moods – Page 6 – Pics by Peep

The Graceful Rain

Image February 27, 2013PeepSideshow Darkward5 Comments

Rain is grace; rain is the sky descending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life.
John Updike

Today I was browsing the Second Life Destination Guide and came across a sim called 2304 Rain. It intrigued me. Finding good “weather” sims in Second Life can be tough. This one seemed to have promise.

Oh, boy, did it ever. Wandering around, discovering the most surprising items scattered around, from giant rusty razor blades to a human-sized chessboard, to random photos propped against rocks, to an owl holding an umbrella 🙂

I just took photo after photo, taking multiple shots of each pose, changing my windlight constantly to try to get just the right mood. The setting just cried out for darker lighting, but with highlights of brightness. If I hadn’t made myself stop so I could do this post, I would still be there, exploring, discovering, trying to to do justice to this amazing setting.

I don’t normally post this many photos, so I apologise, but I just want to share this incredible place.

May your life be filled with graceful rain.

A Head of the Pack

Image February 15, 2013PeepSideshow DarkwardLeave a comment

Boy…I was SO tempted to go with a different title for this post, but I decided to keep it G-rated 😀

Head shots are one of the most challenging types of photos to do because the attention to detail is critical. If you get it right, it’s a close-up not only of the subject’s face, but also a glimpse into their soul. I don’t do one on every shoot, even though I do try to capture at least a few shots that I can play with. Eh…it doesn’t always work out. But I’ll keep trying, shooting those tight photographs and working on my technique. I want to be able to offer at least one to every person I photograph. Stay tuned as I work on realising that dream.

I also kinda fudge on what a true head shot is. Generally speaking, it should just be the face and possibly shoulders. But I extend that to include the upper body – basically, chest up.

That’s what I did with this photo of my friend, Fox. He has beautiful eyes and I wanted to show them off, but it just didn’t seem to work with a tight head shot. So, I extended the cropping to allow me to include an overlay that I think helps create a mood that reflects more about him.

This photo of my cherished, Tylar, is actually a re-work. I wasn’t happy with the original, so when I started playing around with overlays, this was one of the first pictures I experimented with. It’s still not perfect, but it not only shows Tylar’s beauty, it gave me an opportunity to express my love for my dear friend.

I’ve used myself as a guinea pig for head shots more than anyone else, because if I fail, I am not disappointing anyone who is expecting a usable finished product. I shoot photos of myself for a variety of reasons: sometimes to relax, sometimes because I want to test a new prop or pose, and sometimes just because I get the itch to try out new techniques and I want new material to work with.

One of my favourite effects is called Orton. It gives a dreamy, romantic mood to a photograph. It doesn’t work with every shot, but when it does, I’m overjoyed. I think in this photo, it worked. I love the warmth and softness it conveys.

I’ll be revisiting this topic as I improve my technique. I’d love to hear what you think about head shots – either shooting them, having one taken of you and even if you think I’ve succeeded.

Or not. 😉

That Fiery Redhead

Image February 9, 2013February 11, 2013PeepSideshow DarkwardLeave a comment

Bright. Quietly outspoken. Loving and protective. Those are words to describe my Second Life sister, Kali. She doesn’t say a lot, so when she speaks, I – and others – listen.

Kali asked me to do profile pictures for her, and I have to admit, I was nervous about doing them. Kali works in graphics, so I was worried about living up to her standards and discerning eye.

In the end, I decided to focus on two things while I was doing her photos. First, choosing poses and lighting that reflected who Kali is to me. To show off her beauty and her style.

But I also wanted to play with effects that helped me capture her style and personality. Her sensuality, mystery and that fiery redheaded nature she has. And they call her “Legs” for a reason 😉