Shoji's Never-ending Wanderlust

  

The Japan Dream Kenjin comes top of my list of “unique SIMs.” This fantastic place, being built by a creator named Clubkenjin Loon (a.k.a. “Boss”), shows us Japan in the 1960s and 70s. Everything I see there, from a package of cigarettes to a sleazy movie theater, reminds me of the good old days when I was a kid running around in the neighborhood.





To my great pleasure, the Japan Dream Kenjin has been added to the hotspot directory of b-places. I would be glad if you could teleport there and vote for it.

http://b-places.com/
http://slurl.com/secondlife/JAPAN%20DREAM%20KENJIN/63/33/24




  

A comment from Val, one of my Koinup buddy, on “Goodbye, Gion 5” was eye-opening: “The colors remind me of a Hiroshige print.”



I unwittingly imitated the image of “Kamedo Umeyashiki.” As Val pointed out, the colors as well as the composition of the picture are quite similar to those of Hiroshige’s masterpiece that inspired Vincent van Gogh.



Perhaps what I’m going after is the style of Ukiyoe paintings, which always fascinate me with their serene atmosphere.


  

The “Goodbye, Gion” series, as it turns out, gives me an insight into photography; As you take a lot of pictures in the same place at different times, you’ll more often than not find something that you have missed, some of which are quite interesting.


　




The truth is that even a bad shot hits the mark given enough tries, which is why I keep taking pictures.



  

There’s nothing that is permanent in Second Life. Sadly, the Gion Project is no exception – it will be gone in a month or so. So, I’ve just launched the “Goodbye, Gion” series on Koinup as a tribute to Sammy Biddle, the remarkable producer of this project. I’m gonna upload a few pics a week until it’s closed for good. The first shot is this:



The Gion Project…too good to be lost, really.

http://www.koinup.com/Shoji/work/78185/



  

A Floating Stone Henge (an image that can be captured only in a virtual world)


For me, taking pictures is like cooking something special. I don’t prepare ingredients; I just choose and cook them together with some spices and seasonings. And I’m not sure how it will taste until I take a bite of it. The problem, however, is hunger – the best sauce, which makes everything taste good.

  

One of the most exciting moments in SL is when you come across something that you might have seen in RL.




Mt. Matutum in South Cotabato, the Philippines --I lived at the foot of this mountain for two years.




  

One of my KoiNUP pics “Hey!” is posted on New World Notes, with some of my comments on it. I’m glad that I can share this pic with many people, but too much exposure is not what I would have expected.


http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2008/10/new-world-table.html  

What makes photography in SL so fun is that you can create your own environmental settings. Actually, I’ve come up with several settings, some of which produce unexpected effects under certain circumstances.


Shoji Sunrise


Shoji Cloudy Sky


Shoji October Sunset


Shoji Foggy Sunset

It would be great if I could share or exchange these settings with my KoiNUP buddies.

  

Eves and Rhys, two of my KoiNUP buddies, visited my gallery the other day. It’s always nice to meet someone new – Eves and Rhys were no exception. We talked a bit about photography, though I thought “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Second Life, coupled with KoiNUP…what a wonderful world!





  

My life in this virtual world is a series of encounters with remarkable people, one of whom is n0th1ng Ackland (Noth). One day while I was wandering a wonderfully low-key Hungarian village called Zizania/Manomio, someone sent me an instant message out of the blue, asking “Are you a traveler?” It was Noth. He said he had a look at my profile.



This is how I got to know him, a talented creator who built the village. He sort of went nuts with my pictures, so much so that he put up a Japanese cottage for me. Zizania/Manomio is one of the best SIMs I’ve ever visited, and I was lucky enough to have my gallery set up in such a wonderful place.



Everyone is welcome to visit and relax at this gallery, which is complete with Noth’s elaborate furniture and some of my “not-so-bad” pictures. LOL


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