It’s day 5 of Blackout August. I made it through the weekend without buying anything, which feels monumental. I usually do most of my Second Life shopping on weekends, so I’m starting to feel more confident that I can go the entire month without shopping.
If you’re quietly doing this challenge with me, maybe today you can try something new. Have you tried the Aperture Viewer? It’s the only viewer I’m using for Second Life right now. Today I made a bunch of photo presets in the Aperture Phototools Suite. It’s different from EEP settings because you can enhance colors, add depth of field, adjust glow, and so much more. If I figure out how to share presets, I will.
I shopped from my inventory today. I can’t even remember when I bought this sandwich, but the time stamp says June 22. The shocking part is realizing I have thousands of items I’ve never blogged or worn. Let’s see how many we can uncover this month.
If you were hesitant to try the Aperture Viewer (by William Weaver) because it wasn’t listed in the official Third Party Viewer Directory, good news: it is now. Unless stated otherwise, most of my photos going forward will be taken using this viewer, mostly because it’s what I’m learning right now. I used the official Second Life Viewer up until 2020, when I finally decided to dip my toes into third party viewers. Since then, I’ve tried Black Dragon, Firestorm, Alchemy, and beta versions of these viewers. I’m comfortable with all of them, but I’m also a sucker for shiny new sliders. I like when a viewer can push the limits of what’s possible in Second Life without needing external photo editing apps.
That said, it really doesn’t matter what viewer you use to take photos in Second Life. At the end of the day, it’s the artist, not the tool. And honestly, I don’t even consider myself an art photographer. I’m just a fashion blogger. I shoot fast and move on.
For this look, I used the built-in poser to part my lips and add a side glance. You can always use a face poser HUD, but if you don’t have one, the built-in poser actually gives you super fine control. You can tweak all the sliders to get as expressive as you want. Yes, it’s a little time-consuming, but those small details can really bring your photos to life.
Also, Anthology is open. And for the first time ever, I made an alpha in Second Life. It was messy, but I did it in under 30 minutes, and I’m totally inexperienced. I’m wearing the Nida Sweater from Havoc. It’s made for Maitreya, but I wanted to wear it with the Maitreya LaraX body, so I had to make an alpha to cut out bits of the breasts and back. I love this top too much to switch back to regular Maitreya, so I went the hard route. If you want the alpha, just message me in SL.
And finally, can we talk about this Derpy Doge Plush from Sakura? I love holdables in Second Life, and this one is just too cute. The little tongue sticking out reminds me of my real life derpy dog. Instant favorite.
I’m honestly kind of impressed that Second Life is actually making a move on the Old Linden Homes. There’s even an eviction date now: May 19. When I wrote about this two weeks ago, I figured it was still a ways off, but apparently it’s happening. Naturally, some residents will be upset by this “sudden” news, even though the signs have been there since Bellisseria launched. These homes have been marked for closure for a while now.
That said, I think this is a smart move for Linden Homes overall. We need people to shift over to Bellisseria and take the available homes. I totally understand that losing your place is upsetting. Some people really don’t like change. I’ve even caught myself wondering how I’ll feel one day, maybe decades from now, when Second Life decides to shut down Bellisseria. Honestly, I’m already sensitive to changes and updates in the Linden Home regions. Sometimes I’m excited, especially when there are new models to play with. Other times, I dread it and worry it might be the thing that makes me leave.
If you’re reading this and you’re still living in one of the Old Linden Homes, don’t panic. This is an upgrade. You’re getting twice the land impact and a more active neighborhood. Bellisseria isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s likely to be around for at least another ten years, so you’re not being pushed out overnight.
Also, I can’t remember if I blogged about the Aperture Viewer yet, but I tried it last month and was genuinely impressed. You can take raw photos in Second Life that look like they’ve already been edited in Photoshop. I’ll probably stick with this viewer for a while because I love shiny new things. The sliders are super fun to experiment with, and it’s helping me look at my photos in a new way. I’m even playing with colors I usually avoid, like black and white.
