How do you feel about outdoor photo shoot?

I love outdoor sessions. Often, I'd either get stares or people behaving like they do when they pass visibly disabled people - they were confused and turned their heads away, not knowing if its okay to look at me or not.
When I went out with smaller, toy-like dolls, I sensed that women with daughters seemed to frown... Like, why the heck am I playing with something I should just give away to their kid? xD But this impression caused me to smile rather than get angry or anything

Overall, I loved taking outdoor photos, and I can't wait till I have more time and can go again

 

I have no concerns about it. If I can't be viewed as the local cryptid and have men whisper of me in fear at the local bar then what's the point of life? XD

 

I got into this hobby when I was already in college, although even as a child, I never played with my dolls the way most normal children do. I mostly kept my Barbies boxed, because I am a weirdo, and the ones I did unbox were kept displayed only touched to dust them twice a week (a habit that I still keep to this day, but has become a huge burden to the size of my OT collection). I don't believe I would be comfortable carrying my dolls in public back when I first got them because I was already a grown-adult, and even more now (that I'm an old fart). I've got a bunch of piecing's all over my face, I have taken out a few over the years due to my growing germaphobe tendencies, but people still stare at me enough as is. If I were to carry out a doll with me, in the small town I live in, I would probably get stared own to death, so I rather avoid that. More than to avoid the unwelcomed stares however, it was never my thing to carry my dolls around or hug them, or sit them on my lap -- I do pat and pet their wigs though, more so when they are super soft, but I do that with the wigs alone, not only when they are on the doll (I think it's because of my cats).

I have always been tempted to take photos of my dolls outdoors however, which I could theoretically do, because I live in a largely forested area (where no one would stare at me). However, I am terrified of bugs, so I don't believe I would do that either. That's their home and just like I don't appreciate it when they are inside mine (because I am terrified of them), I don't want to bother them by stepping in theirs. I'm vegan, so having a huge (or tiny) spider or other bug landing on my BJD would freak me out, and I wouldn't be able to do much without harming the creature, so I rather just avoid it, and keep my desire to take outdoor photos in my fantasies. It might sound a bit overly dramatic, but it's something I can easily avoid going into, so why risk finding myself in the predicament just for a crappy photo (I take horrid photos!). I love the outdoors, but my fear of bugs keeps me mostly in my house, and I prefer it that way. (:

 

I like outdoor photoshoots personally. Outdoors is just much more interesting than inside my house ahahaha. I’ve done photoshoots in a couple of backyards and at a park during a doll meet.
I don’t currently feel comfortable having my doll out while in transit to a photoshoot or meet. I regularly attend a local convention in cosplay and anytime I venture outside the venue it feels super awkward! I think walking around with a doll would be a similarly uncomfortable situation for me
However, like you said, you do get used to awkwardness after a while. So maybe one day I will want to bring my doll somewhere lol

 

I like outdoor shoots, I tend to go to places where people are distracted by other things anyway.

 

I only take mine if I'm planning to take photos; I don't take them out just to have with me. I'm not one of those people who likes to keep their dolls perfect in a box, but it's kind of stressful having something that valuable, potentially breakable and possibly irreplaceable out in public.

In cooler months, however, my local park is my favourite place for photos (I wish I had my own garden for it, but they're rare here in Hong Kong). It's much easier to get nice light and backdrops than rigging something up in my flat. I get sidelong looks, and sometimes people stop to watch, but I just smile and keep going. No one's started a conversation yet; I'm white so maybe they just think I'm a weirdo foreigner. I think I'm too old to care too much about what other people think.

 

I've taken dolls out in public many times, and I can't say I've ever had a negative reaction from anyone (that I noticed anyway). Most people seem fine with the idea that I'd rather take photos of my doll on a trip than be in them myself, and many have been very curious about them, or even offered suggestions for poses. That said, I don't usually travel alone, I don't treat them like children, and I don't just randomly take them out to eat or whatever, so I think most people see the camera and get the basic idea pretty quick.

 

I take my dolls wherever I want to take them, and sod what anybody else thinks.

I took two (an SD and an MSD size) with me to San Francisco on my honeymoon, got pictures of them at Muir Woods, the Japanese Tea Gardens,and met up with local DoA members. I take my dolls to visit friends, restaurants, historical reenactments, medieval feasts, science fiction conventions, on picnics, visiting museums and places of interest.

Not just BJDs, but off-topic dolls, bears and other stuffies. I have two large rag dolls that have been going on holiday and to events with me and my family since some time in the 90s. One of them had a fan-following at one annual event I took part in, and I was always asked if I was bringing her to the next event when I ran into others who attended it.

I'm not precious about my BJD's, I'm always willing to let people handle them, and to answer questions (usually form fathers with small children for some reason).

There's the occasional "bad" reaction from Random people. The first meet I went to with other DoA members was in a public place and a woman wit small children kept pointedly (and ostentatiously) leaving whatever area we entered with our dolls and loudly warning her children not to go near us... It was laughable, really. But at the same meet/venue I was approached by at least a half-a-dozen other people (many with their kids in tow) with questions, and nice comments about the dolls, and I know others at the meet were chatting to interested people too.

Teddy

 

I love the idea! Half the reason I collect BJDs as well as antique dolls is that I can take them out and about for photos, since they're much less fragile. Never done it myself yet, but my incoming girl will be small enough to transport easily, so I'm excited for the prospect. And if people want to judge...well, both doll collecting and photography are pretty common hobbies. They're the weird ones for taking issue with someone else's harmless fun.

 

I really like the idea of taking my dolls out for pictures but it just never happened (yet?).
I live in Tokyo and there are a bunch of super cool places to take pictures, but I have to go there by train... and most of my dolls are SD size. So I feel it’s going to be somehow challenging. I’m afraid the train will get packed and the doll squished and broken somehow. Other than that I’m ok I guess. I had purple hair 20 years ago when colorful hair wasn’t even a thing, so I feel like I’m being stared at all my life. Dolls would be just one more thing and as long as I’m not harming anybody it’s ok right?!

 

I would love to do one, but the weather would have to be clear and not too bright [the image could be brightened 'in post']. It would have to be somewhere pretty secluded because I get really anxious about some stuff, and I don't like the notion of being spotted and questions [even nice curious ones] being asked of me. It's not exactly a common hobby in my area, so I'm sure I'll get a few remarks. But I'm sure I could find somewhere nice and quiet for a few quick snaps. I'm thinking of looking for a "Japanese garden" somewhere, as they look like really beautiful places to go for photoshoots. Only problem is that there aren't many 'local' to me. Another pain of living in a heavily rural location. There are plenty of nice stately-home gardens and parks around, but some aren't free entry and/or are closed due to the pandemic.

I am getting into fashion-size [FID and similar], so I could easily pack one the next time I head to London or some other big city that might be more accepting of somebody out with a doll. I'd just have to watch for sticky-fingered individuals seeking an opportunity to snatch and run.

 

I love seeing outdoor photo shoot images; in cities, meadows, forests, pretty much anywhere. We have a few places around here that would look really nice, but I don't exactly have a photographers eye.

 

I like outdoor shoots but depending where I'm going I do get a bit paranoid that they may get damaged or fall. A friend of mine damaged her boys face when he fell a few years ago.
Bjd are not big in my country so in some places you do get stares but I'm not bothered.

 

I like outdoor shoots, because I have very little free space in my apartment, and there are no good backgrounds either. But I try to take photos in nature, away from people. In the city I do not usually carry my doll with me, don’t know why, but I feel very comfortable. Perhaps because I have some psychological problems, perhaps because here (I live in the east of Russia) some people are not very cultured and can shout something to you from the other side of the road (this always pisses me off).
I like to look at pictures of people sitting in a cafe, with their doll on a table near some cute desserts. But here I have never met such large tables, and I don’t want to keep the dolls next to the food, it’s scary to get them dirty.

 

I first learned about BJD's from someone in Lincolnshire, so there may be more in the area than you think.

Many of my (on and off-topic) have visited the area with me (two of my godchildren and their parents live in Lincolnshire) on many occasions, and been out and about with us to see the sights and places of interest. Lincoln is the location of the annual Asylum (big steampunk festival) every August Bank Holiday weekend (well, not this year, obviously) and lots of steampunkers are into BJD.

I've never encountered anybody trying to snatch one of my dolls in London (or anybody else's at doll meets in public spaces). Most opportunist thieves wouldn't know BJD's are valuable anyway. Like most people outside of the hobby, they'd just assume any doll is just a cheap thing for children to play with. They also wouldn't have the first idea of where/how to sell a stolen BJD, so bags, phones, and wallets are a far more likely target for snatch-and-run than dolls.

Teddy

 

I have only done a few outdoor photo shoots, and I don't mind them, I don't do it nearly enough though. It is mainly due to being too lazy to get all their stuff together, and I am also a homebody and don't go out too much to begin with. I am more apt to go when others are also going to be there as it helps to bounce picture ideas off each other. My pictures tend to be boring I think.

 

I've taken my dolls to outdoor shoots, though not in years. When I went on vacations, I'd take a doll or two with me and pose them here and there.

 

I haven't had enough chance to take my bjds out. I have done outdoor photoshoots with other dolls. (If it's not too offtopic to say - I took one of my Blythes out along the river one day when it snowed. I even snuck her into the museum of technology, which was closed that day, so I just put her and my camera through the bars in the fence. XD I also took some pics of my amigurumi outside)

I usually prefer quieter, natural places for photos, so I don't have issue with people staring etc. I do feel a bit (lot) nervous if I don't have someone with me, just 'cos I wanna focus on the shot and not where my stuff is and is it safe. ^^;

I did take my dolls to a convention a couple of times. XD The second time was more fun, 'cos I just took my tiny fennec anthro, so he fit in my bag and I could get him out anytime, and just take goofy pics.

 

I live in the country, in a forest, so I have plenty of space for outdoor shoots. I used to do more, but I’ve gotten lazy. I however don’t like taking my dolls into town or public places. I’m very protective/nervous and don’t want the attention. I do take OT figures on trips and take lots pictures, even in public places. I feel it’s less noticeable/safer?