I was surprised to stumble across an article speaking to a long debate on whether architecture is considered art. I mean, it had never been a question in my mind. When looking at some of the stunning structures that are legendary for their style and aesthetic pleasure, I find it a very weak debate. But I may be biased.
I’ve been searching (enjoying every second of it) for mesmerizing places to explore. Places that photographers can find perfect settings for their many visions.
This month I hope I’ve found a sweet spot for a backdrop, a date night, or an adventure. The Da Vinci Gardens is a peaceful place with so much to explore. So far, I’ve discovered a gorgeous ballroom that made me feel like I was walking through a Baroque painting. Then after flying around the tall castle towers, I landed to find a dragon waiting to take me for a ride and battle with other dragons flying around. And when I fell off the dragon, as one tends to do, I dove into an underwater city full of colorful fish with more buildings to discover.
There is also a pirate ship, three connecting tropical sandy island beaches… and a rocket launch pad. The list is much longer which means lots of areas for creative shots or romantic moments!
Believe it or not, Kitten and DreVan Sinclair have been building even longer than they have been taking photos in SL! It’s their primary passion and, as DreVan says “the devil’s in the details.” Every build – including their current “city” build – is intricately designed and decorated. From large buildings to lamps, and chill spots to beauty shops – they have thought of everything! Patrick and I stopped by their home for a quick tour that turned into a fun evening event, and we still didn’t see it all! We were so impressed, we took the opportunity to have an impromptu interview for the March 2019 issue.
Angela: Well, first of all, you are an amazing building duo and as a couple you have created some incredible spaces together. How did you two even meet?
DreVan: Okay… how we met… It was at bloodlines east. I had just bought some new bites for my vampire hud and asked in local if anyone could help me with installing them and she messaged me. And then I ended up liegeing to her – which makes more sense if you are familiar with bloodlines and vampires here in SL. I ended up joining her clan under her. And there was something about her that I felt from the beginning.
Angela: So, I guess it was “love at first bite?” (Patrick groans in the background)
Kitten: I guess it was love at 1st bite. I love that! I think I’ll use it on a pic soon. Thanks!
Angela: You’re welcome! So, working so closely together do you ever disagree about the direction of a build? How do you plan out your builds and handle differing opinions?
DreVan: Kitten really matches my creativity. It’s almost scary! The difference is that she likes to focus on the inside. I’m into landscaping so it works out well.
Kitten: Yes, Drevan is more of the outside guy and I work more inside our builds. We do walk-thrus with each other and suggest different ideas. He’s got a little of this, I’ve got a little of that and somehow it all just works. But I’ll tell you, it’s not as easy as it sounds. We both have alts, so keeping up with who has what in which inventory isn’t easy!
DreVan: So true. But as far as differences and similarities, we are definitely on the latter. We hardly ever disagree on ideas of builds and that’s been the best part about it. Sure, we get annoyed from time to time with each other, but what couple doesn’t?
Kitten: Absolutely! We’ve had our rough times and we both thought it was over. But being apart from each other for a short time really brought us closer together. Things are different now – better. You have to learn from your experiences and pick your battles.
Angela: Have you had one build in particular that you felt was the most challenging or inspiring?
DreVan: I’d have to say that one time we made a “heaven and hell” where we built a platform the size of the land and had it about 500 M up. Kitten decorated heaven and I did hell. It was challenging but in the end was pretty awesome.
Angela: DreVan got hell?
Kitten: He CHOSE hell!
DreVan: I have more dark stuff than light in my closet.
Kitten: He is dark; I am light. That’s how we work!
Angela: What kinds of things inspire you?
Kitten: I’ve always been into taking pictures. Even as a child with a little 110 camera! I always had one with me. Then came digital cameras and cell phones and the internet and it just blew up from there.
DreVan: I was mentioning to Kitten about when Patrick did the last class. It was cool how he spoke about how well Doc’s pics have been coming along. This is one of the few groups that really seem to support the new folks as much as the vets.
Kitten: I’d like to say something to that, too. I would like to see a little more coming together from the photography community as a whole. Since I started my own Flickr group, I’ve noticed that people are SO choosy on who to post awards to. It seems only the most popular pictures get the faves and the awards. But there is beauty in all art. We all started somewhere, you know? So, if people would be more friendly and help each other out more, like this group does, it would be wonderful. So, thank you for always welcoming everyone into the group and making them feel part of the community.
Angela: Thank you for your kind words and for having us over!
Kitten: Y’all are welcome to come over anytime. Take all the pics you want! We put a lot of love into this. We hope to share with others because we SO enjoy it ourselves too.
Kitten and DreVan also create the scenes for most of the FOCUS events! You will be able to see their handiwork on the sim usually at the beginning and end of every month.
I’m so honored to speak with two wonderful and talented photographers, Rachel and Loegan Magic, for this issue of FOCUS Magazine. They are a beautiful and loving couple who inspire each other everyday to achieve such beauty and creativity within their stunning compositions. Rachel and Loegan share their lives, their love, and their artistry with us. And even more, they show us how Second Life can be – and is – so beautiful!
Patrick: Thank you so much, Rachel and Loegan, for inviting Angela and me into your home today! You have created an amazing place to take pictures as well as enjoy your time together! To begin, let’s have some fun, shall we?! Would you rather play with Lincoln Logs OR Legos, and why?
Rachel: Oh my, I’m not too sure what Lincoln Logs are – I’ll have to Google that, but I did LOVE playing with Legos as I always had fun putting things together and playing with all the colors. I guess that isn’t much of a surprise, as I love to create my pictures and build a theme, which is so much fun!
Loegan: Well, I do have a memory about Lincoln Logs: when I was in elementary school, I remember always coming back from recess, and wanting to play with them, but never seemed to get into the room fast enough, and other kids were already building their log houses! But, like Rachel, I too loved building, and in a way, what I do here in SL is a reflection of my love for creating fun, and meaningful scenes.
Patrick: What is your background and a bit about your life experiences that has influenced your artistic expressions?
Rachel: I am from Australia so when the rest of the world is sleeping, I am awake. I have always had an interest in photography and have done some photography courses years ago when I got my first SLR Cannon Camera. It was before everything became digital and it was a great learning experience on how to take RAW images without all the bells and whistles. But I have upgraded to a Nikon now and it’s very much a bells and whistles camera. I am spoiled RL to be able to be near the ocean and also have national parks close by to explore waterfalls and play with shutter speeds. This, I believe, has helped with taking pictures in Second Life when I play with windlight settings, also a big part is patience and waiting for objects to rez.
Loegan: I grew up in the United States – a child of the 70’s. I fell in love with film at an early age. I guess it started with Star Wars and as I grew older I started watching foreign film, Akira Kurosawa, Ingmar Bergman, Yasujirō Ozue etc. I got caught up with the visual aspects of it. I am a big David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick fan. You can watch their films with sound off and feel the emotions coming through. I love how in photography, like film, you can use framing, lighting, and composition to convey emotion. Film was my first introduction to this. I later went to school for television and radio production. I am also red/green color blind so I think that has had a huge impact on my photos. It also prevented me from getting into photography in RL. I thought it would hold me back but instead I think it just helped my develop a personal style. I am drawn towards monochrome or muted colors. I didn’t even realize that a lot of my photos had muted colors until it was pointed out to me. If I do a color photo, I usually have Rachel make sure my sky isn’t purple or some unusual color. 🙂
Patrick: What does your work aim to say?
Rachel: Well I take a variety of images, when it comes to my furry friends pictures, they are about fun and putting a smile on peoples faces, I generally just go with the flow and the theme grows. My pictures can be quite busy and involve the viewer looking at the whole picture and spotting little quirks within it. Loegan has been known to log on to a virtual zoo and zero prims left. I am lucky he is a patient man.
Loegan: I usually try to find emotion in what might be overlooked. A simple image, like a coat rack or a parked car – something you might see everyday but I try to pull emotion out of it. Sometimes a simple thing can bring back memories or conjure up emotions. That’s what I am usually going for…not sure I always succeed.
Patrick: Who are you biggest influences?
Rachel: Well, Loegan has been a big influence with my pictures. We collaborate on a daily basis. This involves screen-sharing. We offer each other advice, but also try and let each other’s work speak for itself. Earlier, I was influenced by the encouragement from friends like Jos Loll and DILLIGAF (M8TY). They opened the door to programs like Photoshop – which I am still trying to conquer – and the Anypose System. Also, being part of the Edge Galleries Exhibition for ‘Surreal’ and ‘Monochrome’ photos has also helped me explore other aspects of the creative side of taking pictures. Many thanks to Ladmilla for selecting me for that.
Loegan: Again, the filmmakers I mentioned have influenced me and I am a big fan of painters such as Andrew Wyeth, Edward Hopper, Van Gogh, and Monet. Of course other SL artists, like Rachel, inspire me everyday with the way they work. Rachel has amazing patience and pays great attention to detail. She has taught me to slow down a bit and pay attention to the details. Collaborating with Rachel has made me a better photographer and, on a personal level, I think it brings another level of closeness. We often share screens when we work and make suggestions to each other. When one watches someone work so often, it is bound to have a strong influence on them. We are pretty much obsessed with SL photography, and discuss it almost all the time!
It’s such a treat to experience a couple who share a passion for life. Rachel and Loegan are such a couple! Both are truly gifted in creativity and artistic design but, more importantly, their love inspires the other to excel into areas where they could never have reached alone.
Wonderful Dreams: Ballroom, Venue & Live Music was created by Yenna Auster & Nighty Pera, a couple from the Netherlands, “with the love and passion we feel for each other.” They have been a couple since June 20, 2015.
Since mid-2015, Wonderful Dreams has had almost a quarter of a million visitors! No matter when you visit, you will find couples dancing. There is a casual dress code except on the ballroom dance floor where formal attire is required. This is a general sim and, obviously, appropriate dress and behavior need to follow from that. Don’t miss the gardens surrounding the ballroom. This is a very romantic place to just walk, talk, or take photos. The amount of time and effort spent creating this venue is noticeable. The love shown is profoundly moving.
Live singers every Saturday from noon to 5 p.m SLT.
This month I took a detour from my “New Year-New You” series to focus on a store named COZI. The store, owned by our dear friend Greg Parker, has been around for years but it’s newly located on the FOCUS Magazine home sim.
Walking in, my eyes gravitated towards a selection of old upright pianos at the left end of the building. Being a pianist and a lover of the ivories, I sat down, and let my fingers play a few bars of a rusty rendition of The Entertainer.
Near the pianos are a selection of tip jars, dance floors, speakers and DJ equipment — a priority for venue owners. As you walk through the store you will find even more unique items. There are picture frames to help display your photos and works of art, and a polished wood bar with an array of animations suitable for home and venue owners. There’s also a hot air balloon I am dying to take out for a test drive. I encourage you to stop by!
The Level Event is up and ready for your shopping pleasure! If you are like me, you have a habit of dressing the for season (ok, it might just be me), this event is perfectly timed to kick off Spring!
New season means new look! Hair, nails, skin and make-up to begin the season’s new you. Stunning options from Mila, Glamocracy, and Ascendant just to name a few.
I personally adore the Cindi outfit from Safira and will be giving up the 1299L for the 20 color fatpack. The color options are perfect for moving into warmer weather with an aire of sexy sophistication.
If you need something a little more risqué and eye catching, A Breakfast Convo is offering up the Eiffel Sparks Dress in 13 colors. This dress would pair perfectly with the Enviee Aremana Metallic Heels and the Nadiyah Earrings from November. Talk about cocktail party perfection!
Second Life has cursed me with a bit of a shoe addiction and Marchese is making sure that I don’t leave this event without at least one new pair! I adore everything about these shoes! The design, metallic accents, and the fact that they are only 299L!
Purses have never really been my thing, in RL or SL, but the Slow Me Down Bag from DDl is an adorable accessory and could make me a convert. At least this season.
I have always LOVED the shopping events. You can get a little taste of the latest offerings from so many different designers without having to search 20 blogs or landmarks. Though never rule out a designer based on a single event or outfit. Some of my favs took me a while to fall in love with. It’s like that guy you are good friends with but you’re convinced he is in the friend zone, and then, BAM! You love everything about him. In SL, you might change partners as often as the season’s style, but at least with shopping you will get an amazing wardrobe and not a single hit to your reputation!
Dear Mahogany, I met the love of my life in SL many years ago. We were friends for a year, then partnered for another year before becoming a RL couple. Three years into it, I found out that he was having an affair in SL. He eventually partnered this woman against my wishes, then left me for her. I guess the grass wasn’t greener, because after almost a year with her, he showed up on my doorstep saying he had made a huge mistake.
I took him back, because I am still in love with him, and I miss having him in my life. Things seemed to be going really well, until I found out that he is still financing this woman in SL. He is spending a lot of money in world to keep her SL business going, and to make sure she has everything she needs. He justifies it by saying if he helps her in SL, she won’t ask him for money IRL and he won’t have to have any contact with her. I am okay with that. I don’t depend on him for money, so as long as he pays his bills, I don’t care. But, I’m afraid that this continued contact will cause him to leave again.
I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to appear too needy, but I don’t want to be alone either.
Sincerely, Don’t Want to be Lonely
Honey, Here is what you need to do: get some self respect!
I don’t know what kind of game this man is playing with your life, but this is not something you want hanging over your head or your heart.
I can understand being in love, and not wanting to be alone, but is it really worth your peace of mind to constantly worry about whether or not this guy is going to dip out on you again?
Ask yourself what’s more important, being with someone who clearly wants to be with someone else, or being able to love the person you face in the mirror each morning?
Whatever you decide to do, you have to live with it. Just don’t get mad when the people close to you start to look at you funny for staying with him.
A person who imagines or foresees a state or society where there is great suffering or injustice. The dystopian protagonist challenges that which would control his or her life and helps others see the truth of the dystopian world through a unique perspective.
Patrick Ireland of FOCUS sat down with our friend, Dystopyan, to get to get a better sense of his “view of the world.”
Patrick: Thank you so much, my friend, for being our FOCUS artist for April 2019! Let me begin by also saying thank you for being such an inspiring friend. Truly, your talent in RL and SL is tremendous!
First question, just so we can get to know you personally: What’s one memory in SL that you have, or an event or experience here, that you have incorporated into your daily real life?
Dystopyan: Three and a half years ago, I had no clue that SL even existed. It was so intriguing to me when I first heard about it. After joining in, and seeing the amazing creations produced by the SL community, a spark was triggered in me. Since then, it has been a constant learning curve, taking creative inspiration from SL to RL, and vice versa.
Photography in SL has caused me to perceive photography in RL a bit differently too, pulling my work outside the box. And one thing I learned the hard way, posing people in SL is so much easier than RL. 🙂
Patrick: What is your background? You get bonus points if you can tie your life experiences to your artwork.
Dystopyan: I’ve always had an interest in different types of art since I was young. I used to draw a lot and play guitar. To be honest, I never thought I would ever go professional in RL photography and digital painting until I was forced to make the decision to drop everything and pursue the passion I have.
Since then I’ve tried to create a different approach — mixing photography, image editing and digital painting — to pull off some surrealist concepts and themes most of the time.
Patrick: What does your work aim to say?
Dystopyan: My work is about people. My work says: People are different and no 2 are alike. My work can mainly be split into 2 categories, commissioned and personal work. If you really analyze my images you will notice that no 2 photos are the same. Whenever I want to photograph someone or create a specific look for someone, I try to pull the person’s character out. I try and get to know the person behind the avatar and the reason why they look the way they do. Doing that helps me visualize the photos in my mind, makes me able to fine-tune their avatar and push the photos to the extreme. The other half of my work is my personal work which shows my interests in BDSM and erotic art, fantasy and some surrealistic views of the world — trying to capture whatever SL has to offer.
Patrick: Does your work comment on current social or political issues?
Dystopyan: I know that some artists are huge social and political influencers. Not me. I try to capture emotions in my work. I like to meet different people and help spread the beauty of those people living in different parts of the world. The main message I have to share is to accept the person in front of you for who they are. Find the beauty in them and spread that out. I do not bother myself with politics either, and as Plato said: “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” I am willing to live with that risk for the sake of what I love.
Patrick: Who are your biggest influences?
Dystopyan: I was first a musician before becoming a digital artist, so music plays a big role in my life. I enjoy all music, from the classical masterpieces to the more heavier and aggressive genres. As for visual artists and photographers, I like the genius classic work of Ansel Adams for some reason even though my work is exactly the opposite. On the other hand, I like Alberto Seveso, Aaron Nace and Aleksi Goferman —to name a few — who inspire me and push me to advance and develop my photography, image editing and painting skills, to be able to do what I do now.
Patrick: I’ve noticed that you’re quite helpful to “younger” photographers here in SL. Have you collaborated with others here and how do you feel your real life experience in art and photography has helped others in SL capture their own spirit for design and composition?
Dystopyan: I haven’t had big collaborations in SL — except for a few with other friends who are photographers — but I always try and help people who want to discover photography in here. Maybe because I am self-taught in RL, and I know how hard it can be for someone to learn by themselves. So I always try and lend out a hand whenever I can. Seeing other people’s work and creativity is inspiring to me. Some photographers see that as competition. I see it as growth and inspiration. Explaining some few techniques in composition, color theory and light can bring an amateur’s photos to professional levels, and that alone gives me pleasure when I see it happen.
Patrick: Lastly, is there a story behind your name?
Dystopyan: Long story short, I guess it’s because I think we’re heading towards a very dystopian era in the future. I like works such as Lovecraft and everything related as well. I guess it’s a combination of stuff. It’s just something that resonated with me when I created my av and I’m damn impulsive. 🙂 So, Dystopyan.
Patrick: Your photos have an air of your perception of dystopia as well.
Dystopyan: Yes. I try to show that.
Patrick: Thank you again, Dystopyan, for your time and sharing with our readers.
