Why do doll owners photograph their dolls?

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?
I like trying to capture something about them, try to catch those moments when they really look alive and like the characters they are based on. I also enjoy trying to improve my weak photography skills. Quite frankly, I bought my first digicam because of my dolls. Otherwise I'd probably still just be relying on other people and my cellphone.

I'm far more likely to do portraits than photostories. I don't have the setup to do decent photostories, and as these dolls are based on characters from stories I'm writing anyways, I'm finding I'd rather just keep writing the stories than do photostories.

My family is the type to take millions of pictures of our pets, so some of my quickness to grab the camera might come from that .

Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?
Yeah, I do faceups and sometimes just cuddle or hang out with them. Even then, I photograph any new clothes, wigs, faceups, etc., on them. The camera's a pretty crucial part of this hobby for me.

Why do so many people in the BJD community use Doll Photography as a hobby in itself? (not owning BJDs as a hobby, but the hobby of photographing the BJDs)
This is the main way we have of sharing our dolls with other enthusiasts. Also, it seems to be quite common for other types of dolls to be photographed by their owners, so people who've owned fashion dolls etc might already be used to doing doll photography. Photography in and of itself is pretty popular, too.

What do you do with these photos that you take? Do you sell them like a print? Do you have them for personal enjoyment? Why?
I post them here or on my LJ to share and hope that people notice them/enjoy them. They're also a way for me to keep track of changes I've made, so I just keep them and occasionally go through them. I've never seen anyone selling pics of their dolls, to be honest.

 

Well, speaking only for myself on this, I despise being in photographs. Hate it. Hate it to the point of real anger if people get pushy about it, or if people put photographs of me somewhere public/etc. without permission. I get irritated with family members when they take shots of a room without letting me step out. I don't think I'm (any more of) a hideous monster (than the average person), but I simply don't like photographs of myself, or having them taken, at all. No real idea why, either, I've just always felt this way about it, and that negative feeling was confirmed when a friend of mine roped me into letting him do some headshot portraits a number of years ago and he kept cracking jokes that weren't really jokes about dropping my shirt. (Yeah... that's going to happen! ...when the nether realms freeze over.)

Also, unless I'm specifically looking for 'person with doll' shots, I don't need to see the owners in photos. No offense to any of my fellow collectors, but if I'm looking for images of a doll, I don't need to get the quick owner demographics in the same glance.

I like photography, but it's a waning interest for me. I don't take photographs of my dolls, generally speaking -- there's no time or space for it, mostly. I don't actually know where my camera even is right now, and haven't for some time, but it's not a huge issue for me due to, well, the time, energy, and space problems. I love being on the creative side of the lens when I have the time and energy -- just not on the 'subject' side.

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?

The plain and simple reason? I like photography. Mostly photographs of still life and landscapes. People? not so much, unless it's a candid shot and the person doesn't know I'm taking it. I'm not a pro by any means, but I still enjoy it as a secondary hobby. My primary hobby is toys, collecting dolls and Transformers.

With TFs I get to photograph non-human "lifeforms" lets say because they're so angular and alien. Plus when they're in their vehicle modes, it's a whole different aspect. With the dolls... well remember those candid shots I like? It's one way to get a candid shot without having to resort to actual people. I also like to play with lighting and blur effects. Not to mention, sometimes a particular shot can speak volumes about what's going on, etc.

It's also fun to find good locations in which to photograph. Sometimes you discover places you'd never thought of. And hey, it's also a good way to show off what life is like in another part of the world to people who may never get to go there personally.

Also, I can't draw for crap, so photography is the next best way to me to capture pictures.


Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?

Sure, I like dressing them up, trying out new eyes and wigs and clothes... also taking them out to meets, etc.


Why do so many people in the BJD community use Doll Photography as a hobby in itself? (not owning BJDs as a hobby, but the hobby of photographing the BJDs)

I actually know a few guys who come for doll meets just to photograph dolls. I guess its for the same reasons doll owners take photos - they want to practice their hobby, or they can't afford human subjects to pose for them, or they like looking and photographing the doll but dont have the time or money to maintain one of their own.


What do you do with these photos that you take? Do you sell them like a print? Do you have them for personal enjoyment? Why?

Well I bought a separate HDD just for photos, so I guess I save them. Each photo is a memory for me, so I can go back years later and think, hey, I did something like that. I also use them as a reference, particularly if a shot turned out well and I want to recreate the same effect. It's also a way to improve, because you can look at your present photos and think, how can I do this better. Some of the doll photos go on LJ as a way to share the pictures with others.


The dolls seem to live in an existence of their own when people take pictures of them. Why are owner photographs with dolls so rare? Do the owners want to be anonymous? If that is the case, then why?

I guess not everyone wants to put up picture of themselves on the internet especially because of things people can do with them and photoshop. Others might not want people in RL to know that they play with dolls. For me, I just dont like being photographed, I'd much rather be the one taking the pictures.

 

Just from a personal standpoint I prefer to largely remain behind the camera because I'm not at all comfortable on the other side, that and really the way I photograph my dolls it's almost 'as people' if that makes sense, I enjoy making my dolls look as realistic as I can (it's the biggest draw of BJD photography for me because it's such a challenge), having an actual person in there with them spoils the illusion, of course there's a definite theme to explore there through doing such on purpose.

 

Dolls do not replace humans or fruit. Dolls are an object that stand by themselves. The photostories are meant to be stories about the characters the dolls have. So it's about the dolls, and can't be done with humans, because that would make little sense. There;s a ton of people that have extended stories behind their dolls, and they work out photostories from that.
It can't be compared to painting either. photography has it's own still life genre. Still life isn't always about painting.

And about the question, most people don't want their face to be in the internet. Alot of bad stuff has happened to people that have done so, so people are weary. Also, I don't think it's needed to post your face. I mean, this is a site for dolls, not owners.

 

Why do doll owners photograph their dolls?

Ive allways been into photography in fact I first heard about dolls junior year, but I had already signed up for my photography class before then, I bought him toward the end of my senior year and used him as my final project and took him on a photography field trip. I take photographs of everything, scenery people and dolls included. (For refrence im well out of highschool now. ^^

Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?

Of course, my favorite this is customizing really, its relaxing to unstring a doll, wash and body blush for me. I also like extensive mods too and have fun with those, ive doen face ups but I don’t have the delicate hand it requires to do them perfectly.


Why do so many people in the BJD community use Doll Photography as a hobby in itself? (not owning BJDs as a hobby, but the hobby of photographing the BJDs)

I don’t know, but I was inspired by photo stories on the website of the sisters from Tangled Web and Cassieal’s “fallen from Briah” that was what made me stop and say “Hey, this is a GREAT idea.” I was already photographing other things, so it seemd the natural progression. Now that I have a working computer again I’ll be happy to get back into it.

And as far as to what I do with the photos, post them various places on the internet or just enjoy them myself.

- On the no humans thing, there used to be a "You and your dolls" thread around here somewhere, filled with people and their dolls. Im with mine in my profile pic. Usually the dolls have there own world in which the people playing with them dont exist.

 

I like these dolls because they look like real people and are able to pose in lifelike positions. It would spoil everything if part of me was in the photo; it would shatter the illusion of life because I am definitely out of scale, even with the largest of my dolls. The hobby is more about the dolls, not the people who own them, although many of the people who own them are interesting in their own right. I'm not interested in photographing people (except for my family members on vacation or holidays) so my dolls are not substitutes for live models. I think people either like dolls or else they don't. If they like them, photographing them, costuming them, customizing their faces, and giving them characters and making up stories are just more levels of playing with them. If they don't like dolls, they most likely will never "get" why doing all this is fun.

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?
For fun. I cant imagine putting all that work into their faces, clothes, etc and not wanting to show them off. Im not really social in the doll community but i do love seeing other peoples pictures and sharing mine when i have some to show. I havent done any photo stories but i do have a themed shoot in the works. while my boys do have personalities they dont have real story lines. im more interested in the art of photography than telling a personal story with them.


Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?
oh yeah. sometimes if im watching a show or movie, they'll sit with me. I sew for them. fuss over them


What do you do with these photos that you take? Do you sell them like a print? Do you have them for personal enjoyment? Why?

I have no idea the legal or ethical issues surrounding doll photography and the sale of so i havent gotten into that. mostly i have them on my computer. a few i post to my live journal, some here.


The dolls seem to live in an existence of their own when people take pictures of them. Why are owner photographs with dolls so rare? Do the owners want to be anonymous? If that is the case, then why?
I think its more an issue of being off topic here. Most people are here for the dolls not pictures of people. there is a thread of pictures of dolls with their owners, but for me its cause id consider it to be a bit off topic. Ill actually be taking pictures of my dolls with my husband to have at work and he wants a few shots of me with the boys. Id love to see more people and doll pictures but i just dont think thats the focus here.

 

He he... It's like saying, well, if you like spaceships so much, why don't you become an astronaut, surely just watching sci fi should be beneath you..

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?

I was very involved with my toys as a kid. Making stories/characters for my dolls always happened with friends who came over and with my sibling and that translated with my dolls now. Only difference is that I don't have friends to come over and 'play with' lol so I tell the stories I come up with through my photos of them and share them with doll communities.

Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?

Yeah, recently actually. I haven't been feeling very creative to make stories or pictures so I've just been redressing my dolls and enjoying them myself.

Why do so many people in the BJD community use Doll Photography as a hobby in itself? (not owning BJDs as a hobby, but the hobby of photographing the BJDs)

I imagine it as being a sort of muse for a photographer. Some people only take pictures of landscapes, others portraits, etc.

What do you do with these photos that you take? Do you sell them like a print? Do you have them for personal enjoyment? Why?

Again, I share them with the dolly community. I enjoy the entertainment people get from the stories/pictures I come up with.

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?

I don't do photostories, but I do take pictures of my dolls. I like that I can produce pretty images, manipulating lighting and perspective to make the illusion of something living, even in the presence of jointed limbs. I like sharing pictures that turn out well with others, just as I like admiring others' pretty pictures

As for why don't I just hire living models, to be perfectly honest I have absolutely no desire to deal with people in regards to photography, nor do I have the money or means to set up a photoshoot. Furthermore I don't have much photographic talent to begin with, and I believe that it would be even harder to work in a larger scale - I have trouble enough with my 70cm doll as it is. Dolls are nice and easy and accessible to me.
Some people also prefer the more anime-style aesthetic to realistic. You can't hire models for that, people look realistic no matter what :P

Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?

Yup, I enjoy them without having to take pictures of them. I sew for them, paint them, and enjoy posing them differently as they sit next to my desk. I look at them and they're pleasing to my eye.

Why do so many people in the BJD community use Doll Photography as a hobby in itself? (not owning BJDs as a hobby, but the hobby of photographing the BJDs)

There's probably a million different reasons. It's a nice medium for self expression; every last part of a BJD photo can be a reflection of one's artistic vision from the styling to posing, composition and props, etc. I suspect it's also a nice way for people to share their OCs visually if they aren't so great at drawing.

What do you do with these photos that you take? Do you sell them like a print? Do you have them for personal enjoyment? Why?

I don't sell the prints. I like sharing my pictures just as I enjoy others' photos, and I like to gauge feedback to further improve my skills.

As for why there aren't so many owner pictures, as mentioned earlier, it's a hobby about dolls, not so much about owners. This forum especially has emphasis on dolls full stop, although there is a thread in the request gallery of owners+dolls. I couldn't really care less what another owner looks like (even though it can be interesting to see if they dress themselves in a similar manner to their dolls) in the end they like dolls and talking about them like I do so eh, who cares!

 

I am a professional "people" photographer and the dolls are not really replacements for people - but they can certainly take the place in a photographic "study" of the human element in the equation of message. Because they are not living, photographing them is akin to photographing a still life - some photographers in the abjd hobby are very clear in their photos that they are taking pictures of a doll, a costume, a wig, a face-up, but others play on the human aspect of the doll and their photographs are still-life tricks in which a human aspect is conveyed. It's a rare still-life that can do this and that makes these particular dolls very intriguing as photo subjects.

Please DO NOT DERAIL this thread by introducing another topic!!! That is not acceptable in a debate thread and you will need to ask this question in the Photography Tips subforum. Thank you.

 

Hehehe.

Well as you can verify with all SORTS of people I don't take photographs nearly often enough. I don't generally have enough energy to drag the crew out to where there's enough light to do them justice, and the point of taking a picture of a brand new fullset [x] when it looks like every other fullset [x] and I don't intend to change it out, just escapes me. ("What does he look like? here's a link...") Even though I know people want to see, that doesn't outbalance the PITA that taking pictures at my house becomes.

I'm neither a good enough photographer nor a motivated enough one to bother unless there's a specific story poking at my brain. And my participation in THAT part of the hobby I will definitely and without hesitation blame on Hobbywhelmed and Aernath, whose fabulous abiilities to bring their dolls' characters out in photographs got me wondering whether I could do it too. I definitely had ideas of the dolls' characters, and occasionally the way they end up situated next to each other sparks yet another idea. So when my ever-so-rare muse strikes, I inwardly thank both of them for getting me going. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

What I DO with my pictures aside from that is look at them and go "wow, remember that outfit [faceup/wig/whatever]? What was I thinking??!"

 

I think any serious photographer would indeed prefer that, but it seems a lot of the users here are not all that serious about photography, but about the dolls. And I know I for one do not have the money or the means to hire a model, I've tried in the past. When I used models that weren't friends, they charged $300-$700 for three hours of shooting. Which when you have a... dare I say it? Stupid/clumsy/stubborn model, it is the biggest waste of money I have ever encountered.

If you've ever had a model sit there and nag you for 20 minutes that the pose you're asking her to take is uncomfortable while paying her $75 for just those 20 minutes where she nags at you, I think you'd find very quickly real models are not always a good choice. Specially when you can't pick and choose your model, where you have to take just whoever will do it. Not to mention that I had to save up money for almost a year to afford that shoot. Saving up for a year to get a doll - a permanent model and toy who will not whine, is really a very appealing option compared to saving up for a year to enjoy (that is, if you can manage to enjoy) hiring a model for a measly 3 hours.

I wouldn't say they're a replacement, either. But they are a reasonable compromise for those without the means or money, plus let's admit it, they're just so gosh darn fun to play with and really cute. I can never view a doll as a replacement for a real person, either as a model, a friend, a child, or anything of the sort. The fact is, dolls are not humans and they never will be.

I have many reasons for this. The major one being I don't like sharing online pictures of myself with just anyone in the world, while I do like sharing pictures of my dolls with just anyone in the world. Plus, I really hate photostories where the owner interacts with the dolls. It just seems strange to me, so of course I won't do it. Just in general I'm not comfortable with everyone in the world knowing what I look like, where I live or my real name. That's the reason I choose to remain anonymous behind the lens.

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?
I don't generally write photostories with my dolls, unless it's to illustrate a "cute" point, which would seem strange if I talked about it myself in a public forum (I'm currently planning a photostory about being scared of spiders) or to talk about a doll-related subject which I believe that other forum members will be more interested in if it's from a "doll's eye view" (Building a doll, waiting for doll-related post, etc). Other than that, I enjoy taking photographs of my dolls because it allows me to focus at a different depth to normal - Instead of landscapes or macro shots of beetles, I get to work with a small-to-medium sized canvas, so to speak.

Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?
I do, often. Most of my "playtime" is spent sewing or painting for my dolls, but sometimes I just like to sit and hug them, or think about their backstories, or even just arrange them around the house as if they're interacting with other inanimate objects (Having an in-depth conversation with a chess piece, riding a teapot like a pony, sitting in a huge mug as if it was a bath). It's childish, I know, but anything that adds a touch of whimsy to my otherwise boring decorating skills (Magnolia and oak go with everything, right?) is a good thing.

Why do so many people in the BJD community use Doll Photography as a hobby in itself? (not owning BJDs as a hobby, but the hobby of photographing the BJDs)
I suppose this seems to be the case because the only way we see other owners interacting with their dolls is through their photostories. On the other hand, I can understand why a photographer might want to use one as a model - they can add a surreal, futuristic, uncanny-valley feel to photographs when you're not expecting them.

What do you do with these photos that you take? Do you sell them like a print? Do you have them for personal enjoyment? Why?
I just keep them on my hard drive, really. I share the good ones on DoA, but most of the fun is in the taking of the photo - In seeing a section of drystone wall or a stand of flowers differently, because having something to photograph with it has made it stand out, in a small way. Of course, I take photos of these things anyway, but adding a focal point (And if it wasn't a doll, it'd be my dog, or a nearby cat, or even just a particularly monolithic rock) makes the photo feel more complete.

The dolls seem to live in an existence of their own when people take pictures of them. Why are owner photographs with dolls so rare? Do the owners want to be anonymous? If that is the case, then why?

I largely never get photographed with my dolls because, well, who would be taking the photo? It'd feel a bit odd to sit down with a prop, any prop, be it a doll or a pet or a piece of furniture, and say "Take a photo of me", even to my boyfriend. I'm just not a photogenic person. but, in the spirit of things, I'm now going to set a photo of myself and a doll as my profile picture...

 

Stop thinking of them as replacements for human models, and start seeing dolls as their own things. They are beautiful on their own, and fascinating for being lifelike and human looking yet not human. The artistry and work that has gone into the doll both from the original company and the owner is worthy in itself of being photographed. They give a different feel than pictures with a human model do.

Personally, I don't want to photograph people -- I want to photograph my dolls, as it's a fun way to be creative and interact with them. It's another way of exploring their characters as well as getting to show them to other doll people. This is especially true with photostories where you get to see all the different way people style their dolls, the neat props and furniture they've found to put together their sets, and get to know the dolls' characters that the owner has spent time developing. You could also just as easily say 'why draw a comic, why not just photograph people as the characters instead.' Well you could, but it would defeat the purpose for all the people out there who love to draw. There are many different ways to tell stories, and using dolls as characters is a perfectly legitimate way to do that. My biggest abjd activity is creating and developing characters -- it's what I enjoy the most, and photography and photostories can lend a whole new angle to that.

Actually, somewhere on DoA there is a thread of pics of dolls and their owners -- it might be in the picture request forum, I don't remember right off hand. I find it awkward to try and take a decent pic of myself and my dolls, and that's not really part of the purpose of doll photography to me. I'm more interested in recording my dolls in their own world -- me being there would be like the attack of the 50ft woman

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?
I usually just love to photograph my dolls because I find them so beautiful. Also as some other people mentioned photographing dolls is easier than say photographing my sister. My sister complains about me saying oh pose over here and oh your in perfect light let me take a picture. My dolls don't have any complaints (usually >.<). Just from photographing my dolls I have learned more about lighting. I also use my dolls to help with my art. I'm not the best at proportion or thinking up poses so my dolls help me with that.

Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?
Yes, I love my dolls so much! I wouldn't say that I treated them like I did my barbies. When I was little and I had barbies I would launch them off my wardrobe or tie them up with a scarf and dangle them off the staircase. I defiantly treat my BJD with care and respect and treat them as works of art. I usually just play with them in my room. I have been to several BJD meets and it's been really fun to just play with your dolls with other people.
Why do so many people in the BJD community use Doll Photography as a hobby in itself? (not owning BJDs as a hobby, but the hobby of photographing the BJDs)
I use my BJD as toys to play with, and also to enhance my photography skills. But I do know some people who just use their dolls for photographing or for just making a character out of.
What do you do with these photos that you take? Do you sell them like a print? Do you have them for personal enjoyment? Why? I like to post them on here and also to post them to deviantart. I do have some for personal entertainment that I just have on my computer to pop up once in a while and go oh my dolly is so pretty. I do show my friends my dolls, they give me mixed reactions. I have some friends who are terrified of dolls and others who are awestruck by them.