I had enough, it’s time to beat this habit I’m growing cold, I’m caught in your madness Soon enough, you’ll only end tragic I hear your voice, the comfort in sadness
Silverstein ♫Madness♫
Couples poses can have different categories and meanings. It isn’t just for the relationship and romantic variety of photography that it usually gets associated with. They can also be considered action shots or even friends and family pics depending on the pose itself. CuCa Poses mixes a bit of action and romance with the “Ride Or Die” poses sets currently available at Pose Fair. This is the first pose set in the group and as you can see there could be action taking place before or after the scene I put together. There is even a slight hint of romance there and has a movie quality about it.
I’m also excited that Cold-Ash released two new items at the beginning of this month. The “Hawthorne Shirt (Plaid Pack)” is a part of the March round of The Men’s Department. Being that I am a sucker for button down flannel shirts this really was a must for my closet. To go along with it is the “MILES Casual Chino Pants” which is available at the Cold-Ash store. These are great for when you aren’t feeling jeans but won’t be going anywhere that requires dress pants. Anyone that is a fan of Cold-Ash will definitely want to grab these up.
BACKDROP: ISUKA – Yokocho Backdrop / No Longer Available
POSE: CuCa Poses – Ride Or Die 1 @ Pose Fair / NEW
The comfort of a knowledge of a rise above the sky
But could never parallel the challenge of an acquisition in the
Here and now, here and now
Letters To Cleo, ♫Here And Now♫
One of the things I’ve always enjoyed about blogging is the challenges you can bring about to your creativity. Using both male and female items for my photos and virtual photography is something I enjoy because I can think outside of the box as some people say. Being a gamer who has had eons of experience with so when I saw the releases from Lush Poses at Pose Fair, I decided to see what I could pull together and do it with a twist. It would be so easy for me to do it with my normal every day look but to pull off a female look…now that is a challenge.
“Naughty Gamer Girl” is a pose set that comes with a controller prop and a bean bag prop filled with 8 different poses. I thought they were rather tasteful and they could also be used for seductive type photos if someone wanted to go that direction. There’s a lot of ways that it could be looked at but each pose is professionally made. Lush has been one of my favorites to utilize through Pose Fair over my years involved with the event and I definitely encourage anyone to give their sets at the event a look and then also go take a look around their store in-world.
With that said I believe I’ve inspired myself to go pick up my controller and do some gaming myself. Life imitates art in a sense!
California girls
We’re undeniable
Fine, fresh, fierce
We got it on lock
West Coast represent
Now put your hands up
Katy Perry, ♫California Gurls♫
It’s been quite a while from the last entry I posted but to be honest I haven’t really felt all that creative even with the time in isolation that I’ve had. Though I sparked enough to motivate me with one of the recent Session Skins releases named Ciara. I paired it with a new hairbase release by EMO-Tions that came out for the newest round of Cosmopolitan (an anniversary round at that!)
What better way put a smile on faces then a barely dressed woman in a pool in warm weather? It hasn’t quite reached where I am yet but we’ve had some pretty wonderful days over the last week or so; I’m crossing my fingers that there are more of those and less of the rainy ones that have been showing up. With that I feel more of the designers are going to be creating and releasing shorts and tank tops for the guys and more bathing suits/bikinis for the women and that will be great fun to take pictures of. Seeing a new release of a sweater or long coat around this time always bums me out because I’m longing for the warm weather and know that in reality that type of clothing would be just way too hot.
You could travel the world
But nothing comes close
To the golden coast
Once you party with us
You’ll be falling in love
Oh, baby, you’re a haunted house
Better find another superstition
We’re gonna stay in love somehow
‘Cause, baby, you’re a haunted house now
Gerard Way, ♫Baby You’re A Haunted House♫
We’re in the last weekend (two days and counting) of Skin Fair. There are a lot of fun skins, shapes, make-ups and accessories still waiting for you if you haven’t made your run yet. Now is the chance as the crowds should be pretty quiet today yet but tomorrow it may be busy as it is the last day of being open and there will be a race to the finish to get those last minute makeover items.
After some thought I wanted to make mention that the pose I used in this photo shoot is by Image Essentials. Recently the store that I was once a proud blogger for closed it’s doors for good. It was a sad moment learning about it but I understand the reasons behind why it was done and I have nothing but love and respect for Kay Weston. I also wanted to say thank you to her for being one of the first few brands to have faith in me when not a lot of brands were picking me up. You gave me a lot of reason to keep striving and wanting to create better images and you will forever have my gratitude.
So thank you very much from deep down. I wish you the nothing but the best for the future.
And your heart will stay forever
When your last remains are few
In the dark we dance together
And I’d like to be waiting with you
I’m gonna soak up the sun
Gonna tell everyone
To lighten up
I’m gonna tell ’em that
I’ve got no one to blame
For every time I feel lame
I’m looking up
Sheryl Crow, ♫Soak Up The Sun♫
Today is another gloomy one here and I decided that I was going to infuse some warm weather vibes into my artistry. For the look that I’ve put together for this entry I have some fun things from Skin Fair that I really think are fantastic. It’s amazing just how many great stores are a part of this event and every year it just gets better and better in my estimation. From looking at works from my fellow event bloggers I am amazed at the creativity and looks everyone is putting together.
Amuse Bouche has several skins for sale at Skin Fair and when it came to me choosing one it was difficult so I did some consulting and the consensus was that Cassie paired with the Genus Baby Face W002 which is almost making its debut at the event, were the best choices. The skin itself is Bakes On Mesh tattoo layer with a brow and non brow in the pack. The skin only comes in golden which a little bit more colorful than the usual pale tones I go with but it’s not entirely tanned. The body appliers are sold separately so if you don’t have any previously releases by this store then you would need to get them.
I’ve also added a little bit of color to the lips of this look by using the Babe Lips applier by TheMars. This pack has 10 different tones of reddish tint lip gloss that is applied via HUD. The version I am using is for Genus branded heads but it is also being sold for CATWA heads as well so there are at least two different brands that it can be used for.
Many of you know about the great singles and couples poses being offered at the 10th anniversary round of the Pose Fair but did you also know that most if not all the booths offer gifts as well just for browsing their booth? I thought it would be a great idea if I presented one of the gifts and I chose one of two “Signals” poses by PRINT. I thought this best fit the idea of being on the beach and just enjoying the sun soaked day by listening to the music that was in my head. I love the hand gestures in the pose as I tend to do those a lot in various things (even when nobody is watching or looking). I certainly encourage anyone that hasn’t stopped by their stall at the event to check out this gift and their other poses because I don’t think there would be any regrets.
Chloe does the tables in the French Quarter
She’s always been given
So I can’t always make her laugh
But I’m proud to say
And I won’t forget
Chloe Dancer / Crown Of Thorns, ♫Mother Love Bone♫
The official opening of the 10th Anniversary of Pose Fair is upon us. I cannot wait to see what comes in terms of creativity from the poses that I have at my disposal from this event but I’m excited. Given the fact that I have more to work with since I’ve been blogging female items as well, I feel that it gives me just that much more freedom. Less constriction based on how very little there is sometimes for men (though it is slowly changing but not quick enough for my liking).
I will start with my choice for the pose set I am using which comes from Diversion. This store/brand has been around for a few months from what I know and from what I have seen, it is a store that I want to use items from and now is the time to start. I picked the “Springtime Sadness” pack because it works for the shot I had in mind. Not only am I able to get the full seated pose in the frame but also have it be close enough to show off the skin I’ve chosen to wear.
“Springtime Sadness” has 6 different poses (including mirrors) and is available starting today.
Session Skins latest face that is out for ladies is named “Pearl” and as with most of the new skins, it is full-body Bakes On Mesh. It comes in tones 00b, 01, and 02 with skinny and chubby body types for variety and versatility. It also comes with a mole option via a tattoo layer and includes a brow and body shape. I like lighter tones as I feel they suit me best (probably in another life I was goth maybe?) I find that Session Skins put out some amazing and gorgeous faces for women so for anyone who hasn’t found them then it is high time you get to know them and love them. You’ll be glad you did.
Also, I’m using the “Joker Stairs” backdrop from Minimal which is a depiction of one of the locations in New York from the movie. I tentatively had other plans for using this but I’m not sad that I did this photo session before those. I feel it turned out awesome and gives me more reason to use it and not have it be a one-off and sit in my inventory for ages because that would be a shame with how detailed it is.
Remember: the time you feel lonely is the time you most need to be by yourself. Life’s cruelest irony.
Douglas Coupland
I’ve been looking so long at these pictures of you
That I almost believe that they’re real
I’ve been living so long with my pictures of you
That I almost believe that the pictures are
All I can feel
Pictures Of You, ♫The Cure♫
Time can easily get away from you. It is one of the easiest ways I can explain for my absence over the past few weeks along with the fact that I’m still not all that inspired like I once was; I still love taking photos but sometimes I just have to really feel motivated to and that’s been my issue over many months. Of course there’s personal reasons for that and those closest to me understand that. I would love to come back stronger but I guess it is just not there yet or I’m not ready.
This is meant to be a quick update because I really wanted to take a photo with the latest release from Lock&Tuft. It’s a cool camera that’s reminiscent of the old Polaroid cameras and the retro ones they came out with a few years ago. It’s got three different pose positions (high, low and side) and comes complete with a texture changing HUD with three colors (green, pink and white). For the photo I took, I thought I would focus the most on the camera because I tend to find myself taking photos and piling different clothes together trying to get credits in and it becomes distracting and never turns out right. Personally I think this turned out great and for something simple it works as I intended.
Maitreya has also released a new update that includes compatibility with BOM (Bakes On Mesh). There are a lot of little additions like a few extra feet positions and that of different nipple functions which I didn’t feel the need to mess around with. The underwear that comes with the body has also been revised by Erratic and is very detailed.
You can grab the 5.0 update at the store of if you are a part of their free group (Maitreya V.I.P.) you can get a HUD that will auto deliver the new version too you. Part of the features added is being able to get future updates or if you just need a redelivery, you can get it right from the Body HUD itself. Tableau Vivant has also included their entire skin tone range as well for those who are avid wearers of their skins that’s certainly a great feature too.
As much as I didn’t think I would like Bakes On Mesh, my mind is slowly starting to change but there is still a way to go before I am all the way invested in it. I’m still pretty firm on my liking of appliers.
When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.
Ansel Adams
But I promise you this
I’ll always look out for you
Yeah that’s what I’ll do
Sparks, ♫Coldplay♫
My mind sometimes is filled with so much information that I don’t always remember if I’ve been to a location for a photo. This is the case with The Four Seasons sim, which is where this particular photo took place. I have been to most of the places that I know of or browsed through guides so lucky for me that I was having a conversation with Brenna and told me to check this place out. It’s a really great place not only for pics but also to explore and you can join the group at a small cost ($50L is all) to be able to rezz props.
I think when it has come to creating winter and holiday themed photos, I am getting better at it then I have been in previous years. Ideas are not always tucked away and can happen on the spot much like how this arrangement happened. I had the look and pose I wanted but the last bit that I needed was how I was going to implement the right surroundings; as I wandered around I found a tree clearing with a snow sculpture of a dog made of snow.
Who can say no to a cute snow doggo? Apparently not even me.
Elephante Poses has been around a long time as far as Second Life grid standards apply (even so much as taking a break for a while). I really thought that when I saw the ad vendor for the “Shine” set that it was very manageable to make it work. The set has 6 different poses that activate when you attach the sparkler to yourself. The vibe I was feeling when I was working on the environmental part of the scene was evening time so that I could use a facelight (the only time that I personally feel is acceptable) to have that illuminating feel from the sparkler.
The lighting along with a little of depth of field thrown in set the stage for what I consider an intimate setting. If I hadn’t already picked the song I wanted to use to play off of the situation in the scene, the second choice would have been “Silent Night” which also would have made sense. The logic of it is that it would have had that Christmas movie feeling to it where either a single person or a choir would sing (usually with candles) and it would visually be immaculate.
There’s absolutely no regrets with how this turned out though and it gives me the opportunity to use that song for another blog entry either this year or in the future.
Every moment contains a spark of eternity.
Elie Wiesel
It’s a wonderful feeling
Feel the love in the room
From the floor to the ceiling
It’s that time of year
Christmas time is here
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, ♫N’Sync♫
One of the toughest things for me when it comes to the task of pairing blogs up with songs (especially this time of year) is trying to remember what I’ve done and what I haven’t. Like I have to be careful with songs revolving around winter and the holidays as there are the ones that are such classics and are easy to remember but once you’ve broken past that barrier then you’re scraping the barrel for ones that fit your mood/theme. I’ve been also going through some of the more modern songs and that’s when I decided it was time to go back but not too far back to when JT and his guys were younger and put out this infectious holiday tune.
Pose Fair is well under way now and I’m seeing so many good photos and representations from fellow event bloggers as well as those who have gone to the event to pick up their favorites and put them in their creations. It’s a wonderful thing to see and personally I hope it inspires each and every one of us because to me that’s what creativity is all about…to see what we can take from our brains and put onto digital canvas in this particular case.
Ax Poses has a bevy of exclusives for this round and I had a hard time choosing between them as I found their “Beautiful” pose to be something that could be made into a sweet moment. Though the sweet pets that make up the “My Christmas Gift” won the day for me as I couldn’t resist the playful kitty and their wrapped gift and the puppy with a Santa Hat. These props are included with the pose and the pose can be unlinked from the props to help adjust for varying avatars.
Let me be the first to admit that I haven’t really been all the up to date on how the new (although technically old) “Bakes On Mesh” stuff works and last night I ended up putting myself smack into the middle of it so that I could blog the “Yvette” skin by Session Skins. It employs the Bakes On Mesh tech and considering that this is a product for women I was becoming frustrated trying to get it to work. I had to ask around and finally was able to get directed in the right direction to the things that would make it work and once I got the hang of it, the experience wasn’t entirely horrible and could be handy in the future even if at the beginning I thought it was a pain in the rear (frustration can set in easy sometimes).
“Yvette” comes in two different tone options (01 and 02 which I took the lightest between them). This is also a full body skin so it came in two different body styles (skinny and chubby) along with the tattoo add-ons that can give you moles or take away the original eyebrows so you can wear your own. I did in fact go with the moles because I liked how they looked but I left the eyebrows after testing the tattoo to remove them and it wasn’t for me personally. I also can see why people are moving towards BOM because of the amount of tattoos that you can wear on the body (some upwards of 62 from what I’ve been told) which is highly useful for makeups and as well as tattoos.
I have to admit I think it’ll take me quite a bit of time to get used to this new system but like any other new thing in Second Life, I’ll adapt to it just fine. We all were all on that ship when new mesh items were coming out over the past few years as well as when Bento itself released not that long ago. To me it’s just one step towards making things more realistic.
My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others.
Bob Hope
POSE: Ax Poses – My Christmas Gift @ Pose Fair ✦ NEW
HAIR: elua – Miss Hair ✦ Gacha HEAD: Genus Project – Classic Face W001 SKIN: Session Skins (Store / MP) – Yvette (Tone 01) BODY: Maitreya – Lara v4.1
Warn your warmth to turn away,
Here it’s December,
Everyday.
Press your lips to the sculptures,
And surely you’ll stay.
AFI, ♫Love Like Winter♫
Sometimes I never really know what to write when I do these blogs. What kind of info do I want to share and what I do share is it too much or not enough? Perhaps it is simply just trial and error and hopefully by the end of things you at least know what I’m wearing or what others are wearing that I might photograph and where it can be purchased. My goal is to make a visually interesting photo to go along with the items I’ve tasked myself with sharing and if at least one person (whether it is male items or female items now as well) takes a taxi because I’ve helped them make an informed decision then I’m happy.
Without going into any cheesy Game Of Thrones mantras (Winter Is Coming…no no it’s already here) I had to take a long hard look at what my future was as it relates to blogging and the blogging of events. While it’s great to be able to have all these different things at my disposal, I have to think about the cost of it is not only time wise by creativity wise. Pose Fair is one of my favorite events for the simple fact that without poses blogging would be quite dull and our virtual selves would look like we had sticks up our bums.
Because of the fact that I was dealing with things in my real life I was unable to participate in the last two rounds. The latest round begins on December 7th and when it came time to choose between doing it and walking away permanently, I chose to see if this was the thing that helped me and not only healed some of parts of me that hurt and also would inspire me creatively. I’ll be the first to say that winter and Christmas themes are not something I’ve dealt with exceptionally in the past but I will say that I’m looking at it from a challenge standpoint and I am up for it.
Thank you to Ruby for having faith in me to allow me to be a permanent fixture in her event, it’s a an honor for me to be a part of all of this.
The first store that I’ve chosen to blog is WetCat, I’ve always loved the poses from this store and I realize that it’s one of insanely popular ones that will get a ton of coverage for the event (which is warranted no doubt). The “Last Christmas” pose set just really spoke to me creatively and I ended up on the popular and now winterized version of Luanes World (I’ll hopefully be blogging this store as well for the event). The set comes with a frozen heart (or one made of snow) prop and 6 different poses each with mirrors of the pose and prop.
When the event opens on the 7th, I expect this to be a huge hit with pose enthusiasts but also be sure to check out “Heat” which is another Pose Fair Exclusive for this winter round.
One of the best times of the year for sales in the SL community is around Thanksgiving where stores much like in the real world hold Black Friday sales and for savings on things like mesh bento heads and bodies this is the time to really strike and get those coveted items at a steep discount. I found out that the Genus Project was having a sale on their bento heads and knowing that I could put it to use with skins made by Session Skins that I’d be able to maximize blogging female items when I feel more creative or need to fill a hole.
I’ve been wanting to blog the Session Skins Genus products for quite a while and have a stockpile of ideas that I squirreled away for when the time was right (and also when I actually had a Genus face to work with). I’m still learning on how to use the head as it is a bit different from the other brands that I have at my disposal but I think it won’t be too much of a problem to be able to dive into the ideas. So for this particular photo, I’m wearing the “Sara” skin which is a Tone 02 (much like the male ones I blog to keep it consistent in a sense?) It comes with a brow version and a non-brow version so it gives you a choice as sometimes consumers seem to like their own brows (personally I feel that is hit or miss but that’s me).
My wife had just hit up The Arcade and played some machines and tossed me some hairs from the L’etre/Doux machine (which the one I chose hit the mark style wise). It was a good thing she was around as I was putting this look together because we really do make a great team even when she’s not making me look good in photos. She also directed me to ISON where I picked up the sweater (it was a Saturday Sale item) so my entire wardrobe was budget friendly which if you haven’t yet looked into Saturday Sale or Happy Weekend, they are a great addition to the institution of Fifty Linden Friday. For the guys there is also Manly Weekend which has items from great designers at a low price of $50L’s.
It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it.
John Burroughs
These Conversations Kill 