Getting Photoshoot ideas for your dollies

I travel and always take a doll with. So clothes are packed that suit locations and weather. I esp love when hubby & I go to places like State or National Parks.
Far Side by Marie, on Flickr

 

Trip To Anderson Gardens by Marie, on Flickr
Local parks are great too, but always check the rules for these.

 

I wait for mine to develop their personalities as well after I get them. It has left me at times not knowing what to do with the ones that seem to be more shy - so to speak and develop their personalities slower. I was at a loss for quite awhile on how to take pictures with my dolls to bring out more of them, and when I have them pose just to pose, it feels bland. Lately, I have been letting them develop more and I feel my pictures getting better.

If two dolls seem to be having a friend ship, I'll take them and set up a fun day for them, then take pictures of them, maybe having a lunch together at an outdoor restaurant.

If I bring home props, I might look over the dolls and think, this violin really suits her. I need to get a picture of her playing it. She needs to practice. She is very serious about music I want the photos to reflect that.

Or this is a great doll bed, lets get the kids together and let them have a slumber party. Then I take pictures of what would happen at the slumber party as I imagine the kids playing together and having fun.

I have had dolls basically toss off anything they don't want to wear. I don't know how they can manage to look so disheveled in the wrong outfit, but they can. If they look like they hate something, or their clothes and wig and everything goes wrong with what they are wearing, I will change up the clothes, then try again, the pictures usually come out fine, because the previous outfit was just not something the doll would wear.

I have a lot to learn, and something I want to try next are 'family photos' I actually have dolls of the same companies be related to each other. Family photos help to get to know how the siblings react to each other, where does this one sit, what is this one trying to do, do any of them not want to sit still, or not want to be here? How do the other siblings react to one of them acting up.

By playing with them for pictures in groups I am getting to know more about their personalities and they seem to come more and more alive, and develop more personality as I go along.

I am also really excited to see other responses. I would really like to learn how to round out their personalities for picture taking more.

 

Often I'll be out and think that'd be a great spot for photos. Then it becomes, but with who? The feel of a place often helps me decide. Wide open spaces make more sense for my Harpy baby Hypatia, while areas with lots of places to climb/hide/sit make Klara happy.
I just started following bjds on instagram. The photos are inspiring, but out of my skill range!

 

I do the same but getting to know their personalities dictates the sort of outfits they'd wear, so that's not an issue with mine.

I don't do photo stories and rarely set up photoshoots for other reasons - I don't really enjoy photography and regard it as a "necessary evil" if I want to share my dolls online.

My pictures are mostly prompted by interaction between my dolls, or with other people's dolls on forums. Most of my doll photography is a quick picture to illustrate something to share on a forum, pictures taken at meets or dolly days with friends, or interaction between my own dolls and those belonging to friends, or the occasional shoot in response to something happening on a forum (such as a dolly wedding).

I set up this one, for example, in response to a discussion on a doll forum (can't even rememebr the details of the discussion) and it's inspired by the fact that this doll (Kay Wiggs Nettle) is a bit of an entitled princess who hinks it's OK to hoard all the petticoats in the household because there aren't enough to go around and her need is, of course, more pressing than anyone else's. It's called "Not enough petticoats":

So it's more inspired by the doll's character and interaction with her siblings than anything else

Teddy

 

If I can throw a small comment in

I really really enjoy looking at famous photographers work or just models/brands photoshoot and general selfies.
From there I can pick small pieces that resonate with me from a bunch of images (colors, poses, clothes, settings etc)
It's a lot of fun - and you can even do it with your doll!​