Pics by Peep

Being Cheeky

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1 Cheeky Pea Photo Contest F

If you own a home in Second Life, you’ve probably been to Cheeky Pea a time or two…or thirty. It is one of my favourite Home & Garden shops, as my Linden balance can attest each time Isla Gaelach has a new release. My home and inventory are packed with goodies from her store. So when I saw she was holding a photo contest, I knew I had to get in!

Of course, I waited until the last day, and from the entries I’ve seen in the official contest Flickr group I don’t stand a snowball’s chance in the Mojave. But with prizes ranging from store credit to six months of new releases plus $10K Lindens, I’m going to give it a shot. Everybody loves an underdog, right?

Nobody ever said I am lacking in cheekiness 😉

Pretty stuff I’m showing off:

From Cheeky Pea:
House: :CP: Gale Cottage – Sea by Isla Gealach
Bed: :CP: Heather Antique Bed (A) by Isla Gealach
Blanket Chest: :CP: Otto Blanket Chest by Isla Gealach
Dresser: :CP: Sheldon Bureau by Isla Gealach
Dreamcatcher: :CP: Kaleidoscope Dreamcatcher by Isla Gealach (from :CP: Sweetwater Room)
Packing box by blanket chest: Cheeky Pea delivery box by Isla Gealach
Shoe forms: :CP: & [Con.] Cobblers Room Shoe Last by Waive Haller (gacha item)

Other creators:
Book nightstand: *ionic* Books for awake by Iakua Arriaga (gacha item)
Wall shelf: *ionic* i am happy (shelf) by Iakua Arriaga (gacha item)
Rug: LISP – Celeste Rug by Pandora Popstar
Camera on dresser: {what next} Pop-Shot Camera Decor by FrankLee Anatra
Large print next to dresser: {what next} Resolutions Wall Print (black & white) by FrankLee Anatra
Small print: {what next} ‘Love is ‘ Wall Art – group gift by FrankLee Anatra
Stacked suitcases: -Tres Blah-: -tb- Bon Voyage – Stacked Suitcases by Julliette Westerburg (gacha item)
Carousel Horse: [HANDverk] Carousel Horse.eggshell by Daphne Klossovsky (gacha item) (unable to find a valid SLurl in SL)
Open wooden box: Hideki delivery box by Hideki Carami (unable to find a valid SLurl in SL)
Easel: !! Follow US !! Winter easel painting with cat (white/decor) by Laurent83 Waco (gacha item)
Fan: .:Standby Inc. – Industrial Fan (Sun) by StandbyInc (gacha item)
Book on bed: Lark – Imaginarium Librarium Butterfly by Siena Trevellion (gacha item)

On Being A Sow’s Ear

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1 Maitreya Vintage Lace Romantic

I’m taking a break from working on some photos I did for friends a couple of days ago. I made a mistake using a couple’s pose I never should have used, so I’m kicking myself for not checking it closer while I was shooting. The result was two hours of agony as I tried to make a purse out of a sow’s ear. Fortunately, I used more than one pose so I can finish those and not feel so bad.

Speaking of making a purse out of a sow’s ear…I thought I would show off this lovely dress from Maitreya, available at this round of Collabor88. It’s everything feminine and delicate that I love, but tend to avoid. I usually feel like an impostor when I dress up like a lady. Girly, yes…but this is the stuff I usually only see myself wearing in my dreams.

Break time is over. Back to Photoshop with me. Oh, and that sow’s ear I referenced is me…not the dress!

Pretty stuff I’m wearing:

Dress: Maitreya Vintage Lace Gown – Romantic by Onyx LeShelle (available at Collabor88)
Shoes: Slink Hera Wrap Heel Silver by Siddean Munro
Hat: *LODE* Hat – Glitter Rose By Chirzaka Vlodovic
Jewelry: Cae :: Knotted :: Ensemble by Caelan Hancroft
Hair: “”D!va”” Hair “Giz” (Type A)(Garnet) by Marisa Kira (Gacha prize)
Skin: [PXL] Creations – [PXL] JADE SK Peach Lips MEB C2 by Hart Larsson
Hands: Slink Mesh Hands (av) Casual by Siddean Munro
Feet: Slink AvEnhance Feet High by Siddean Munro
Hand & Feet appliers:[PXL] Creations – [ PXL ] Slink Hand & Feet Appliers SK by Hart Larsson
Eyes: Amacci Gaze Eyes – Ocean Blue by Carina Larsen
Lashes: Mon Cheri *MC* “Falsies” Eyelash by Freya Oliveri

Pose: !bang – stand 331 by Trieste Minuet

To Di For

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1 Di's Opera

This post is a little about a lot of things. I’ll try to be brief, even though I rarely manage that. Feel free to slap my virtual hands if I waffle on too long!

Yesterday I did two photo shoots. When I finished and was looking at my raw shots, I decided it was time I broke out my Wacom Bamboo, which I have had for a while but which has terrified me. I have been through tutorials and played with it a bit, but it’s been a trial for me. But I finally realised if I want to elevate my Photoshop skills I need to move on from my mouse and begin using a graphics tablet. But before I start using it on client photos, I thought it prudent to use myself as a guinea pig.

Naturally, I didn’t want to use a photo I had already taken 😉 And since I needed this outfit from E-Clipse (available at Limited Bazaar), I felt it was the perfect opportunity to shoot a few photos for my Wacom trial. Which led to needing new poses, of course! I have hundreds of poses already, but I tend to favour more natural poses. This outfit just cried out for drama.

I checked out some of my favourite pose stores, but I wasn’t getting that fashion-flair feel I was looking for. It just so happened I had picked up a pose set from Di’s Opera at Limited Bazaar, and while I love them, they still didn’t have the dramatic feel I was craving. So off to the mainstore I went.

I tried literally every pose in the store – many more than once. I have a sneaking suspicion that my lil Cao is a frequent shopper here; I think I recognised some of the poses she uses and I was having visions of a Milan catwalk as I worked my way from pose stand to pose stand. I could practically feel the heat of the lights and see the cameras flashing as I worked my way from room to room, up stairs and back down on my quest for the perfect high-fashion pose.

I think I found it. And about twenty others. Honestly, I could have bought more, but time and Lindens were my enemies. So off to my studio to try to capture what I consider my first true fashion photograph.

This is it – and my first photo completed using my Wacom Bamboo. I have a long way to go to feel comfortable both using a graphics tablet and shooting high-fashion photos. But I believe I’ll get better at both, with practice. And these poses? Yes, they are to Di for!

Pretty stuff I’m wearing:

Top: E-Clipse FiluffSweater S Brown/Vermillon by Thetra Blackheart (available at Limited Bazaar)
Skirt: E-Clipse HighWaistLeatherSkirt S Brown by Thetra Blackheart (available at Limited Bazaar)
Shoes: [Gos] Boutique – Lauren d’Orsay – Truffle Collection by Gospel Voom
Jewelry: EarthStones Maxine Necklace & Earrings – Larimar by Abraxxa Anatine
Hair: *ARGRACE* Mia – Red by rika Oyen
Skin: [PXL] Creations – [PXL] JADE SK Peach Lips MEB C2 by Hart Larsson
Hands: Slink Mesh Hands (av) Casual by Siddean Munro
Hand appliers:[PXL] Creations – [ PXL ] Slink Hand Appliers SK by Hart Larsson
Eyes: Amacci Gaze Eyes – Ocean Blue by Carina Larsen
Lashes: Mon Cheri *MC* “Falsies” Eyelash by Freya Oliveri

Pose: Di’s Opera – Glam Series 4 – 2 by Di Hoorenbeek