Home Favors the Creative
by Phoenix, HSM filmmaker
I’m currently studying for my BFA in creative writing as well as an interdisciplinary humanities B.A., with a concentration in art. I’m currently a photography student.
For those of you who are of similar background: do you sometimes think that, from birth, you’ve simply had a compulsion to take pictures and write? Personally, I’m drawn to things that offer a camera to use. I may not talk a lot, but I write often. I like games with in-world cameras, and of course Home.
My first camera was a Fisher-Price replica of a Kodak Instamatic with the little square flash cube. I believe the prototype for the disc camera came later.
I was so excited to have my very own camera. Later I got that Kodak, and I can remember taking pictures of everything. Some viewable, some just that perfect blur of something or other. It took a moment to realize I had to be still to take the picture and that the subject had to be still as well.
Then there was the photo lab’s development of the film to come next: another exciting aspect of photography. Sometimes I could take a whole roll of film and get one photograph out of the lot that was recognizable; this part is still applicable if you‘re not careful. Later I got a Polaroid with built-in flash and instant photos.There were more cameras to follow: Kodak and Polaroid brands.
One of my favorites was the Kodak disc camera from the 80’s. It was the compact camera of the future, Kodak told us. And it was the perfect size, and fit in your pocket.
That’s the camera I think of here in Home when I flip to my emotes and pop out 
my pocket camera. Home’s pocket camera has made it possible for me to pursue one of my passions: photography. Photojournalism is one of my interests at this point. Home has given me the opportunity to practice and hone this craft.
Being able to essentially travel the globe in Home and photograph everything, from snow-covered mountains to Caribbean beaches, is a dream 
job. No jet lag, no delayed flights, no lost luggage, no lost or ruined film or SD cards; a dream come true. Home’s pocket camera has allowed my dream essentially to come true sooner then I envisioned. It has also allowed me to visualize some of the downsides of photography, other then a not-so-perfect shot.
No, these places in Home are not real — and yes, they seem to always have the perfect lighting and atmospheric conditions. But if you are a photographer, professional or otherwise, you know even with these conditions, if you don’t have the eye for the composition in front of you, you get squat for a finished product. This is as true here in virtual reality as it is in real life.
Home also presents some challenges in the timing of a shot, just like the real world does. You can be all set to take that shot, and inevitably someone will walk into frame or a million other things can go wrong. It’s a fantastic place to learn some basic photography composition as a practice ground before moving to the real world.
Back ground wanderers !
Of course, there are the Home components that affect a shot; you can be taking shots and freeze, or lag in such a long and exasperating length of time that you just give up, and the inspiration to take photographs is gone. This I think helps me to remember the rules of photography I’ve learned: keep shooting, be patient, love what you’re doing.
The spaces in Home offer such diversity that it is an opportunity indeed to work on this skill. Whether it’s photography, fashion or writing, Home is a creative mind’s playground. This community of Home offers some fascinating opportunities to musicians, filmmakers, poets, fashion and interior designers and artists alike. Take a look around: they are all doing their thing here in Home every day — some right here at HSM.
Though I have taken photos in all the regions of Home, there are still a few sights I would love to shoot. Home has yet to add these spaces as lounges or personal spaces . Perhaps I will jot one or two down for a Saturday wishlist. There are a few atmospheric conditions I would love to shoot as well…oy, that’s yet another article. The editors will be happy, of course!
For now I would like to share some of my favorite shots from Home and some decent real-world counterparts I’ve found. These are in my favorite format — black-and-white — which is something Home’s built-in pocket camera doesn’t yet offer.
Many thanks to Sony and all of Home’s developers for the inspiration. Home is a canvas; we, as its community, are the ones who paint the picture upon it.
January 24th, 2013 by Phoenix | 3 comments
Phoenix writes poetry and is a photography enthusiast, along with writing for HomeStation Magazine. She is currently studying for a BFA in Creative Writing and BA with concentration in Photography. psn ID phoenixstorm21
youtube.com/user/phoenixstorm21
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ooh how i love taking pics
and reading this article made me wanna go on home and shoot again. Thnx for a great read.
Home can be so many things to so many people it is quite an amazing construct. I like taking pics sometimes in Home to see what unusual or beautiful in Home ones I can use for my picture frames. I will have to invite you to see some of mine and see what you think now that I know you love photography. Nice article Phoenix.
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Wow Phoenix, it is great to see others in Home appreciate the natural beauty we find in here. I have over 2000 nature photography pics of Home in my XMB as I type this. I was unaware of your love for photography and hope to meet and share with you soon. Excellent article regarding all the cameras you grew up with. Awesome!