Tag: FOCUS Magazine

PHOTOGRAPHY: An Interview with Liz Winterstorm

Liz Winterstorm has been in SL for 7 years and a member of Flickr photo community since 2013. Her artwork spans the sensual, the artistic, the abstract as well as whimsical, creating beautiful and unique color, light and shadows.

Seline: Hi, Liz! It’s so nice to meet you and spend time looking through your photographic work. The images you put together have a very unique feel and look to them. Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Liz: Hi, Seline! So nice to meet you, too. A lot of the time my mood of the moment comes into play, I can’t seem to take a picture that doesn’t fit with how I feel. I love poses so I put a lot of effort into finding a pose that represents how I feel and go from there.

Seline: What is one thing you wish you knew when you first started with SL photography?

Liz: Everything! Seriously… I’m completely self-taught and early on I found out I don’t have a lot of patience for learning, so I’ve never watched tutorials. I’m sure that could have gone a long way to making it easier. But a big one for me was derendering. How to simplify a scene by just making things go away.

Seline: Among your work, which is your favorite or means a great deal to you?

Liz: The one that means the most to me is ‘The Story of My Life.’ It’s a very personal photo and a special moment with Vrir.

Seline: Do you have any favorite Windlight settings?

Liz: I absolutely love windlights and I spend so much time searching for the right one for each scene. For me, it’s one of the most important parts of a photograph… along with the pose and the angle. I use the [TOR]Big Sun set of windlights a lot and [TOR]Sunrise, Chernoble is one of my favorites. I tend to use a lot of sunrise and sunset windlights. I like the glow a low sun can create.

Seline: What is the most interesting thing you have learned about yourself that you would not have known if it weren’t for SL?

Liz: I know a lot of people say that in Second Life you can be whoever you want to be, but what I’ve found is that it’s enabled me to be who I truly am. I’ve found a voice to express myself that I never would have if not for Second Life. Before I found SL I felt I had a creativity inside me but no way to let it out, and when I found SL and then started blogging I never thought photography would become a passion of mine. But it has.

Seline: What is your favorite thing to do in SL aside from photography?

Liz: The time spent with my partner, Vrir is always incredible and never seems long enough. But when he’s not in-world, I like taking in live music, particularly Jack Slade, who’s one of my favorites. I’ve recently started working for Elle Boutique, which I’m really excited about. I keep busy, bringing Elle coffee and rubbing her feet, plus I’ve been known to screw-up and make her life a little more difficult. Overall, it’s lots of fun! And of course, I’m on my pose stand a lot, just looking at myself.

Seline: What is the wildest, most insane, or weirdest thing you have ever seen in Second Life?

Liz: Hmm, wild, insane or weird… That can sum up any given day in SL. I know we’ve all seen a guy with his junk outside his pants so that’s almost mundane now. Early on in my SL, my sister and I put ourselves through a wood chipper. We laughed like crazy as our avatars were spewed out in chunks!

Seline: What does a perfect day or moment in SL look like for you?

Liz: The perfect moment for me has always been to sit looking out on a sunset, whether on a beach or somewhere flat with a big sky. The Hazardous sim comes to mind. I really miss that place. I’ve always enjoyed the serenity and peace a sunset can bring, in Second Life and real life.

Seline: And finally, how has TSFTG affected your SL?

Liz: At first, TSFTG was only a group on Flickr that I could post my photos to and keep up to date with other photographers, which I’ll add, is a really great group of photographers! Then I took in an event, which isn’t common for me, being an extreme introvert. I usually stay home and work. But, I ventured out to one of the exhibit openings and really liked the atmosphere. The art was incredible, but for me what’s more important is that I felt welcome and comfortable among the crowd. It’s great to meet some of the photographers that I’ve been following on Flickr for so long and being around creative people is always inspiring. To be a part of something that’s as accepting and encouraging as this group is, is important for me. I believe we’re all here to help lift each other up.

FOCUS Magazine – From the Editor, May 2019 Issue

Letter from the Editor

As most everyone knows, I live on the east coast of the U.S. in New York where the month of May is a very beautiful, mild month. The weather is cool but comfortable. April showers have washed away any remains of snow. Leaf buds and flower buds begin to peek out as the earth gently makes it’s yearly transformation from freezing cold hibernation to the warmth of Spring again. Sluggishly, the groggy earth awakens and then, with the surprise, and energy and happiness of a child, pastel-colored life pops-up from the wet brown earth. Cherry trees burst into blooms of pink and white. And the robin red-breasts reliably returns, true to his promise of another season of life.

Liz Winterstorm’s photography reminds me of this transition. It is surprising and subtle with a wistful wave to the graying past, an appreciation for the golden treasure of the present, and a wonderous but watchful approach to the blurry, unknown future.

This issue also features Umshlanga Barbosa. He’s become a fixture at TSFTG and FOCUS, as moderator and contest judge. He’s a unique Liverpudlian man of many surprising talents, and we learn a bit more about him in this issue.

You will notice that Mahogany’s column is missing in this issue. Her busy RL took precedence, but she will be back in the June issue. We’ve also begun a new column called “Kitten’s Korner” that you are sure to enjoy!
.

Angela Thespian

Fotobomb with Greg, June 2019

As I was out celebrating the US Memorial Day when I noticed Yoh Boa — one of our TSFTG members — dancing away. It was a great fotobomb opportunity seeing how his wife, DJ Avalon, was spinning tunes to the packed crowd. I took some time to catch up with Yoh as I crept up behind Avalon’s tip jar…

Greg: Yo, Yoh! (editor’s note: Greg totally got that from Angela) Nice to see you here on this fine Memorial Day!! Tell me, where are your favorite spots to take photos?

Yoh Boa: Well, I’m an old SL surf bum. I’m drawn to the ocean, so I love to take beach and surf photos. Avalon and I just did a blog and took some pictures at Kia Kaha.

Greg: That’s awesome – I saw a few of those photos on your Flickr page! What’s your favorite place to shop?

Yoh Boa: Other than Cabela’s? Oh, you mean in SL! I’m kind of a Cold Ash fan. Shopping may not be on my top 5 list in SL though 🙂

Greg: Haha of course. We’re guys! So when you have free time, what things do you like doing most?

Yoh Boa: Avalon and I have been building out a sim. It’s called “Mon Joli Cadeau.” Our vision is a classy place for couples in a Paris setting. We are also planning an art exhibit and gala for July. It’s been a blast! Avalon does most the creating, and I hold the toolbox and blueprints.

Greg: Sounds amazing! What else inspires you most in SL?

Yoh Boa: AVALON! I’ve been in SL for 12 years and most of that time lived a quiet surf life with close friends. I come from a technology background in RL so the graphics, photography, and creativity always intrigued me. Now that I have more time, and have an amazing creative wife, I am enjoying learning photography. I have a long way to go, but it’s been fun to learn.

Greg: Well, you’ve really come a long way. Those classes at FOCUS are paying off! Finally, how has TSFTG benefitted your SL?

Yoh Boa: We are both pretty new to TSFTG and have been introduced though DJ gigs. What a fun and nice group of people! Patrick and Angela are very warm and welcoming, and I think they model that for the rest of the group. Kindness is addicting and FOCUS is all about that. Greg: I couldn’t agree more! Thanks for your time and we look forward to seeing more of you at FOCUS and TSFTG events.

Greg: I couldn’t agree more! Thanks for your time and we look forward to seeing more of you at FOCUS and TSFTG events.

Virtually Spiritual, June 2019

“Spirituality” was once a word that almost always referred to formal religion. Today, the term also refers to personal experiences of a transcendent dimension and the deepest values and meanings by which people live. Outside of organized religion, a spiritual belief can be in something beyond the observable world. Perhaps a belief in personal growth, a quest for the meaning of life, or encountering one’s inner self. Virtual spirituality? Same meaning.

In a virtual environment like SL, the opportunities for spiritual pursuits are limitless — as befits our nearly limitless environment. Spiritual organizations of every type abound, as do the opportunities for individual discovery. Some celebrate formally in groups and others just provide opportunity for individual thought and contemplation.

A celebration in June you will see observed in SL is the pagan celebration of Midsummer or “Litha.” The focus of this celebration is the power of the sun. The earth has warmed up and is pouring forth its bounty in crops, flowers, and general greening of the northern hemisphere. Days are longer, and nights are softer. There are many ways to celebrate this holiday, both formally and informally. Perhaps the best celebration is to spend some time enjoying the outdoors and connecting with nature, or — in our virtual world — visiting one of the many beautifully designed nature sims with a bit of imagination.

Spirit Pond Chrystal Mountain

Also in June is the new moon around June 3, and the full moon around June 17. New moons are traditionally a time for making wishes and plans for things we wish to manifest in the future. The full moon is a time of releasing whatever no longer serves us in our lives. This can mean anything from physical cleansing to letting go of old limiting beliefs. The June full moon is the Strawberry Moon and celebrates the sweetness of the ripening fruit and the fertility of our world, which makes it a good time to identify and release the things that are keeping ourselves from ripening or growing. Whatever your spiritual path, these markers — which occur every month — are just two of the ways our universe (if we listen) gently guides us to self-care and offers us an opportunity to grow.

Namaste (the divine in me sees and recognizes the divine in you).

Kitten’s Korner – June 2019

Something I like to do, from time to time, is go to one of my favorite artist’s page on Flickr and look at the very 1st picture they posted. It’s fun to go through their photo-stream and see how far they’ve come. I’ve asked Lolita Paragorn to be our re-creation focus for this issue.

Kitten: Thank you, Lolita, for agreeing to this interview and project. I see your 1st pic on Flickr was posted in April 2012. Can you tell us a bit about it?

Lolita: With the new rules of Flickr, I deleted many pics, but I kept my old pics that are important to me. This pic in 2012, is a styling for my graduation from modeling school. I did this pic because it was important to post the look.

Kitten: Did you have any mentors? Or how did you teach yourself to take pics?

Lolita: No. All I do on SL I learned on my own, except modeling. For that, I can thank my friend Ondine. With photography, I learned slowly. I read books and watched YouTube. I have a few friends on SL and we share our knowledge.

Kitten: What inspires you to take photographs in SL?

Lolita: In SL, I’m a model on the runaway. When I started to learn modeling, it was necessary to do a blog to post all my stylings. Then some designer friends asked me to blog for them. It’s the beginning of my new goal on SL, my blog and my pics. But I think it’s the outfit that inspires me. Whatever the style, I try to find a good background and pose.

Kitten: What are some of your favorite windlights, photography tools in SL, and
editing programs?

Lolita: I use GIMP to edit my pics, for that I bought a book and watched many videos on YouTube. I use the Firestorm windlights and I don’t modify my pics a lot. I focus on the color of the outfits, skin, or eyes.

Kitten: What advice would you give to other photographers?

Lolita: For newbies, I would advise them to start with a simple background. Practice using the camera and zoom. As for editing, it’s important to keep the textures and colors. So I would say try not to depend on a lot of editing outside SL.

Art Gallery Review – Palazzo di Basilique

It’s an absolute pleasure when I come across a gem in my wandering travels or suggested by anyone that knows how much I love getting lost in a place or time I’ve never seen. A reminder of what makes this world so very special. Giving access to culture, art, music, and many other things that we don’t always have the privilege to experience. So, when I see places like the breathtaking Basilique, I cannot help but want to support its owner Niccoli Sweetwater who is actively bringing another world to my fingertips.

The first thing I noticed was the grand church modeled after the San Pietro Martire which was built in 1348 in honor of St. John the Evangelist. A lovely place for an inworld wedding. Immaculately detailed all the way to down to the art on the chapel walls.

There is so much more to see and do like the Hot Springs where I see myself spending some time, a bathhouse for relaxing, and a cozy bar to enjoy with friends. Perfect for a quick getaway with hidden places for intimate play as well. I hope to see you there for a chat and glass of wine or a stroll through the art gallery. Salute!

– Kairi Cristole

Music Venue Review – NAP Club

Photography by Umshlanga Barbosa

NAP Club is a peaceful, tropical “place to snuggle or nap” according to owner Rogue DeLaRue. Maybe it is – sometimes. Other times it’s a fantastic live music venue like Monday, when – back to back – Loreen Aldrin and Wolfie Starfire appeared in front of a happy crowd. NAP Club deserves a lot of credit for bringing in top SL talents! Other upcoming live music include Agatha Knowles, Jesie Janick, and Zoree Jupiter. Busy place!

By the way, if you want to rent a sailboat or just lie in a hammock, you can do that too. When I dropped in a few days ago, Jim Croce’s “I Got A Name” was playing on the stream, so I laid down and looked up at the palm trees. Since I didn’t get bonked on the head by a single virtual coconut, I’ll probably be writing another review soon – after I get back from a month backpacking in Colorado. (My dang RL alt drags me everywhere with him!)

– Doc Nolan

Store Review – AZOURY

I have an interest for the fantastical, apocalyptic and the slightly macabre, so this month AZOURY fits right into this theme.

When you first land, facing you is a set of bento robotic legs and arms for female bodies that you will have to demo to believe. I have a set of each and, when I wear them, they are almost always a topic of conversation.

I quite enjoy what the creator has imagined for women’s feet. The different version of the ballet shoes are my favourites. There is also many types of masks, head and facial adornments which will be unique for your next cyborg party.

Keep an eye out for AZOURY at many of the shopping events in SL. Their products are always exceptional!

– Lyda Sands

“Just Ask Mahogany,” June 2019

One thing that I have learned about people is that we’ve all been through some sort of trauma in our lives. And that trauma, no matter
how big or small, has brought us to SL. The beauty of SL is that no one can see our scars unless we allow it. They see the avatar that we create
to represent ourselves, and then, through conversations and interactions, they begin to see the inner workings of our minds. In SL, we have a chance to be the people we’ve always wanted to be. And that is a wonderful thing.

What I’ll never understand is why, with the freedom to be who we want to be, we allow our past trauma to define us in this beautiful virtual space that we create. So many times, we run into someone in world who is wholly defined by their past trauma. And it’s understandable, until they try to use their past trauma to justify bad behavior.

One’s past may have been traumatic and devastating. It may well have been emotionally crippling and caused irreversible psychological damage. But that time has passed. And while you may still be dealing with some of the residual effects of that trauma, you HAVE gotten through it.

I had a friend who had a terrible childhood. We initially bonded over the fact that our childhoods were so similar and we worked together to help each other heal. However, as I grew stronger and worked harder to leave the nightmare of my youth behind, my friend seemed to cling to it. Whenever we would meet, she’d rehash the same experiences. When I spoke of new hobbies and life adventures, she’d counter with “Did I ever tell you about the time when….” Cue the sad music, the waterworks, and the Kleenex. As much as I wanted to be a supportive friend, I could no longer endure living in her past. And as much as it pained me to cut ties with her, I felt like — for the sake of my own sanity— I had no choice. We still speak on occasion, but the bond that we used to share is no longer there. And I, at times, wonder if perhaps I let my friend down.

The answer is no, I did not.

If she is unable to function as an adult because she refuses to let go of what happened to her, why should that make me or anyone else feel bad? If she is using what happened as a reason to be an emotionally irresponsible asshole, then she deserves to be locked in the prison of loneliness and selfishness that she created.

There comes a point in time when we have to learn to forgive. First we forgive ourselves, and then we forgive those who hurt us. If we’ve caused the hurt, through reckless behavior based on a past trauma, then we need to be willing to learn from our mistakes so they aren’t repeated.

We are all expected to mature as we get older. Part of maturing is knowing when to hold on, and when to let go. The way I see it, when it comes to your life and your past, you can be a VICTIM or you can be a VOLUNTEER. (100L to the first person who can tell me what movie that’s from.)

I refuse to be a victim. Not to my past or to yours. And I further refuse to allow you to muddle my colorful present and bright shiny future with the emotional weight of the baggage that you refuse to let go of. Don’t be angry, just let it go. Crumple it up, throw it away, and then we’ll find out who you’re going to be. In both worlds.