Breath in the Oxygen!

Due to RL, this post is a long time in coming.  Back in December, I had the pleasure of meeting SixDigital and seeing her amazing sim, Oxygen. 

The sim is done with a bit of a vintage feel to it, with plenty of beautiful areas to visit, including a gorgeous beach that is set up with not just an eye to detail, but you get the sense of peaceful serenity, as well.  A walk around the sim is not just a pleasure, but for a photographer, it's pure joy.  She balances the visuals out in a manner that is not overwhelming, but wonderful to behold, in each area you look.

Not only is it a cornucopia of wonderful visuals, but it's also active as well, with a variety of different events and activities for you to enjoy.  If you feel like you never wish to leave this treasure of a sim, there are also rentals that are available at the sim, so you can make it your home as well.

Drop by, join the group and enjoy!

Something Wickedly Haunting Has Arrived

My favorite time of the year is here, with the breezes becoming crisper with fresh, cool air and the colorful palette of fall covering the landscapes in RL and in SL.  Tours are in the last stages of planning for the season and you can feel an excitement thrumming through fellow Fall lovers, all eager for the turn of the seasonal clock.
At this time of the year, I do tend to be more involved with landscape photography.  I cannot help but try to capture all the amazing sights that are put together and created by so many talented artists.  With that said, I felt that starting with Pendle Hill and the owner and creator of the sim, Lauren Bentham, was only right since her work was the first I seen in SL, back in 2009.
Lauren Bentham has created and owned some amazing sims over the years, including the Baja Beach regions, Arranmore, Everwinter, Storybrooke Gardens, Netherwood, and Bentham Manor.  Each one is very high quality in appearance, right down to the smallest of details. 
There is a group that is available to join with a one time fee of 175L, if you wish to rezz things, which goes to the upkeep of the land.  (Remember to pick up after yourself though please).  The region is a moderate rating and it is up all year long.  They also have a Flickr group that you are encouraged to submit your photos to, if you have taken photos at Pendle Hill.

For the windlights, I was using Jay's Battlescars newest ones that were released recently in the large 26 in 1 pack from his blog.

Ville de Coeur

One of the things I have found to be inspiring is individuals creativity and the ability to bring real-life places, into Second Life.  People have recreated or been inspired by real-life places, building them on amazing, scenic regions and bringing them to life with their creativity.  Ville de Coeur is one of those places in Second Life.  It covers 7 regions, each one showing off the creativity and talent of its owners, Bedrick Panacek-Guisse(Bedrick Panacek) & Ayla Panacek-Guisse (Ayla Guisse).

Places like Ville de Colmar, Cote d'Azur in France, and Chateauneuf-en-Axios in Bourgogne, France, have been used as inspirations for creating this amazing network of regions. You will find beautiful villages dotting the rural landscapes, with little quaint shops and homes, tucked in between the mills, hills, and canals.

As you walk or drive through each region, you can see that everything has been built with an amazing eye for detail, with each region seamlessly connecting to the other region.  Whether you do the walking tour, ride in a carriage, or take the trolley tour, the experience is smooth and beautiful to behold.  If you don't want to use those methods of travel, there are bicycles and horses that you can borrow, where you can ride the many horse trails or ride your bike down the many roads and pathways that you will find in each region.  No matter which method of transportation you decide to go with, you will be offered a cornucopia of scenic views to enjoy along the way.

Ville de Coeur is also very active.  They hold events, dances, get-togethers; along with having rentals for both residents and shop owners.  The list is long, on the many things you can do and interact with.  The people who live here are warm and friendly, as are the owners of this amazing place.

I visited the different regions and took a sampling of photos, to give an idea of what awaits you at Ville de Coeur.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Edit:  I noted this after writing the article that Ville de Coeur also has a Flickr group for their regions.  If you take photos, please consider adding them to their group and sharing with them your experience there.

Somewhere in Time: A Winter Classic

The holiday season is fast approaching us, with its cold winds, snowflakes dancing in the air, and the unleashing of genius imaginations of so many talented landscapers and decorators.  I love this time of year across the grid, simply because it lets these brilliant and accomplished individuals, a time to show us what really makes second life such an amazing place.
At the Somewhere in Time sim, Quinn Holsworthy and Chelsea Rae are two such talented and gifted individuals.  They have created a winter and holiday classic theme, that shines from one corner of the sim to the other.  The atmosphere of the sim is that of a vintage holiday postcard, with each area melding and blending with the other seamlessly.
The sim is not just a cornucopia of sights and visions for photographers, but a dedication to the winter season for all of those who love this time of year.

The Peace of Glenrosa

Autumn is a season filled with a myriad of different hues of colors and we are reminded by the cooling weather that winter is not far now.  Seeing all the different blogs dedicated to landscapes and destinations, I figured today I would actually do one that is not showing the autumn colors but instead is just a peaceful forest, filled with the colors of summer.  

Glenrosa is both peaceful and serene, though, with the right wind lighting, you can deepen those colors and create even an ominous backdrop for your photo work, depending on your mood.  As you will see in my photos that I grabbed, while at the sim, I used several different windlight settings to give different atmospheres to my photography.

The sim is well thought out, well designed with a solid eye towards each section blending in with the other, creating a seamlessness in your visual experience.  It is a sim well worth the tp over to check it out.

Mesmeric Cove

As you step down from the train, the steam escaping from under the train is blown away by the cool brisk breeze, which tussles your hair and blows it across your face.  Both hands weighed down with a suitcase, you whip your head to the side, attempting to clear your vision.  As the strands are once more blown, this time out of your face, you get your first clear view of where you have stopped.  The train platform looks like it is from a time long gone, and there is a crisp, earthy scent of decaying leaves tickling your nose.  Glancing a little more to your left, you see in the distant, the faint shadows of buildings and the soft glow of light from some of their windows, dotting the landscape.  Tipping your head slightly to the side, you stand there studying scene in front of you, your inner voice whispering in your mind, "Now what have you gotten yourself into, this time?"  The better question though should be, can you unlock the history and mysteries of Mesmeric Cove.