In 2022 we held a photography course in Craft, sharing techniques, tricks and our passion for virtual photography. After that experience, we thought it would be interesting to do this double interview for the blog, comparing our way of understanding photography in OpenSim and the use of Firestorm. Ready to discover our visions, differences and some curious anecdotes? Let’s get started!
What do you enjoy photographing the most in Craft? Avatars, landscapes, special details…?
Fiona: I love landscapes. I immerse myself completely in an environment to the point that I can almost breathe its air. But I also find details interesting—they can be on a face, a look, a place; a special detail can be anywhere. It also depends a lot on my mood; my soul is constantly searching for emotions.
Eva: I mostly enjoy taking portraits, but in reality, since it’s not easy to give an avatar a particular expression without a lot of trial and error, I’m actually better at photographing landscapes—especially by playing with light and shadows or placing some details in the foreground. Additionally, at events, I take photos for documentation and memory, without any artistic pretensions.
Where do you publish your photos? Blogs, social media, virtual galleries…?
Fiona: I used to put a lot of effort into my Flickr, and I have exhibited my photos multiple times in virtual world galleries. Now, I mainly post on Facebook.
Eva: Years ago, I started publishing on Flickr, but now I prefer to post everything on Facebook, where access is more immediate. As for AI-generated images—which I don’t consider photographs but rather attempts to express particular visions of the virtual world—I have exhibited them in galleries in Craft and Spatial or used them for three-dimensional installations.
Which Firestorm features do you use most for taking photos?
Fiona: I believe you can take great photos simply without relying too much on Firestorm’s “effects.” Over time, I’ve realized that for a good photo, all you really need to do is look around and have an eye ready to capture a good composition. Depth of field remains my favorite feature, but I don’t always use it.
Eva: As I mentioned, lighting effects. With Firestorm, you can play with light and shadows in ways that in the real world would require special setups or filters. I also find it useful to use depth of field sometimes to blur the background, but without overdoing it. Occasionally, I remove unwanted objects using the derender function.
Do you edit your photos with external programs, or do you prefer to keep them “raw”?
Fiona: In the past, I used to edit my photos. Now, at most, I adjust the lighting when needed and, depending on the circumstances, overlay textures—but only for a more creative effect. Never on landscapes, though.
Eva: I always edit them, even if it’s just to crop out unnecessary elements, especially in documentary-style photos where “capturing the moment” often results in including something that feels out of place. For more artistic shots, I may use overlays or apply some filters.
Share one of your latest photos and tell us why you chose it.
Fiona: Here’s a photo that means a lot to me. First, because I was amazed at how well it turned out. And second—but no less important—because it expresses everything that moves me when I talk about myself.
Eva: Choosing just one is not easy; so many photos come to mind. I chose this one because I think it best represents what I meant when I talked about landscapes.
For further information:
Photography: what it is for Fiona Saiman
Seizing the fleeting moment: photography for Eva Kraai
