New World Notes

Cajsa's Second Life Flickr Picks: Incredibly Naturalistic Photos from Someone Named YO!

 Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

YO! has such an exciting, naturalistic photostream. Like this picture of her leaning forward and looking into the distance as though she has heard some distant sound like maybe the piercing cry of an eagle or the haunting laughter of a loon at night. The picture is aged and damaged by time and it seems that there might be a mountain in the distance, as though she is outdoors. There is a sense of urgency in the way she holds her body. I can think of so many stories. 

For more of YO!’s pics, click here:

Cajsa's SL Flickr Pick: Myrdin Sommer Fabulously Photographs Flat Avatars

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Myrdin Sommer is one of the many people who have embraced Project Mesh Revolution’s fabulous flat avatars. She has even made a few accessories and outfits for them, many of them free or at low cost from her Marketplace store Visual Junkies. Here is “Jimi Cardrix” playing a cardboard guitar in a cardboard world. I love the humor and I love how it reminds me of the glory days of Second Life before getting dressed required an advanced degree. 

For more flat Myrdin, click here:

Cajsa's SL Flickr Picks: Exquisitely Imaginative Images by Ayesha

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Ayesha recently posted “Fish Make Us Realize How Beautiful Silence Is,” one of a three-picture seat that is simply exquisite. The second picture zooms in on her hand holding the cup with fish and the third focuses on her face inside the glass dome. They should be considered as a set and are a joy to see. 

For more of Ayesha’s fabulous pics, click here:

Cajsa's Second Life Flickr Choices: Beautifully Framed Photos by Boots

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Boots ™ posted this marvelous “Be the Lighthouse” is a great example of clever framing, using the life preserver as a “viewing window” to see the lighthouse. Ships and lighthouses go together like bacon and eggs. I love that she found a new way to see the lighthouse. This is such a great picture. 

For more of Boots’ lovely pics, click here:

Cajsa's Choices: Dramatically Pensive Avatar Dudes, Beautifully Photographed by "Pxtrx"

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

P x t r x describes himself as a simple lover of photography and editing, but there’s nothing simple about his skills in bringing avatars to life. I love how natural this is, with the three sources of light illuminating him and it looks just right. 

For more of Pxtrx’s pics, click here:

Cajsa's Choices: Final Favorite Photos From This Year's Pride Month in Second Life -- And Thoughts on Pride for Every day

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Juliana Rhys posted “Gayer Together” which is an important truth about the LGBTIQA+ movement, that there is strength in numbers. That’s why homophobes try to ban IRL Pride parades and Pride events. That’s why the homophobes try to erase gay and trans history and their contributions to science, arts, technology, and history.. 

But even when they are banned from marching, gay people are showing up in numbers greater than ever - including, as it turns out, in virtual worlds like Second Life. In fact, it’s platforms like these where they often turn, when they don't feel safe expressing their full identity in their real lives.

Since Pride month just ended, I decided to take a look back at the pictures from the month. Flickr Search was a bit wonky, and there were over 1700 of pictures from just in June. But I still found a lot to like

For more Pride pictures, click here:

Cajsa's Second Life Flickr Choices: Perfect Posed Portraits by Olorenn

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Olorenn is new to me, someone faved this picture and I loved it and had to check out her stream. It’s great. It’s so great you should say that with Tony the Tiger’s voice.

Take this picture. She’s doing something interesting, not just standing. Her avatar has a hobby or, possibly, a profession, at least for the duration of this photoshoot. Even the title is a clever play on words. Does she mean the outfit she is wearing or does she mean that she is part of a musical ensemble? 

For more of her Gr-r-reat! stream, click here:

Cajsa's Choices: Highly Adorbs Avatar Pics by Artist Inevitably Named Bunny Fluffz

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Bunny Fluffz’s pictures are adorbs. And what else can they be? If your name is Bunny Fluffz, you are not going to be posting a lot of post-apocalyptic grit and grime. You will offer darling pictures like “On Cloud 9.” Bunny’s photostream makes me smile because we all need rose-colored glasses from time to time. Why not see the world in pastels and bright lights, especially in a world you can create to your specifications? In our Second Life, we can be optimistic and frivolous and choose happiness even when our first lives beg to differ. 

For more sweetness from Bunny, click here:

Cajsa's Choices: Smoochable Slice of Second Life Life Pics From Call Me Kiss

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Call Me Kiss posted this gorgeous picture of her virtual cat in a bike basket. At the very moment I saw this pic, my IRL cat gave me some vicious sideeye. She's very good at sideeye. 

I have to laugh at the idea of giving my cat a ride in a basket. Forget the ride. I couldn’t get her in a basket in the first place. Still, as improbable as this picture is in my life, it’s a lovely shot in Kiss’ virtual life. I love how her color choices and the lighting make this seem almost like an aged sepia photo from the distant past. Just think for a moment how much less coherent this pic would be with a bright pink blanket on the back of her bike and you will see the conscious choices she made in creating this gorgeous picture. She shot it using Aperture’s lighting. It works. 

For more from Kiss, click here:

Cajsa's Choices: Fantastically Composed Virtual Outdoor Fun Photos by Kirsten

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Kirsten seems ready for hunting, with a camera in the off-season most likely as he’s not got the tiniest bit of blaze orange to protect him from getting shot by an overeager hunter. The only things that will fit in his backpack are his lunch and a camera, maybe a few lenses. Besides, huskies aren’t really hunting dogs. I like the picture and think it’s a good example of Kirsten’s photostream where he features pictures of him doing things, an active and lively person in Second Life. 

For more of Kirsten in action, click here: