Quite a while ago, I was hanging around in one of SL's many art galleries, and across a completely empty room, a female avatar wandered into view. The name above her head rang a very small bell, so I decided to go over and have a chat with her, to see where I knew her from. It turned out she was an inworld photographer, and I had seen a couple of her pics in the official SL Flickr Group. We chatted for a bit, then out of nowhere, I got a little notice saying she wished to hug me. "Bit overly familiar, but no harm in it" I thought. Next thing I knew, I was upside down, with my head stuck in the floor, and Skycat Ranger was taking a photo of me, to post on her own Flickr stream, while falling about on the floor laughing with glee.

I generally don't talk much in Rez about people already on my friend list, because I would be loathed to be accused of favouritism, but while having one of my wanders across the SL5B sims, I stumbled into a gorgeous little gallery of enhanced inworld photographs, and when I saw Skycat's name on a giant leaf above the door, I decided that to do a story was less about boosting a friend, and more making use of a contact who is doing something amazing. In other words, as is becoming my mantra at the moment, giving respect where due. So, the moment I noticed her come online, I dragged her down to her exhibit, amongst the giant blades of grass and ladybirds made for her by the clown prince of SL, Jay Prospero, and had a chat with her about her work, and her own personal sl experience:


Voodoo Buwan: What originally brought you to SL?
SkyCat Ranger: I was playing a game called "Doufus". I was a fisherman, had to sell the fish I caught and make potions for killing magical beasts to move up. It almost got like work lol. I went to wikipedia to look up a potion and SL was mentioned. So I went and never sold fish again. My first night I met a joker and a ninja shooting, so we shot each other all night
Voodoo Buwan: And what made you decide to start snapping pictures of your adventures?
SkyCat Ranger: I actually remember when I learned you could. I was sitting with the joker, jay, on a bigger than life bear. I learned how and haven’t stopped. SL has awoken my sprained soul in many ways, art being HUGE.
Voodoo Buwan: A lot of your pictures have some amazing effects on them. How do you achieve that?
SkyCat Ranger: I got PS (Adobe Photoshop) in Oct 07 and literally just started clicking buttons. I now make unusual flowers and cityscapes with it. Default tools that are designed for other purposes. I’m to scatterbrained and busy to watch tutorials and I am going to make myself do it. Most people with training take years to learn SP. I know what I don’t know, but its ok, I’m having a blast.
Voodoo Buwan: So, you very much just kinda learn by doing, and make it work for you?
SkyCat Ranger: Exactly. I really don’t know why I love it, but I sure do. Possibilities are endless and I think I love the surprises. It has also opened anther universe of people from SL I met on flickr.com that I admire and have been helped by many. At first I was intimidated, but I found these SL flickr people to be fantastic.
Voodoo Buwan: So, has Flickr become an extension of your SL?
SkyCat Ranger: Yes, I may spend more time there. My SL life and close friends have grown and changed and I found my niche. I met a photographer on flickr named SkyShaper from NY, and he helped me figure out what kind of RL camera I should get, and now I have over 300 RL pics on flickr also.
Voodoo Buwan: So, how has the feedback been to your SL photos, generally?
SkyCat Ranger: Well, responses are always positive (not boasting here). I welcome any response though. A lot say, how do you come up with new pics, from PS that is. All I know is, I open a picture and have a blast. None are preplanned. My prob is, flickr could be a full time job, responding back. I try not to focus on responses or amount of views.
Voodoo Buwan: Just be true to yourself, yeah?
SkyCat Ranger: Yes and I've never sold any, I'm afraid it would change it. Hey, but open to offers lol
Voodoo Buwan: Do you use any inworld tools to help get your photos?
SkyCat Ranger: I do a like to find "in depth" shots, as I recently learned about setting snapshot to "in-depth".
Voodoo Buwan: Do you use a photobooth, or do you prefer to find places inworld to use?
SkyCat Ranger: Both, but I don’t have a photobooth that works at this time or a place to keep it. I get my best shots at my friend Jay’s area then I add flowers whenever possible. I also do alot in a flickr SL group called "picture pile ups". We edit each other’s pictures and I learned so much by doing that, sneaking my flowers in lol. But to answer you, I prefer SL to a photo booth, but it has its place.
Voodoo Buwan: Any advice on how to find the best places to photograph?
SkyCat Ranger: Well I heard there is a list but I don’t know where it is. I always use search and type what I'm thinking of, or if I go to a store, I check rest of the sim out. Friends and helping others I’ve run into the most unexpected pictures. Although when I was little my nickname was "Greta Garbo". “I vant to be alone?” It’s fun to fly off alone and see and find.
Voodoo Buwan: So, what has being a photographer in SL brought to you?
SkyCat Ranger: Good question. It’s brought me confidence and joy and excitement but mostly awoken my sprained soul, and now I wish I could fly in RL to take pictures. I have a set of churches from SL, like 67 or so. I was surprised to find so many. I now do that in RL, and with doors in SL too. I also have a set of more than 100 cool signs in SL and doing the same in RL.
Voodoo Buwan: Finally, what advice would you give to any budding shutterbugs in SL?
SkyCat Ranger: Have fun and the pictures will come from that attitude, and join flickr groups. There is help and encouragement out there. Oh, and Torley Linden has great tutorials on the SL website, which can really help.

I've been spending an awful lot of time the past few days, wandering around the SL5B sims, taking in the sights, and enjoying what's on offer. However, I do feel the need to point out some of what I consider to be stylistic faux pas, not because I feel I am some form of God sitting in judgement over you all (although....), but rather to try to make sure to celebrate some of the best exhibits, and give guidance to some of the worst, so they might think twice before doing the same thing for SL6B. With that in mind:

DO... make a professional looking and stylish building, showcasing what you do inworld, like this superb exhibit by the Metaverse Messenger, with sample articles from every year they have been going inworld.


DON'T... chuck a couple of ugly towers up, with massive images, adfarm style, then decide "Sod it, that'll do, let's go down the pub"


DO... use sculpties to create gorgeous things, the likes of which were never possible before, like these almost painfully cute lil animals created by "Have a Happy Mood".

DON'T... slap a bunch of blobby looking sculpties onto your exhibit to act as an entrance, making it look like a giant felt rather unwell, and vomited over the front of your build.

DO... show off how cool the products that you make and sell inworld are, like in the fantastic DCS combat arena, where fighters demonstrate just what the combat system can do in the custom built battle area, along with using the healing hospital table, and training areas.

DON'T... try to cheekily get past the fact that you aren't allowed to sell at the SL5B sims, by offering exclusive weapons, then making everything in your exhibit a landmark giver, that takes you to the place where you can buy these items.

DO... use some glow to make your builds stand out, with an almost magical quality, like this excellent creative piece by the talented Strawberry Holiday

DON'T... use so much glow, that your exhibit happens to blind anyone who happens to glance at it twice.

And above all else....

DO... try to make your exhibit fun and enjoyable for anyone who sees it, like this tribute to the Lindens by Grim Babies, and the detailed and well constructed stand by Rezzables' aways entertaining Greenies