Woman With Failing Eyesight Creates WindLight Filters to Make Second Life Look Brighter, More Beautiful -- Then Gives Them Away for Free

Poignant post by longtime SL fashion blogger PeepSideshow Darkward:

I have a condition called Macular Degeneration... It has no cure; I will never regain full vision. All I can do is try to slow down its advance... For over five years, blogging was my passion. Staging a scene, styling my avatar, selecting a pose, finding just the right goddamn angle and Windlight setting all were challenges that I embraced. And I was pretty OK at it. I met many wonderful and talented people, forged friendships and family through it and just had a good time. But as my condition worsened, I found it harder and harder to find the joy. It became a chore and a source of stress and distress.

Over the years, she created many customized WindLight environmental settings which in retrospect, she observes, was a reaction to her failing eyesight: 

I mainly used these for portrait photography, but a few of them are kind of pretty but some of them are rather stark and bright. I hadn’t really realised, but I think I was trying to bring a bit more lightness into my world.

In that sense, these visual filters are a living, digital testament to what she literally sees as beautiful. (One of them featured above.) She's made them available for everyone here.

Read more here, and when you're there, wish Ms. Darkward well. Happy to say, it looks like she's not leaving the virtual world anytime soon:

I am trying to find my way again in Second Life – I still love the creativity of this virtual world and I haven’t been able to give up on it. So, if you see a half-blind avatar wandering around but still looking somewhat stylish, stop and say hello. I still want to see you through my own eyes.

Hat tip: Sasy Scarborough

Comments

[Sasy Scarborough]

Thank you so much for posting about Peep, she is such a lovely person, always thinking of others, and how she can help the community she has been such an awesome part of.

Sasy Scarborough

[Peep Sideshow]

So, here come the tears again. But happy ones, this time. Thank you for writing this post, and thanks again, Sasy, for your help and kindness. I was surprised when I checked my site this morning to see how many downloads my Windlight settings had received (I may not be actively blogging, but I still check those stats) ;) Thanks for the post count boost and especially thank you for an avenue to reaching more people who may find my Windlight settings useful.

Second Life has given me so much joy over the years and I am happy to be able to give back. The support I have received has driven me to look for a way to continue to contribute to our community. I'm still finding my way, but I intend to stick around until the last pixel fades.

Cheers,
Peep Sideshow

[Hamlet Au]

Take care, Mz. Peep! We are cheering you on.

[Beth Ghostraven]

Peep, check out the Virtual Ability community in SL (https://virtualability.org/) for some more kindred spirits!

[Peep Sideshow]

Hamlet - thank you for your support and kind words. I've always wanted my own cheerleading squad :)

Beth - thanks for the suggestion. I will look into it xxx