Why do doll owners photograph their dolls?

That is such an incredible idea! I would love to do that. It would be so much fun, and just think of going to meetups or cons and passing out and collecting cards.

 

I don't own any dolls yet, so I cannot answer in the sense of what I "do" with my dolls so much as what I some day hope to do.

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?

The photography angle is one of the main reasons I developed a serious interest in BJDs. I am by no means a skilled photographer and I have no formal training, but I really enjoy it. I take pictures of my pets, of household objects, of my garden, wildlife, scenery... I take pictures everywhere I go.

The notion of having a perfectly beautiful, highly cooperative little model is particularly appealing to me. :3 While my pets may run in and out of frame, or that perfect cloud may start to drift apart, a doll will bear with me while I set up the perfect shot.

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

I have some non-BJD dolls and I really enjoy looking at them where they're set up, but I cannot say that I really do very much with them when photography isn't involved. The rest of the time, they're essentially decorative objects. I expect a BJD will work out the same for me. I can't really see myself playing with or cuddling a doll, though I suppose one never knows.

I don't think that necessarily means I'm not enjoying them fully. I would see it less as an issue of not enjoying them outside of photo shoots so much as the fact that at any point I'm busy appreciating them, I would bring my camera along for the fun.

 

This issue just kind of came up at a big gathering I was at yesterday with my husband. He is an underwater photographer and travels all over the world to exotic, remote locations for pristine dive conditions, excellent visibility, etc.

I photograph dolls. At this gathering, the wife of his dive partner (who is also wayyy into underwater photography) asked me if I was still doing the dolls. Oh yes. And had I gotten any new ones recently? I said...Shhhhhhhh! and pointed to my husband. She started laughing and asked him if I had gotten any new dolls lately. He just raised an eyebrow.

So I said, "Well, it would be like shooting the same clown fish over and over and over again. You get tired of shooting the same fish. I get tired of shooting the same doll. Only the new doll doesn't come with a $5000 dive trip attached to it."

He didn't say anything after that, lol!

 

Lol!! thats very true >o<

 

When Kun arrives, I thought I would dress them up and photograph them and make a few ACEO prints with doll info: our local anime con will have a doll panel and I thought it might be a way to hold interest beyond just seeing them at the con 2x a year. I would love to trade and collect doll ACEO, myself, if anyone would do it? It would make a great ongoing or seasonal swap

 

I don't know anything about how to make them, but I think it's a fantastic idea. Do you have any links to where we could get them printed or any information? Please PM me if anything might think that is OT. Thanks!

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?
Well, I'm not a photographer but I love taking pictures of my boys. They are representations of very dear characters, so I find immense enjoyment out of taking pictures that go along with their story/stories. I also just think they're beautiful and love to take pictures of them!

Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?
Yes, of course. I enjoy dressing them and posing them and working on faceups and body blushing. They also bring other types of fun like learning to better sew for them. For a while I didn't have a camera due to a very foolish misplacement and I still had lots of fun with my dolls.

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)
The dolls are beautiful and photographers can work this models who look exactly how they want and can put them into whatever position they want. I definitely think it helps the photographer improve without having to shoot landscapes or fruit, and without constantly bothering friends to be models!

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?
The pictures are for my boyfriend and my enjoyment. The dolls are very special characters and I get a kick out of having pictures of them kissing or just hanging out. Sometimes I share the pictures on DoA, but mostly I don't because other people are much better photographers than I and it forces me to improve my skills before posting anything. It's a learning experience. A lot of aspects of the doll hobby teach owners new skills that can be used outside of the hobby, photography is just one of them. (:

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?

/I just find it irrisistable to not photograph my doll like crazy. Not only does he mean so much to me, but Im able to form a story and have it out, and somehow make my doll convey the expression through the photography. So why not, right?

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

/Yes sometimes, Im guilty of taking Yun out to play with him for no good reason... >.<

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?

/Both. I have a deviantart, so I post pictures there quite often. I also keep many for personal enjoyment because...Dolls are so breathtaking.

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?
Because I want to make an evident of it's [retty moment. It is liek us taking ictures, that you want to memory something and remember that you did this and that. Somehow an evident that we and the doll have existed.

Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?
Not really, I mostly take pictures or study the shape and figure it self.

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)
Some people actuallly like to take pctures instead of owning the,, so I do not find this anything wierd. some people take pictures because they think by this they can see more dolls instead of just owning a doll I guessed.

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 share with friends and discuss with my friends. Also use it as wallpaper!!&#65321;&#12288;&#65356;&#65359;&#65366;&#65349;&#12288;&#65353;&#65364;&#12288;&#12288;&#65360;&#65349;&#65362;&#65363;&#65359;&#65358;&#65345;&#65356;&#65356;&#65369;&#65292;&#12288;&#65353;&#65364;&#12288;&#65353;&#65363;&#12288;&#65356;&#65353;&#65355;&#65349;&#12288;&#65345;&#65358;&#12288;&#65345;&#65347;&#65352;&#65353;&#65349;&#65366;&#65349;&#65357;&#65349;&#65358;&#65364;&#65281;&#12288;

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?
It is like one of the process, seeing my dolls as real kid growing. It is a proof that they exist and had wonderful pictures with me.
I have not make story yet but i am willing to make some.
Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?
N/A I always take pictures.
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)
Some people just like to take pictures instead of owing one. I think it is totally fine.

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?
Share with friends and discuss with them. I am pretty happy with them. I do not sell it as print though because I do not think it is right.

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?
So I can share them. They represent my characters which are, currently, hidden away in some written pages and inside my head. It's almost like I'm finally sharing my characters with the world and they can see some of what I see. I also just... like it. Not sure how to explain that so it doesn't sound so wishy-washy. But, I'm horrible at photography but I still love just taking pictures of them. Because of that, I have so many of them and have only shared, like, 10 pictures. :-/

Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?
Yup! I do that too. And I plan to do more. This month I'm gathering sewing supplies and the beginning of faceup supplies. I also just enjoy them sitting there and being beautiful. I love them!

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)
They're human like and wonderfully poseable and so very beautiful and intriguing. I can see easily how people treat doll photography as a hobby in itself because trying to capture all that on film is a hardy challenge.

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 keep them on my computer currently, just in case. I love having them around because, as my dolls evolve, it's interesting to look back on them and see where they were. Like, right now, my boy Rai is going through a transition. I'm fixing his wig, going to try to make him some new pants, get him new eyes, etc. Going back and seeing all the different outfits and wigs and whatnot I put on him is actually incrediably interesting to me and will continue to be in the future, I think. XD

 

I don't go overboard with doll photography but it was really fun to capture the last 2 box openings. I felt giddy/silly/happy and I had the chance to share it with my daughter, too. She liked being included and playing with Mommy's dolls on that special occasion. I have snapped a couple of progress pictures of various things I've made. I have ideas for photostories or shoots but limited time and cash to make them a reality. The other hurdle is getting the pictures off the camera onto the computer, resized and uploaded, and finally posted to the forum with some text that doesn't sound dippy or hacknied. That's the part I really, really don't care for at all.

If I had to guess at my personal motivation, it would be similar to many others, specifically a desire to capture an ephemeral moment.

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?
I photograph my dolls because they are beautiful Because I enjoy portraiture also, and as a record. I upload and share them mostly because I know that people find the sharing useful - what does a certain sculpt look like in ___ situation/dress/wig/eyes? I like to be helpful ^_^
I haven't really done much of a photo story yet, but I have photographed my dolls where the picture is a sort of story in itself - as they are interacting with something or each other, like looking at the box in box openings or having a tea party with the rement.

Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?
Yes for sure, of course ^_^ I love having them around as company, as art, and I like to express myself through their clothes and colours and faceups.

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)
Perhaps photography is just another major love of theirs, or at least a love that interacts very well with their BJD hobby. I get that, since I love taking pictures. I'm not great at it, but i love the feeling when something comes out really well just as I planned it.

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 share them to help people out, and keep them as a record too Which is just a photo thing in general really - recording things. I like looking back on photographs. Mostly photographs of pets and hobby stuff. I like to record the "making of" something, taking pictures of the construction in each stage, and I find that applies to dolls too. They are going forward every time I change them.

 

That was amazing. I agree 100%. But now onto your questions.

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?
I initially took pictures to show them to my family (whom at that time were overseas). I wanted to show them what they kinda looked like and what I was spending my money in. But then I joined a photography group with weekly challenges and a friend of mine suggested that I could use the dolls since that would be kind of unique (I seem to be the only one in the group with BJDs). And it's been amazing, because thanks to them I learnt a lot of techniques and how to use my camera and so on. So they're great models when you're actually too shy to ask real people ^^U And you can actually take great pictures with them as subjects (no, not angsty emo dolls lol). You can be as creative as you want, not only shot-shot-shot-shot of the same doll in the same pose but with different angles. You can create stories with them.

Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?
Sometimes I do, yes, just like everyone else. Doing face-ups, dressing them and stuff are also part of the "hobby". And then when I take pictures they kinda look alive and I get even more "attached".

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)
In my particular case, I don't think photographing BJDs is a hobby in itself. Now photography is a whole hobby (and even a respected profession), and sometimes I use BJDs as models. Just like sometimes I take pics of landscapes and stuff.

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've printed them to see the difference between the screen and real printed paper. And also as kind of a supposed "portfolio" (I'm not going to look for a real photography job). However it's nice printing your best pictures... I haven't got enough guts to frame them, because I think that would be too silly xD But it's nice looking at them from time to time, and if you've done a good job, you can almost see a "personality" in them.

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?
I can't help it! They're like my own children, and I love their adorable little faces! I enjoy sharing photos with people who also love their dolls as much as I do!

Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story?
Yes, I do. I keep one on my desk at all times to keep me company!

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)
It's fun and a great way to share ideas.

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 put my pictures on Flickr to share with friends and to make new doll friends. Seeing certain photos of my "children" bring a smile to my face!

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?
Since my camera is totally unable to take a clear picture of the dolls I have I don't currently take many pics of my dolls. Crummy camera + 1/6 size dolls = fuzz. I would like a better camera so I could take pictures and make photostories with my dolls. I like photostories because I draw comics. With dolls I can use them for reference or just use the pictures of them.

Do you just simply enjoy your doll and play with her without photographing her in a story? Sure I do. Since my camera can't really take pictures of them at the moment thats pretty much all I do with them.

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 think that if you put a lot of effort into your doll you want people to see your doll. Also, check it out, a bjd is a model that you don't have to feed, doesn't get tired, and you only have to buy it once instead of paying it like by the hour or something.

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 take pictures just for fun since they are really to blurry to post.

 

For me the doll hobby is about being creative with my dolls and interacting with the community. I don't take pictures that necessarily have to be "art", the hobby is for me and what makes me happy. I do not really call me a collector either, I don't collect bjds, I just look for dolls that fit my needs/wishes. I don't have a very personal relationship with my dolls, their personality is only visible through my pictures for me. Therefore I tend to sell dolls eventually and get new ones, that better suit my needs. This is especially a question of posing for the bigger dolls, I have tinies to just take cute and fun pictures without much art in them.

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?

Two reasons, really.
1. That is how I communicate with people in the doll world. I don't hang out on forums much, I am mostly on Flickr. I take pictures of new outfits, silly little things that I come up with and more "artistic" pictures.
2. To better my photography skills. As was mentioned earlier, it is easier to learn all about photography if you have something to photograph. I used to photograph other stuufs, like old toys and miniatures. But dolls are much more fun because they can change how they look and have a zillion different poses.

Without photography I would not own dolls, that is the main aspect of the hobby for me.

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

I don't make photostories. Mostly I redress my dolls only for photoshoots, so I would have to say no. At least very rarely. I sew for my dolls too, but I only handle their bodies when making patterns, so it doesn't really feel like "playing". I do plan ahead a lot of ideas in my head, so the dolls do tend to take up a lot of time in my life. I do feel like I enjoy my dolls a lot, but not in the "playing" sort of way.

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 are probably as many reasons for this as there are collectors, but here are some of my thoughts on the subject:
1. It is common in the hobby, so you get "sucked in"
2. The want and need for feedback for something you made/ a style you created, wanting to show off your dolls (a lot of doll collectors don't have people in the RL to show off their dolls)
3. A lot of collectors have photography as a hobby as well
4. There are limits to how much fun it is for a grown up collector to "play" with the dolls, through the camera you can get a lot more fun out of it

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 my pictures on Flickr, that's about it. My future goal is to make themed mooks with my dolls in it, but I don't think I'm good enough for that yet.

 

I fail to see the debate here.

 

Why do you photograph your dolls and make photostories?

I don't make photostories with my images, but I take photographs because I want to share my dolls with the world. It's difficult to establish an image in your head of a doll based on his or her description alone; pictures of them engaging in hobbies and activities they enjoy, or exploring the world, help them appear more human. My dolls never display "angsty" behavior, but those who do are probably just emotional characters with stories that cause them to act dark. Photography is certainly an art in itself, and to capture the essence of a BJD with photography is a feat.

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

Derfinitely. I take my dolls places (the bowling alley is Sayuki's favorite), hang out with them, and simply admire them when not taking pictures. To be honest, photography is almost a secondary thing, seeing as I take pictures solely for my blog's sake.

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)

Photographing BJDs is very interesting. Different lighting, surroundings, etc. make for really dramatic situations that can bring out so many personality aspects for a doll. It's amazing to find how many pieces of a dollie's soul you can uncover this way... I think the hobby of photography is certainly separate from doll collecting alone; it takes skill to get a nice picture. BJD photography is definitely challenging enough to be a hobby itself.

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?

Most of them are uploaded to my blog, where my dolls usually blabber about their lives and feelings. The pictures I take merely enhance the effectiveness of the whole thing. Some pictures I just keep on my computer's hard drive, but most of them find their way to the blog.

Hope this helped.
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This is a great group of questions. I agree with everyone of the answers given so far, but will add one more to the list. I photograph my dolls not only for art but for inventory insurance. Yes, my dolls are part of my house inventory. If my collection of dolls were ever to get lost or stolen there will be a file on each one of them i.e. pictures of doll nude front/back/sides, how it was altered (face-up artist, body blushing, sanding, etc) company, company name of doll, size, and all measurements, skin tone, where purchased, price and edition, as well as date ordered and received, plus any other information needed to identify doll.