[#700] Here And Now

 

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!

 

BACKDROP: WetCat Poses – Dawn

POSE: Lush Poses – Naughty Gamer Girl @ Pose Fair ✦ NEW

HAIR: TRUTH Hair – Poetry ✦ VIP Gift ✦ NEW
HEAD: Genus Project: Strong Face 001
SKIN: Session Skins – Sage (Tone 00b (Chubby) / BOM)
BODY: Maitreya – Lara 5.1

BODYSUIT: Spoiled – Game Over Bodysuit (Red)
BOOTS: Vale Koer – Rainy Day Boots

 

[#698] Maybe It’s Time

 

Nobody knows what waits for the dead
Nobody knows what waits for the dead
Some folks just believe in the things they’ve heard and the things they read
Nobody knows what awaits for the dead

Bradley Cooper, ♫Maybe It’s Time♫

 

When it comes to an event like Pose Fair I find that it allows for you to essentially take photos of all sorts of scenarios or find a way to be anything or anyone you want. Whether it be a wizard, a warrior, a gymnast or even in my case for this post: a cowboy. Very rarely have I done shots like this because I’m from the city so I don’t really have the mentality it would take to be a cowboy. It doesn’t mean I dislike them (because I totally think anyone who is a cowboy is alright with me).

CuCa Designs has a great pose set for men for this round and is appropriately called “Going Country”. It comes with the black Stetson hat that you see in the shot along with mirrored versions of each pose. Want to take things a step further? At the booth there is also a backdrop called “Hickory Barn” that you can give your photo an authentic country feel.

Pose Fair just opened a few days ago so if you happen to try to go and the region is full? Don’t give up because a lot of photography treasures await you. There’s plenty of time to get to the event so don’t stress out.

 

BACKDROP: CuCa Designs – Hickory Barn @ Pose Fair ✦ NEW

POSE: CuCa Designs – Gone Country (Male) @ Pose Fair ✦ NEW

HEAD: CATWA – Stanley 4.5
SKIN: Session Skins – Cooper (Tone 02 / BOM)

JEANS: Cold-Ash – Holloway Ripped Jeans

 

[#697] End Of The Summer

 

It’s the end of the summer
It’s the end of it all
Those days are gone its over now were moving on
It’s the end of the summer
But we’ll see it all again
So hold on to this moment till then
It’s the end of the summer

Theory Of A Deadman, ♫End Of The Summer♫

 

Later today begins a brand new round of Pose Fair. I made mention of it in two of my previous posts to not only get myself even more hyped up about it but also get anyone who checks out this blog out hyped as well. When I did the “A Day Without Poses” post it truly made me realize how fortunate we are to have creators and events like this to help make our photos more meaningful. We’d be stiff as boards and there would be no emotion or feeling that could be attached to them.

Summer is coming to a close soon so I wanted to make sure that I got at least one more beach shot if I could manage it and found the perfect clothing to make it all work. Lapointe & Bastchild has the “Jett” Tank and Board Shorts at the recently opened September round of TMD. There are a lots of combinations and it took me a while to find the right combination but I like how everything turned out.

 

Photo taken @ Burrow Co.

POSE: Boo’d Up – Male Pack @ Pose Fair ✦ NEW

HAIR: Modulus – Potter Hair
HEAD: CATWA – Stanley 4.5
SKIN: Session Skins – Cooper (Tone 02 / BOM)

TANKTOP: Lapointe & Bastchild – Jett Tank @ TMD ✦ NEW
SHORTS: Lapointe & Bastchild – Jett Board Shorts @ TMD ✦ NEW

 

[#696] I’m Throwing Caution

 

I’m throwing caution
What’s it gonna be?
Tonight the winds of change are coming over me
If I don’t get out
Out of this town
I just might be the one
Who finally burns it down

The Killers, ♫Caution♫

 

Pose Fair begins in just over a day and I’m looking really forward to getting into a lot of the great items that this round has to offer. Not only am I featuring the “Breathing Pack Orion” by Beras from the event that begins on the 7th, but I’m also wearing the brand new “Alessio Suit Blazer” by Cold-Ash which has just dropped at the Anthem event that began just a few short days ago. If you already have the trousers of the same name then all you have to do is pick up either the open shirt style or the button up with tie style. If you feel ambitious then go with both because both of them are really sick. I felt like using the open version would go along with what’s going on in the background. Turning up the heat if you will.

Lock&Tuft also shows up in this entry with the new “CHAMPION” hair which can be found right now at The Warehouse event. For anyone that ever wanted a mullet style on the grid now you can get it. Business in the front and party in the back as they say! The style I pulled off for this pic was immensely satisfying. Keep an eye out for more featured items from the September round of Pose Fair.

 

POSE: Beras – Breathing Pack Orion @ Pose Fair (Coming Soon) ✦ NEW

BACKDROP: Modulus – Macabre Alleyway

HAIR: lock&tuft – Champion Hair @ The Warehouse ✦ NEW
HEAD: CATWA – Stanley 4.5
SKIN: Session Skins – Cooper (Tone 02 / BOM)

BLAZER / SHIRT: COLD-ASH – Alessio Suit Blazer/Shirt @ Anthem ✦ NEW
JEANS: COLD-ASH – Alessio Trousers

 

[#695] Stand

 

Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around
If wishes were trees, the trees would be falling
Listen to reason, season is calling

R.E.M., ♫Stand♫

 

The September Round of Pose Fair is fast approaching and one of the things that they’ve encouraged us to do is a challenge where we take a photo without the use of a pose and relied on just background and clothing. I can already tell you that without the use of poses or animation overriders, the grid would be an awfully boring place with everyone wandering around aimlessly like robots. So my advice to you is if you happen to run into a pose creator take the time to offer them some kind words and possibly even thank them for what they do.

Without them we’d all just kind of look like goofs. As you can see with my secondary shot below, there’s a lot more going on then because of the appearance of movement. So here’s to you pose creators and animators, you sincerely have my adoration!

#ADayWithoutAPose

 

Photos taken @ Burrow Co.

POSE: Candy Crunchers – Steve @ Pose Fair ✦ NEW

HAIR: Modulus – Potter Hair
HEAD: CATWA – Stanley 4.5
SKIN: Session Skins – Cooper (Tone 02 / BOM)

SHIRT: COLD-ASH – Taylor Shirt
JEANS: COLD-ASH – Holloway Ripped Jeans

 

[#694] Summer Sunday

 

Like yesterday
We fell so hard that
Stars formed in our name
We were too young to care
Truth or Dare
Sooner or later it came to an end

Keith Wallen, ♫Summer Sunday♫

POSE: Wrong & The Owl – Static Male Poses #8

HAIR: Modulus – Potter Hair
HEAD: CATWA – Stanley 4.5
SKIN: Session Skins – Cooper (Tone 02 / BOM)

TANK: COLD-ASH – Mathias Tank Top
PANTS: Flow – Cos Laces Pants

[#693] Be A Light

 

In a world full of hate, be a light
When you do somebody wrong, make it right
Don’t hide in the dark, you were born to shine
In a world full of hate, be a light

Thomas Rhett, ♫Be A Light♫

 

 

The past 6 months have been pretty crazy to say the least. The world has been going through a lot and I’m fairly certain that no one needs a recap. I haven’t been as creative as I once was and that’s just kind of the road that I’m on right now when it comes to blogging and creating art in Second Life. Now and again I’ll hear a song that I want to share and create a picture with and this post is a great example of that. Thomas Rhett’s “Be A Light” is a prime example of something good in this world that we all need right now. As always I embed the video for the songs I choose in my posts so if you’d kindly check it out when you get to that part of the blog or even skip to it right way, that would be something I sincerely appreciate.

The way I lay out my blogs now is a lot different then how I used to do them. I think for time and just wanting to get things out quicker that the way I have been doing them suits me just fine. I am still happy to be a part of some great blogger teams and I try to do them proud as I work to get back to a better routine where my head sparks more creativity. They’ve been awesome to me and I thank them for that more than words can even express.

One of the latest releases from lock&tuft is the “Rhett” hair and the name alone is what inspired me to use the song that I chose as the theme for this blog entry. Not just because it is a good song (which it is in my estimation). The hair has 32 colors to choose from and also includes a Bakes On Mesh hairbase to go along with it. It has been created with LeLUTKA Evo head owners in mind but I managed to make it work with the CATWA Stanley head so it should work with most heads with some slight adjustments.

Session Skins latest male release “Cooper” is in their brand new store for all of you guys to try. Intended for use with the CATWA Stanley head (may work well with other CATWA heads but that would be require some experimentation). The package comes with appliers for the skin as well as Bakes On Mesh head layers in several options. The options are Brow, Hair, Hair No Brow and No Brow. I’m wearing Tone 02 but it is also available in Tone 03 as well if you prefer a little darker (tanned) skin.

 

In a race that you can’t win, slow it down
Yeah, you only get one go around
‘Cause the finish line is six feet in the ground
In a race you can’t win, just slow it down

 

POSE: Chat Noir – Pose 1002 (3b)

HAIR: lock&tuft – Rhett
HEAD: CATWA – Stanley 4.5
SKIN: Session Skins – Cooper (Tone 02 / BOM)

SHIRT: TONKTASTIC / HERMONY – Cotton Tee

 

[#691] California Gurls

 

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

 

POSE: Elephante Poses – Kitty

HAIR: EMO-tions – Hairbase 3.0 with HP @ Cosmopolitan ✦ NEW
HEAD: Genus Project – Classic Face 001
SKIN: Session Skins – Ciara (Tone 05)
BODY: Maitreya – Lara v5.1

BIKINI: Salt & Pepper – Wet 12 Bikini Black Flower ✦ GACHA

 

[#690] Where Were You?

 

Down the black hole
Hope is shallow
Tell me where were you?
Time can be so
Cold and hollow
Tell me where were you?

Flight Paths, ♫Shallow♫

 

Greetings! It’s been a while since my last entry and I hope everyone out there is doing well and staying safe in whatever part of the world they are at. I’ve finally found some inspiration with the newest release from Cold-Ash. The BLAISE Tee is at this current round of The Men’s Department. Be sure to also check its companion release, the LARKHAM Jeans.

I’ve also included a fun prop from lock&tuft: a nifty walkie talkie that has several hand/arm positions to choose from. I really like things like this (always have) because it helps makes scenes come together.

 

Another day fades out of time
Into nothing, pay you no mind
In outer space so paralyzed
It’s not too late
Open your eye

 

WALKIE TALKIE: lock&tuft – Walkie Talkie

HAIR: Stealthic – Narcotic
HEAD: LeLUTKA – Guy 3.4
SKIN: Session Skins – Roman (Tone 02)
BODY: Signature – Gianni v5.0

SHIRT: Cold-Ash – BLAISE Tee / FATPACK @ TMD ✦ NEW

 

[#685] When The Waters Turn To Fire

 

Stay with me
I hear them call the tide
Take me in
I see the last divide
Hopelessly, I leave this all behind
And I am paralyzed

Breaking Benjamin (feat. Scooter Ward), ♫Far Away♫

 

Pose Fair and Skin Fair have been really fun this year and even though they kind of happened at the same time it’s been a really awesome experience. It’s allowed me to start to unlock my creative potential again. Not all of it has been as awesome as I wanted but the fact that it is starting to come back is enough for me. Being able to find ways to combine them in posts has been helpful too so that I don’t get too far behind at least. Though putting things together with the situations going on in the world has been slightly difficult but nothing too hindering.

It makes me super happy that Session Skins is a part of Skin Fair again this year and with three different skins (2 female faces for Catwa and one male for LeLUTKA). Roman is the one that I am wearing for LeLUTKA with the Guy head. I did a test with the new Skyler head but the shape that comes included just did not work for him. It’s an excellent skin with a lot of options and is available in two different tones (02 and 03). Some of the options include with brows, with beard, no brows and no brows with beard. The brow and body shaper are included but the body skins are for sale at the main store and are separate.

To fit the theme of this post I just had to use the Fire Collection eyes by Gloom. They are nicely detailed and come in 6 different iris colors and two different pupil sizes (small and medium). They can be bought in a single pack option or in a FATPACK with all 6 colors and as far as what they work for? You can get them as BOM layers, CATWA, Genus Project, LeLUTKA brand heads as well as anything using Omega. Don’t forget classic mesh eyeballs as well.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve worn any tattoos and for a while I was wearing them quite a bit. The phase for me just slowly faded away but I am glad to be wearing the Endless Pain Tattoos “Ash” full sleeve. It comes in only one opacity which I would say is a combination of worn/faded. Ways to wear this are of course BOM layers and also have HUDs for Belleza, CATWA, Maitreya, Omega compatible mesh, Signature and SLink Physique bodies.

For the Pose Fair side of things I am featuring a store that I’ve seen around but they are essentially new to me. This is the very reason I love this event because it gets me acquainted with some of the pose creators and their stores that I might not have known before. Kuddlemuddle has several pose packs up for sale but I took interest in the “Fifties Series: Gentleman Style” pose pack which has 5 different poses that work well with any kind of wardrobe you could put together. I think that this would definitely go great with wearing a suit (which gives me ideas for another time). There are several versions in the pack with different priorities so you can play around with that if you so desire.

 

When the broken fall alive
Let the light take me too
When the waters turn to fire
Heaven, please let me through
Far away, far away
Sorrow has left me here
Far away, far away
Let the light take me in

 

POSE: Kuddlemuddle – Fifties Series: Gentleman Style @ Pose Fair ✦ NEW

HEAD: LeLutka – Guy v3.4
SKIN: Session Skins – Roman (Tone 02) @ Skin Fair ✦ NEW
EYES: Gloom – Flame Collection @ Skin Fair ✦ NEW
BODY: Signature – Gianni v5.0
TATTOO: Endless Pain Tattoos – Ash @ Skin Fair ✦ NEW

JEANS: Lapointe & Bastchild – Havoc Jeans