Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Need to know the time?


Some time ago I wrote an article about Patrick Hufschmid (PatrickHufschmid Beaumont in SL), a well known guitar maker in RL as well as SL.

As he lives in Switzerland, it would almost be normal that he designed a watch with menu for SL.

I was not a bit surprised when I saw his product, as this is a watch, illuminated with different possibilities and a real time! You can adjust the hour and even the minutes, as it is very accurate, what else could you expect from a Swiss made watch?


Every artist I know in SL, who plays with a Hufschmid, is really excited about it, so I am convinced you would too with this watch.

Even if you have RL company and are looking for a business gift, this could be a real opportunity to have you own name written in the watch.

As I did not have the time to check all possibilities, I would suggest surprising yourself by buying this watch and check it out yourself. You will not be disappointed.

Can you imagine talking to someone, and then suddenly look at your watch...to make clear the conversation is taking too long? LOL

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Golconda, the Vampire sim


I have visited the SIM Golconda several times. Every time I found something new to take pictures off.
It is a French community of Vampires, based on the World of Darkness, living and role-playing.

"The vampire that walks the World of Darkness is an undead creature. It is a former human being that has undergone the "Embrace" of a vampire, being completely drained of blood and then fed some by his sire, a vampire who has turned a mortal into a vampire through the embrace." ,so we learn from Wikipedia.


"Vampires strive for a Nirvana-like state called Golconda. This vague concept, encompasses salvation, redemption, a mastery over the vampire's bestial urges, and a high degree of Humanity; effects might be to lose the need to drink blood or even a return to a human state. Vampires in Golconda spent one blood point in a week, they are immune to the effects of Frenzy and Rotschreck and can raise all Traits and Disciplines up to 10, ignoring their generation limits."(wikipedia)

As all know, blood is truly vital for vampires. "When a vampire does not have any more blood in its body, it falls into torpor and cannot be reanimated unless someone feeds it with blood or a period of time has passed." That is why you need to wear a tag on this sim, to prevent yourself of being sucked out from one of these "creatures".;)

Everyone knows the stories of the vampires of course, but to give you a good impression, you need to visit the sim and try to discover every corner, turn every stone...

You will be able to find more pictures on my flickr stream, as usual, but also on the stream of one of its residents, Siobhan Watanabe, with several pictures of the beautiful vampires..;)

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Newbie Dorm

Picture from Tymmerie Thorne's blog



Tymmerie Thorne and Jerremy Darwin started with a noble idea. They offer a place to live, with all the help necessary that they can get, for newbies who are less than 90 days old. They called the place “Starting Point” and can use some advertising about this initiative, so that everybody knows what to do when they bump into a newbie.
Remember the first time you logged into the world? No one there to help, not knowing where to go, just trying a bit of this and a bit of that. I remember my first step….it was finished before I knew I was even online.;)
I logged in with my recently made avatar name. Landed on an island back then, in the middle of other newbies, all look alikes. What is the meaning, what should I do now, I was thinking to myself. I saw the button “fly”, so I tried that one, and yes, I flew around, above all other newbies….untill suddenly I couldn’t move forwards or backwards anymore. And the next thing that happened was a crash…;) I did not know at that time that that would be a daily adventure;;)
But knowing that there would be a dorm, and all the help from insiders, that would made the life of a newbie so much easier, even if there is a help island.
At this place I could get all the information I would need during my first 90 days on the grid. And I would have a place to live!!
I volunteered to be a “helper” in this group, meaning when there are questions asked in the group IM, one could easily give a direct answer. You could be a “helper” too…..
IM Jerremy or Tymmerie, or give a comment on Tym’s blog post here and here.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Meet the artist at Avatrait


On Sunday was the first “Meet and Greet” with Looker Lumet at the Avatrait Gallery. Where I expected that no one would show up, I was more than pleased to see how many people where interested to talk to the artist. And not just anybody, no …., some great artists as well……Mecca…Cienega…Taff Nouvelle…Kiya McMallon and so many others.
The questions asked by those visitors where not only greetings like :How are you? and How have you been?, but more direct art questions. How do I put up a scene for the pictures? How are the techniques for particular pictures? How do I manage the lighting in the pictures?


Even after the foreseen hour, people were dropping in the gallery. And afterwards, when I already left the building, comments were coming in IM.
I have to say, that I never expected this success, and I am already looking forward to the next” meet the artist”.;)

Last night I have visited another gallery in SL, at Cetus, with art from Winter Nightfire, an artist from San Fransisco, who showed her digital work to me.
I only met her at my opening at the Avatrait gallery, but it seems that I have not heard the last of her. Maybe even an exhibition…..from Looker…at Cetus?

Friday, September 12, 2008

Virtual nature at its best.



Some days ago I visited a sim called “Hollow Forest”.
Arriving on the spot you get the idea of being in the middle of a swamp, that is why the title of some pictures is called that way. The fog over the water…and with the right “Windlight” settings you really can make an amazing view on that small lake.



This forest can also be the perfect background for elfins or faeries scenes.
It seems that builders are really improving their skills lately, because there are now many nice forest sims, a virtual nature where you get a real good feeling and almost real life experiences. The mushrooms and all the details are made with real passion, I must say.
This is certainly a place to visit, and to discover the beauty of the other world.
More pictures are and will be seen on my flickr stream.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Some thoughts

I only said yesterday, that I did not had the time to surf around. What did I do this morning....indeed...surf a bit around the grid...checking my offline emails...my flickr stream...;)
That having done I remembered a blogpost by Prad Prathivi. I think I have been too long in Second Life.;)

"You know you’ve been in Second Life too long when..

1. You’re browsing webpages and you Alt-Click to get a closer look at an image.

2. Someone calls out your avatar’s name and you respond.

3. You start typing “/me” in a text message or on MSN Messenger.

4. You start using your favourite gestures in the real world.

5. You accidentally write down your avatar’s name on an RL form

6. You see a pink ball and a blue ball in a store, and think how funny it’d be to put them on a bed.

7. You google your real name and get nothing, and then you google your avatar’s name and get a dozen pages.

8. The word “cyber” becomes synonymous with sex.

9. The first thing you do in the morning is open the laptop and check your email for offline messages, then check your Flickr/Koinup/Blog for comments.

10. You’re on an airplane and think how it’d be funny to suddenly stand up and scream “ZOMG - SIM CROSSING!!!!!” to the astonishment to other passengers.."

The only problem that I have now is, that I've been too long away from my blog. I tried to include the link to Prad's post, but did not succeed...haha. It is time for me to pick up the pieces, I think.

Update......finally I managed to include the link.;)

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Dream Beach

Ok, I don’t know if anyone still reads my blog, but I am going to try to write now and than about Looker Lumet, as I remember that was requested by some of my readers.

This blog started as information on what was happening on the grid, and not specifically about me. But, as I don’t have the time to surf around all the blogs anymore, I will inform you what is happening with Looker Lumet, about his activities and discoveries.

As you will probably know, after reading my previous posts, Looker Lumet had a very important gallery opening last weekend. Once a month a new SL artist has the opportunity to have an exhibition at the Avatrait gallery, which is not exactly unknown, as it exists for more than a year now, and also sells SL pictures in RL. In fact, Avatrait will be part of the exhibition in RL, in Florence, Italy, at the end of October, with some pictures of SL artists. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend the opening and meet Track Hax, the man behind Avatrait, as I have other obligations in RL.

But, back to the opening last Saturday, Looker can be very happy, looking back at the results. I only hope that this isn’t THE highlight of Looker Lumet’s career in SL, but only a starting point to more success.

The way to achieve that, is trying to make better art, better pictures, and become known by many other avatars, who did not hear about Looker until now.

And this future will all start at Bahia Beach, not only homeland of the “Dreamers” and thus mine too, but also the base of CYD Records and a gallery.

Almost daily, the “Open mic” stage is reserved for performances of SL music artists. For many of those, CYD Records is a welcome support to have their career a push forward.

And Looker Lumet happens to be the official photographer of CYD records…..:)

The gallery is also situated on this sim, right next to the building where I live. SL art, as well as RL art will find their way in this exhibition space. The intention is to have all the best artists in SL featuring on a monthly base. However, this still needs to be worked out. Rome was also not built in one day.;)

The combination of the gallery, the two stages, one at the gallery and one for the open mic, the beach, the different small “islands” makes this sim a beautiful home for dreamers. And that is why it is called: “Dream Beach

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Looker Lumet at the Avatrait Gallery


As you all know, and as mentioned in my previous post, there was an exhibition opening on Saturday of my pictures, at the Avatrait Gallery.
I used to take a lot of pictures at such events, but this time I was too much busy in answering all the IM's an keeping an eye on the local chat, so I would not miss a conversation or a sentence towards me.
Can you imagine someone just congratulates me, and I would not see it, and not respond to that comment. How would you feel? You would probably think..: okay he's busy...he did not see the message...., but nevertheless you would be disappointed. So instead of taking pictures I was talking to a lot of people, who visited the gallery.


I was pleased to see a lot of new faces, but also very familiar faces, my dear friends.
This post is actually a word of thank you, to all the visitors of Saturday, and of course especially my friends, because, to be honest, where would I be without them?
From the beginning of 2007, my career as photographer on SL has grown to a level I would never dreamed of. Okay this is only SL, but I am pleased with it.
I have learned, and in the meanwhile met so many people in this world, that I can not imagine that I would ever leave this, except perhaps if all my friends would suddenly disappear....
So, thank you all for helping to make the exhibition, and thus also my pictures, a great success.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Gallery opening on September 6th!!!


On September 6th, I will have a gallery opening at Avatrait. My pictures will be exhibited for a month. Don't miss the opening evening, as you know that at the gallery, it has become a " must be there" event.

If you did not read it elsewhere, if you did not get an invitation, this announcement is for everyone who is interested.

See you on Saturday!!