We had such a good time at the anniversary party.  DJ Graylon Ash was wonderful.  Thanks to Franklin  for setting up the stream. And Gabrielle Riel who showed up with a bunch of New Tolousers.  What a fun group they are!

For those of you who could not attend the party. I put the gift inside the door of the club house. Hope you like it.

First of all I want to sincerely thank everyone who donated their time and talent to the SL7B exhibit.  It was a definite success, and fun too.  Even though we were tucked away up in the corner of the region, we had quite a few visitors. Maybe next year we can get a bigger parcel.

If you didn’t get one the gifts we gave out there, let me know.  There’s  a Koinup HUD that shows whether the sim you are in has been discovered on Koinup. And a Koinup T-shirt.

Speaking of T-shirts…I would really like to have a WP shirt for our members.  I don’t have any clothing creation skills, so I’ll need some help for this.  Give me a name if you create clothes or you know someone.

Next, one of our own, Stefan Buscaylet, is the creator of the LumiPro.  It’s a HUD lighting system for photography.  Using light balls which you can adjust in various ways, it’s great for both portraits and landscapes.  And……..he is offering a 10% discount to all members of the Wandering Photographers group!!!  Yay!  So shoot him an IM and tell him you want one!

And finally, I have been exploring in some other virtual environments (Heritage Key, Blue Mars) and really enjoying it.  So, question of the month:
Do you think it would be a good idea for WP to  wander to other worlds to do photoshoots?  Please send me a NC with your comments.

Reminders:
Our Koinup Gallery is here: http://www.koinup.com/group/wanderingphotographers/

my email is elsbethwriter@gmail.com

See you around the grid!
Elsbeth

but really, that’s not why I go.  I go because the builds are always amazing!

Here are some shots from this year.  See what I mean?

The theme is time travel, each sim is a different period in history. I don’t  have them all here….I’m going back.  It lasts through the 11th.

And do go to shop.  It’s such a worthy cause!

This past weekend we went to Waterford, a delightful sim with medieval, Gorean, steampunk, and romantic influences.

Castles, village, mountains and manors, make for a scenic destination.

A bit of Celtic

A lot of pretty

Thanks to our hostess Anna Landau.

And here’s the SLURL.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/SL7B%20Sideways/220/204/22

Come see us!

This week we went down south to Louisiana, USA.  The New Toulouse sims re-create New Orleans, Louisiana, in the historical period of 1890 to 1930.

The Estate is owned and managed by the incomparable Gabrielle Riel, owner of Radio Riel.  “Mis Gabi” has brought to life the city, the riverfront, the bayou, and the culture of Nawlins in the the Jazz Age.

I especially enjoyed (and appreciated) the region’s soundtrack.  Music from Radio Riel includes all the early jazz greats along with cajun, gospel and honky tonk. (Those that know me, know how I feel about this, as I wrote here. http://hubpages.com/hub/Soundtracks-in-the-Virtual-World )

The swamps, the rural homes, and backwater cabins, all are represented, as well as the gorgeous Garden District mansions, and the speakeasies and stores of te city.

This region does light roleplay.  However, with true Southern hospitality, they welcome all creatures. So…c’mon down, ya hear!

In anticipation of being accepted (*grins hopefully) I am asking for volunteers.  We have decided on a picture gallery of shots from our photoshoots. We need a builder/builders to create the exhibit, greeters to be there at various times to explain the group to visitors, and …of course… members willing to put up a picture with a notecard of why they joined the group and what it means to them.

Please contact me if you wish to participate.  We can begin building on June 5, with the event to begin on June 21.

Thanks
Elsbeth

Last weekend we visited the multi-sim region of NYHealthscapes. This is the project of Panacea Luminos, the dedicated director.  Her concept is as big as an empire: (Sorry, couldn’t resist)  Create the entire state of New York.  And it’s all there.  Long Beach, Montauk, the Appalachians, the Finger Lakes, small towns, as well as ”the City.” 

Battery Park

Along with the gorgeous scenery, there are several art galleries, shops, and the HealthLink sim. Here can find all sorts of information on many medical conditions.  From Heart Disease, to Autism, to Diabetes.  There are interactive items and educational videos.

And there are several means of transportation around the region - train, canal boat, taxi, and I think I saw a balloon tour.

All in all, a wonderful way to spend an afternoon…or two….or five…*smiles

For those of you who do not know the history of our group:

The Wandering Photographers group began as an extension of Picture Your World, a landscape photography business.  Elsbeth Writer, owner of the business, teaches a class in basic SL photography and some of the students suggested going together as a group on photoshoot expeditions.  Elsbeth thought it was a good idea, so they tried it.  They enjoyed it so much, it became a weekly event.

The group meets at a pre-determined location and spends time taking pictures of the scenery and interesting builds using the Environmental Editor.  They share suggestions for shots, help each other solve problems, and expand their photography skills.

The group was created in July 2009, and has since become an international endeavor.  There are members from all around the globe.  We have had two successful gallery exibitions, with promises for more from several gallery curators.  We have an online “gallery” at koinup.com with 64 members.  The inworld group is at 55 and growing.

“I am not trying to make money in SL.  I truly believe in art being accessible for all.  The only reason I “sell” my pictures is that it’s fun to set up a business and experiment with marketing and advertising, etc…  Something I have no resouces to do in RL.  Ergo, I am not in competition with anyone.  I do several things in SL.  If I lose money, well…that’s the risk I take in owning a business.

I think one of the great joys of SL is exploring; and that sharing your passion is part of the fun.  Taking photographs and selling them to interested people is one way  I share.  And photography is something anyone can do.  My pictures are not original pieces of art, they’re just pictures.”

And so, I will continue to sell my landscapes as C,M,T.  If someone copies my picture and passes it off as their own…I really don’t care.  Nothing in that pic is something I created.  I have no claim to any Windlight setting.  All I do is snap the button and make an image. 

Am I wrong?  Sigh…I enjoy my time in SL  That’s all that matters.