Previously Blogged
BEARD: Nivaro – Rugged ✦ Previously Blogged
BODY: Belleza – Jake ✦ Previously Blogged
TATTOO: { Speakeasy } Flame Tattoo ✦ Previously Blogged

TACTICAL OUTFIT: [AbsoluT] – Tactical Combat Outfit
GLOVES: E-Clipse Designs – Male Bento Gloves (2017 Christmas Group Gift)

BACKDROP: [isuka] Basement Backdrop
GUN WALL: xin + toro // gun racks + RARE
TABLE: [NikotiN] Dealer Kitchen – Table
TECH CASE: xin + toro // portable hacking control station
SNIPER: :BAMSE: Sharpshooter – Sniper Rifle RARE ✦ NEW @ The Arcade
SIDEARM: :BAMSE: Sharpshooter – Sidearm [MODDED] RARE ✦ NEW @ The Arcade
SIDEARM 2: :BAMSE: Sharpshooter – Sidearm ✦ NEW @ The Arcade
MAGAZINE: :BAMSE: Sharpshooter – Magazine ✦ NEW @ The Arcade
COMPENSATOR: :BAMSE: Sharpshooter – Compensator ✦ NEW @ The Arcade

POSE: WRONG – Male Poses #24 ✦ NEW @ Ultra

[#468] Flying High Again

Mamma’s gonna worry
I’ve been a bad, bad boy
No use sayin’ sorry
It’s something that I enjoy

Ozzy Osbourne, ♫Flying High Again♫

Productivity when it comes to blogging has been on the rise for me lately and there are too many things that I couldn’t just pinpoint to one thing. Maybe it’s the excitement of trying new things in post production or trying different things like focusing on less products so that I can blog more and focus on them better. Whatever it might be I’m just happy that things are coming to me a bit easier.

This might be one of the first times that I’ve ever used a song by Ozzy Osbourne for a soundtrack for a blog but it certainly fit this one in a sense. I focused my energies on getting the best angles for the newest store release by Image Essentials, the “Parkour” pose set and prop. I’m very excited for its release because I proudly helped Kay adjust some of the poses in the near complete stages of creation and also was a part of the ad photo shoot which was really cool to say I was a part of so you’ll see me in the ad when you pick it up (and you should definitely pick it up)

One of the best features of this set is that there are 16 different poses that depict the art (I consider it art anyway) of Parkour. If you’re not familiar with it and I suspect you might but for those who don’t it is the “activity or sport of moving rapidly through an area, typically in an urban environment, negotiating obstacles by running, jumping, and climbing.” You’ve probably seen it in movies or shows but never realized it. One of the movies I enjoy watching a lot “Brick Mansions” features several parkour scenes and it is such a rush to watch it in action. Personally I wouldn’t do it myself because for one I have a fear of heights and you couldn’t get me to do it on a building because I’d likely be stuck on the pavement.

“Parkour’s” included pose prop is the top of an urban building which you are performing the moves on and it has bits of graffiti scattered about it which are very detailed and what I would call completely legit and make this a cool prop on top of the poses that come with it.

Head over to Image Essentials to take a look at this great new release, I know that it is going to be a big hit!

Finding a good outfit to go along with the pose felt like it could be a challenge. I wanted to make sure I was wearing something that was believable for the activity I was photographing. Shorts seemed like a great idea because then there wouldn’t be anything at the ankles to hinder the motion or keep from sticking a landing and ending up with a toe tag. For the top I figure maybe a hoodie would work well and I knew a place that had new items with both of these qualities.

My next stop was to the Man Cave where I encountered the “Drawstring Pod Shorts” by REPRESENT. These were absolutely perfect with the look I was building in my head but I didn’t think buying the full set of colors was necessary this time so I pressed myself to pick just one and I went with the navy color. Most of my clothing is monochromatic and I’m trying to wear other things that I might not normally choose.

As I was wandering through the event looking at everything just in case I might have missed something, just before I hit the exit I found the “Sweatshirt Hoodie” by ExalteD. This brand has really been impressing me lately with their releases at the different events they’ve been a part of and I’ve done my best to pick up what I could if it was within my style range. This design has several different graphics on it that I didn’t feel were appropriate for what I was aiming for so I chose the plain Gray option over the plain White because I just felt it might be too boring.

I rounded off my look with wearing the “SQUID ATTACK TRAINERS” from Vale Koer again. This time I used the HUD to give them a gray/blue color scheme and love how it looks. Wearing these is really fun because as I said in a previous post they remind me of something I own in the real world and they are really great with being able to change the colors to create so many varieties of shoe.

Most of my face is pretty much products I’ve blogged before (skin, body etc…) the only new thing that I certainly want to shine light on is the “Chris” hair by Modulus. This style is similar to the “Harvey” hair that I blogged previously but this happens to be a bit more shaggy and has more length to it and covers the eyes more. This product is one that you can grab at the Modulus store in-world and soon on the marketplace.

If you are familiar with the Alpha Hairs from the Modulus brand then you know that each hair has 25 different colors (distributed in 5 different color packs, but can also be purchased all in one fatpack, where you get all of the HUDs). Each color HUD has a color picker that you can tint the hair with additional color to create a look that suits you best.

When it comes to hair I will definitely go to bat for Modulus and the workmanship of each release; the detail of the hairs are just top notch. I recommend going to the store and seeing what the brand has to offer as well as their skins. You can also get links to the events they participate in so you won’t miss out on a release.

In the pic above I also gave another look at a different pose then the one in the main story photo as this set is just that awesome. I actually took this one first but chose the other one because it seemed more of an action shot than the one above. Though I think playing around with things it turned out maybe a little better but only by a small fraction. Hindsight is always 20/20 they say and it’s more often right then it isn’t.

Also you can see in the left panel of my closeup of the “Chris” hair, I’m not wearing the hoodie as I figure after a parkour workout I’d be a bit hot and sweaty so it came off and you are able to see some of the tattoo that I’ve been wearing but haven’t really credited because it’s been covered up by shirts and sleeves. The “Flame” tattoo by { Speakeasy } is really cool and has different elements which really caught my eye (the roses were one of them as well as the words on the right side of the ribs that is not viewable in that angle). It comes in two different ink opacities (fresh & worn) and has applier HUDs for Omega, Signature and TMP.

Now that I’ve been overly chatty (I get that way when I’m over the top excited about things), it is time for me to wrap this up and take a little breather before I begin planning my next scene and what I’m going to wear in it. Hope you all have a good rest of your weekend and enjoy yourselves until our paths cross again.

Onto the next conversation…

HAIR: Modulus – Chris Hair (Browns)
HEAD: CATWA – Skell ✦ NEW @ Skin Fair 2018 ✦ Previously Blogged
EYEBROWS: [theSkinnery] Hallford Brows Style 1 ✦ Previously Blogged
FACE: LV Designs – Brennan Tone 2 ✦ Previously Blogged
BEARD: Nivaro – Rough ✦ Previously Blogged
BODY: Belleza – Jake ✦ Previously Blogged
TATTOO: { Speakeasy } Flame Tattoo ✦ NEW @ Kinky

HOODIE: ExalteD – Sweatshirt Hoodie {Grey} ✦ NEW @ Man Cave
SHORTS: REPRESENT – Drawstring Pods Short “Navy” ✦ NEW @ Man Cave
SHOES: [VALE KOER] SQUID ATTACK TRAINERS FATPACK

POSE: Image Essentials – Parkour ✦ NEW

[#467] Closing Time

Closing time
Time for you to go out to the places you will be from
Closing time
This room won’t be open ’til your brothers or your sisters come

Semisonic, ♫Closing Time♫

Today 7 out of 10 Americans are likely out celebrating the holiday of St. Patricks Day, now while the day has different meanings to different people it usually gets associated with people drinking to the point of collapse (but not in all cases). Enjoying libations in a responsible way and hanging out with leprechauns sounds like an ideal time.

Several different songs came to mind when I was piecing things together ranging from George Thorogood to Dropkick Murphy’s but my mind steered me towards something different and it happened to be a pretty popular tune in the 90’s so I decided to hitch my wagons to it. Many a karoake machine is probably filled with this song which makes it that much better of a choice. It’s probably certain that you’ve sung it at some point in your life.

This is the third post I’ve done with coverage for Skin Fair, along with featuring the CATWA “Skell” mesh head that is an exclusive to the event I am also wearing an exclusive skin named “Dash” by Go&See. I really like how to two pair together, I think that I kind of have that Irish look about me that I was going for when I started putting the look together; if I wasn’t featuring a new hair I probably would have accessorized with a flatcap for added style.

“Dash” as I said is an exclusive and comes in Goth, Pale, Summer, Tan and Dark Tan with head appliers for both CATWA products and Omega enabled mesh heads as well. This may not have been mentioned in the previous blog I featured the “Danny” skin in but Go&See has also released newer body appliers to go along with these skins and can be purchased at Skin Fair as well as in store. I am also going to make an amendment to what I wrote in about the “Danny” shape in the previous post as well. It is sold separately as is the shape for “Dash” but you will be able to grab them up at the Fair while you are there.

This time I wore my own personal shape but I feel it doesn’t alter the face or skin at all and you can also see what it looks like with my Nivaro “Rugged” beard that seems to be becoming a regular addition to my look.

The Men’s Deparment is about halfway through the March round and I’m showing off this really cool hair named “Matt”. It’s a nice little short side swept hair that you can wear a shaved hairbase to give it a closely cropped look or just wear a normal one to make it look natural and not shaved. This is the first time I’m actually wearing a shade from the “Reds” color pack. Of course you have the option to purchase the 5 color packs (Blonds, Browns, Monochromes, Reds and Vibrants) or get all of them together in a FATPACK which saves you some dough. I’ve talked about the color HUDs have a color picker so that you can actually change your hair to a shade that isn’t in any of the packs which really gives you more than 25 options. Lots of choice and a great quality product as I’ve come to experience from Modulus.

Spring has not yet set in yet in most places so I thought it would work out well for me to use the “Chesterfield Coat” by ::K:: to keep my avatar comfortable as he heads out the door as the bar starts closing up. I really like longer coats and the add-on scarf is a great touch which you can change the color/pattern of with it’s included HUD. It fits great and and it’s one of those things that I never have to worry about when I see something that’s been made by Kitt Ragu. The Chesterfield Coat fits anyone with a Belleza, Signature (Gianni) or SLink mesh body. Take a cab from the credits below to give it a closer look!

What is a St. Patrick’s Day photo without a bar setting? This super backdrop is from Paparazzi, who I have featured on more than one occasion and for a very good reason. The quality of the work in the mesh and textures help any photographer/blogger get the results they are looking for and it’s not going to zap their wallets (or purses for the gals).

A week ago for Fifty Linden Friday I went to Commoner and picked up this “Pint of Pilsner” which comes in the green version I’m using and also an amber version. I purchased them both knowing that at some point I’d be able to use them for something and it must have been foresight that I picked up the green one because it occurred to me while I was setting up that I had this and made sure I included it into the shot.

I also have to give a shout out to WRONG & The Owl for another cool pose collaboration. I remember the #10 pose set being at Men Only Monthly for the Dec/Jan round and wasn’t sure what I might need it for but the ad for it depicts a wine flute but alcohol is alcohol so I switched it out for some beer without any issues.

That just about wraps up another blog entry for me but keep your eyes peeled for my final coverage of Skin Fair and some of the other events that are starting up or have started up recently (Kustom9 and Men Only Monthly among others). Have a safe evening and rest of the week and and maybe I’ll see you out and about!

Onto the next conversation…

HAIR: Modulus – Matt Hair (Reds) ✦ NEW @ TMD
HEAD: CATWA – Skell ✦ NEW @ Skin Fair 2018 ✦ Previously Blogged
EYEBROWS: [theSkinnery] Hallford Brows Style 1 ✦ Previously Blogged
FACE: Go&See – Dash ✦ NEW @ Skin Fair 2018
BEARD: Nivaro – Rough ✦ Previously Blogged
BODY: Belleza – Jake ✦ Previously Blogged

JACKET: ::K:: Semi Chesterfield Coat – Khaki

GLASS: [Commoner] Pint of Pilsner / Emerald
BACKDROP: Paparazzi – BACKDROP – Alley Bar – Blues

POSE: WRONG & The Owl. Static Male Poses #10

[#466] Highway To The Danger Zone

They never say “Hello” to you
Until you get it on the red-line overload
You’ll never know what you can do
Until you get it up as high as you can go

Kenny Loggins, ♫Danger Zone♫

Taking a step into a little bit of uncharted territory here with this blog entry. Not only am I trying different ways of lighting and post processing but also throwing a bit of decor in (even though it it not my strong point at all). I also decided to choose a soundtrack to this that fits maybe not in a traditional sense but more metaphorical.

Coming soon to the Illuminate event is the “Rogue Flare Ejection Seat” which is definitely not your average piece of furniture. This chair is rather unique with one of the features that gives it its name. 10 different sit animations and one very special one which literally ejects you into the air. As hard as it would be to capture an actual ejection from the chair, I simulated that part in my up close secondary shot for the sake of humor.

When this chair gets released you definitely need to check it out for yourself because it’s just too much fun.

Decorating as I said in my opening, is not something I’m very good at. Coming up with things and combining them to adding clutter as I’ve been told helps sometimes is just not where my expertise is. On thing I do know is that when I see something I like then I purchase it with the intention of using it either in my own home or as part of a set to help a blog scene along.

Llorisen has been around the grid for a while but I’ve only recently started snapping up some of their work and continue to look for other things as well. The wall frame is inspired by the comics and personally reminds me of Batman ’66 during the fight scenes. I first came across it as a Fifty Linden Friday item and couldn’t resist it and I was in awe of the quality. The build that is also a part of the scene is also from the store and is called the “Keating” skybox. This apartment style loft is just super amazing and I fully intend to do future scenes from it so I made sure I picked a spot that was away from an area I wanted to feature in the future. Both of these items are currently at their main location so check them out at the soonest convenience.

The Men’s Department has a lot of great items this month and probably more than I’ll be able to purchase or cover but you never know what will inspire me and pop up into a photo. For the second straight blog I’m wearing the BURLESON bracelet from {Cold-Ash}. I felt that the last picture didn’t give as good of a look as I wanted (with the tone of the photo being darker with the lighting). As far as bracelets go it is one of most well designed and crafted pieces of jewelry/accessories I’ve worn in a while.

Also from the event are the “BOJAN Sneakers” from Not so Bad. These low top shoes come in three different colors but if you pick up the FATPACK you get a HUD to give them even more customization. Being able to change the color of the sole, laces, side stripe, tongue, and back patch is definitely a nice added touch to be able to do. Gives the shoes a bit more life than just a few wears because you can style them to fit your look/theme. The sneakers come in sizes for Belleza, Signature (Gianna), TMP and classic avatars with a resize HUD also included.

Uber is the destination to hit if you’re looking for some newness from [Deadwool], who released their “Tweed Trousers” at the monthly event. Most of the colors border darker fabrics (grays and blacks etc) and there is even a bonus for purchasers of the FATPACK and I decided to really treat myself to getting one since it’s been a while (plus it helped that I had some stored up credit from the holidays woooo!) The pants come sized for those with Belleza, Signature (Gianni) and SLink male bodies.

As I wrap this up I think that the inspiration and humor that I put into this scene really did a world of good. I mean it’s not everyday that someone gets hurled up into the air on purpose (or is it accident I’m not sure to be honest?) It also felt good that I created an image that didn’t have tons of dark lighting/mood and had sunlight in it. I’m definitely liking that I can do more than just that it’s just encouraging myself to vary from what is safe for me. I’ll also be posting a different type of photo for this shoot on Flickr (a composite of the two images) to be able to show every bit of what I did. More from the Skin Fair is to come as there are just about 10 days left of the event. Time for me to hit the road…

Onto the next conversation…

HAIR: Lock&Tuft – Spudly (Variety) ✦ Previously Blogged
HEAD: CATWA – Skell ✦ NEW @ Skin Fair 2018 ✦ Previously Blogged
EYEBROWS: [theSkinnery] Hallford Brows Style 1 ✦ Previously Blogged
FACE: LV Designs – Brennan Tone 2 ✦ Previously Blogged
BODY: Belleza – Jake ✦ Previously Blogged

SHIRT: {COLD-ASH} MONTANA Tee – SUMMER ✦ Previously Blogged
BRACELET: {COLD-ASH} BURLESON Bracelet ✦ NEW @ TMD
PANTS: [Deadwool] Tweed Trousers – Extra ✦ NEW @ Uber
SHOES: not so bad – BOJAN Sneakers ✦ NEW @ TMD

CHAIR: {Q-Essentials} Yellow Rogue Flare Ejection Seat ✦ NEW @ Illuminate (Coming 03/18!)
FRAME: llorisen – Long Narrow Frames – Comics (H)
BUILD: llorisen – Keating Skybox

[#465] Won’t You Come?

Black Hole Sun
Won’t you come
And Wash Away The Rain?

♫Black Hole Sun♫ – Soundgarden

When it comes to brainstorming for ideas and you connect them to songs to use as the basis for what you want to visually portray onto the screen (in the case of digital art), sometimes you hesitate at some songs because of the deep meaning of them to you. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever try to use a song by Soundgarden for the basis of a blog after Chris Cornell left the world but some of the songs he contributed to are just too good to ignore.

The 90’s were some of the best years as far as music for me, I discovered so much and really kind of understood artists like Alice In Chains, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and of course Soundgarden. Grunge wasn’t the only music that influenced my creativity back then but it was certainly a catalyst that sticks with me even today when it comes to some of my virtual fashion choices.

Creating the visual for this post, I wanted to do something that I don’t usually do with my work. I wanted to try shooting at different angles and really just going back to basics a little and not cram so many products to feature. Which is why I chose two of them for this and I’ll explain more about them after the photo.

Another thing I decided to do was focus on just one photo and try my best to make sure that it really stood out and looked the best I could possibly make it; while I could have did a concept similar to the music video they did for the song but to try and capture that essence in a photo would have taken a lot of photos to get it down. Though I think with what I did do I am completely satisfied with the turnout and is not completely like things I’ve done in the past.

This blog entry includes more coverage of Skin Fair 2018 and features three of my brand partners (Cold-Ash, Modulus and Go&See). To give readers a closer look at the facial features of “Garrett” the 2nd of three skin releases by Modulus for the fair is something I wanted to focus on. This release is for the LeLutka “Andrea” head which it’s been some time since I last wore but I still enjoy wearing it as much as any of the other mesh heads I have in my rotation. While I might be wrong, I feel like this skin has a very distinct greek feel to it’s appearance or at least a country that is farther east of the US. Garrett comes in Caramel, Chestnut, Fair, Latte, Rose (which I am currently wearing) and Sand. You also get a body and eyebrow shape to guide you to look how Modulus intended but there is also nothing wrong with styling things in your own way (we all have our own set of personal rules for how we want our virtual selves to be).

My eyes that I’m wearing are from Go&See and while they are not an exclusive to the event, they are being sold there for you guys to give a look at. I completely recommend the “Hole” eyes and for me they fit perfectly with my idea for my current look and setting. There are 4 different variants of eyes to choose from and two out of the four are darker in tone. Fantasy photographers or Role-Players will really dig these eyes and will want to use them when they see them up close.

I’m also wearing the BURLESON bracelet from {Cold-Ash} which is a very cool and unique accessory that’s up for sale at The Men’s Department right now. The bracelet is a nice leather band with an infinity symbol accent in metal. You can change both the metal and the leather band with the included style HUD. I think this bracelet is great for any fella that likes to accessorize but isn’t a necklace, ring, or watch type. It will fit any avatar and you can easily edit it to fit your avatar which is what puts this product on the must have list as well. It certainly would be cool to see people around various places I may go wearing this.

Now that I’ve relayed my thoughts and passed the most pertinent information along I’m going to wrap this up and start planning what comes next which I want to say will be “who knows what”. More Skin Fair coverage to come as we get towards the half way point of the event and mix in some great brands along with over newness out on the grid. As always it’s been my pleasure so…

Onto the next conversation…

Photos taken & Mother Road / Mirage Hotel 66

HAIR: Wasabi – Dylan Hair – Blacks Pack
HEAD: LeLutka – ANDREA ✦ Previously Blogged
EYES: Go&See – Hole ✦ @ Skin Fair 2018 ✦ Not Exclusive
FACE: Modulus – Garrett (Rose) ✦ NEW @ Skin Fair 2018
BODY: [SIGNATURE] Gianni v4.5 ✦ Previously Blogged

TANKTOP: Vale Koer – Essential Tank Top ✦ Previously Blogged
BRACELET: {COLD-ASH} – BURLESON Bracelet ✦ NEW @ TMD

BLACK HOLE: Imagination Labs – Black Hole 2.0

[#464] Sharp Dressed Man

Top coat, top hat,
I don’t worry ’cause my wallet’s fat.
Black shades, white gloves,
Lookin’ sharp and lookin’ for love.

♫Sharp Dressed Man♫ – ZZ Top

This blog entry would be more appropriately titled “Sharp Dressed Men” considering I happen to be collaborating with a long time friend of mine who I’m finally getting the chance to work with. It is my first time collaborating with Lucky Spiritor in this medium but after some time away he’s back and ready to do some great visual work and I truly believe that (or I wouldn’t be saying it).

I feel very fortunate to be working with him and I know that this won’t be the last time we’ll be putting our heads together to work on photos; and you can check out his version at his website, LuckySpiritor.com.

Very recently I was invited to be a member of the Bakaboo clothing brand by the owner/creator himself, Ocean Blackthorne. I’ve had interactions with him through social media and have found him to be a really cool person and one I enjoy talking to so I was very honored to be asked to join the brand. I am joining Lucky as we are both a part of the team and the latest release “Baka Couture Tuxedo 2” which you can find right now at the Swank event is what inspired us to do this for our first collaboration together.

To say a little bit more about the Bakaboo brand itself if I were asked about it, I would say that it is a unique brand with lots of different patterns and very colorful attire. That is what drew me to them in previous blog posts that I have done because I like things that are not your usual suit or basic shirts and jean outfits (even though I love those too). As an ambassador for this brand I will make sure I do my very best to represent it the best that I can.

Lucky and I played off of one another as the suit comes in 3 different styles: Aaron (which is white with back embellishments), Markski (which is black with white embellishments) and Ocean (which is a blue base with color embellishments). It comes in separate pieces that include shoes with socks, pants, and jacket/shirt as well as bow tie accessory. The suit fits standard sizing fits (XS-XL) but works well with both the Belleza (what I’m wearing) and SLink (what Lucky is wearing).

Skin Fair has been pretty good to me this year as two of my brand partners are participating with creations and I found myself trying out and eventually buying the newest male CATWA head, Skell. I feel like it has a very European feel to it with some very nice features that made my primary skin by LV Designs look just as good as the Daniel head does; I’ll certainly be playing around with it more (and growing my eyebrows back!)

Men Only Monthly is the event that you can pick up the “Dandy” pose by WRONG & The Owl. When we started to plan for this shoot I knew this was definitely the right fit for the idea we were going to eventually go with and I’ve really been enjoying the work that these two brands do together as well as individually. It’s great that there is parity between pose creators because you can find just about anything for what you come up with in your head.

For this entry I decided to just stick with one shot just to test some things and try to do something a little different (much like I did with my face and hair). It’s not very often that I go browless for a look but I thought that with a unique outfit I should change it up some. That is also why I decided to go back to one of my more interesting hairstyles as well, which happens to be the “Jason” hair by the Yuth brand. I have the blacks pack so I decided to go with a grayer/white hair that is not my usual style either.

After conferring with a few different people I think that I could try some different things because I tend to fall into habits and it’s not something I want to be associate with or fall into being a “one trick pony” as it could be referred to as. I hope that this page shows some different looks and focus more on just a few products then trying to throw a million things together at once just because it’s easier to do.

We’ll see how it all goes but I am very appreciate of the support that I’ve been receiving lately (it means a great deal to me). Alas it is time to wrap this one up so I can get back to the planning stages for what might come next as I do have some ideas and things I want to try out. My credits are going to be listed below but if you’re interested in anything that Lucky might be utilizing, check out his site at LuckySpiritor.com for all his details/credits.

Onto the next conversation…

HAIR: Yuth – Jason (BLK)
HEAD: CATWA – Skell ✦ NEW @ Skin Fair 2018
FACE: LV Designs – Brennan Tone 2 ✦ Previously Blogged
BODY: Belleza – Jake ✦ Previously Blogged