Thanks to Maci Restless and IOF’s own Hybie, there is a fun new blogger challenge that I hope gets lots of bloggers involved. While the rules allow for a simply desaturating the colors, I decided to go full black and white and began my challenge by focusing on black and white in my outfit and setting. The dress is one of six options from DCNY for the My Attic Shaken, Not Stirred discount room at The Deck. I chose the black and white Gin dress and clutch. The dress comes with your choice of the traditional crotch flap or a mesh prim skirt, so Viewer 2 or 3 users will be happy. The clutch comes with a relaxed or bent elbow pose for each hand – four options so you don’t have to do a lot of editing to get what you want.

I shot the pictures in the white on white Escher prop from Bent! Although it was created for Vintage Fair, it should be in the store now that the fair is over. It’s a fun pose with 22 poses in the menu and very easy to edit. It’s also modifiable, so you can tint it – though I think it gets its visual power from being white on white and the interplay of that white with the shadows.

The shoes are from Loovus Dzevavor. This is my third pair in the wonderful set of vibrant patterned shoes. These, however, are black and white and suggestive of leopard spots – very teeny, tiny spots. This is such an elegant series of shoes and I am sure I will purchase more of them over time.

One of the reasons black and white is such a great challenge, in my opinion, because black and white is a great option when you really want to focus on the subject, as in a portrait, rather than on the action which is often better in color. In black and white, we pay more attention to lines, textures and shadows. Shape and light are more easily appreciated. It’s not artier or superior to color. Many times black and white can seem flat when the light is low or there’s lots of detail, but for fashion photos, black and white can be amazing and I am eager to see the result of the challenge. You can follow the challenge at the Black and White: A Blogger’s Challenge Flickr group.

My hair is the very newest release from Vanity Hair. It handily comes with an alpha to hide the one ear that is covered by the sideswept hair. It’s a very striking style and drove my decision to wear the Reale Earrings and Necklace from Baiastice. I wanted a big, bold earring and that is what Reale gives me.

My skin is the oh-so-elegant Faith from PXL Creations – as beautiful in black and white as in color.

Store info at Blogging Second Life
****SHOPPING LIST******

• Poses: Bent! Escher for Vintage Fair
• Skin: [PXL] FAITH LT NE MEB C1
• Makeup Tattoos:
• Eyes: Poetic Colors classic – forest morning (m) bright
• Lashes: [LeLutka]-2011 lashes/curl/touch me
• Mani/Pedi: Leverocci – Round Nails_1FA_BlackPlain
• Hair: Vanity Hair:Hlin-Feux
• Clothing: DCNY_Martini Clutch_Gin at My Attic (The Deck)
• Shoes: [[LD]] Loovus Dzevavor Major: Ashraya Pumps [Tracks]
• Jewelry: Baiastice_Reale-necklace- Earring