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This time of year with gardening, I don't have a ton of time for the dolls, but I have taken some photo shoots with future projects in mind for some blog fodder.
Today, I 'm going to compare some photos and tips on posing, lighting and editing for your dolls.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Colette is the subject and this is an un-edited photo from this session.
This is what I will building on in this post.
I'm far from a professional photographer, nor do I have professional equipment. I generally use an old camera that I have to pull out the card and load it separately on the computer. My methods are trial and error, but by looking at all the photos in order, hopefully you can see some progress and improvements.
When I had to replaced my 2012-IPhone---we upgraded to a 13 something...which has an excellent camera and uploads almost instantly to the Cloud and then to my computer for storage and editing.
This is so-o-o convenient!!! that my camera is getting dusty.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
The backdrop is a flawed piece of silver matte poster board and the floor is a satin stickum covered foam core from $$store. Lighting is controlled by two (small) gooseneck spot lights and occasionally a white piece of foam core to bounce and deflect the light. The stand is an issue I will have to address in editing.
This angle is too low---and her figure is distorted. Then I took more photos and different poses with the subject looking at the camera with sidelights---no editing.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
The highlights on the arms are distracting, I like the shadows on the right...so I clipped out the frame for her face to be in the top left quarter of the page, below.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Here is the my editing program...with the basics. I use the retouch at the bottom to make a circle to erase flaws or soften the highlights. I seldom use the color variations as my lights are all pretty accurate for real time color unless I have to increase exposure, then I up the saturation a bit to make up for the washout.
You can make photos moody with any or all of those selections of saturation, vibrance and cast as well as shadows and contrast. After playing with these you can always revert to the original.
If I like a variation of editing, I screenshot it and it becomes another photo, I can then revert to the original and begin again.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
With the RETOUCH I edited out some of the distracting highlights and softened the look, leaving her hair as is. I often soften the joints of my dolls to make them more realistic. I reduced exposure and increased the black point which sharpens everything. Increasing the contrast is more severe, so I didn't use it on this photo.
For composition, think of your photos in quadrants or thirds, and avoid placing the subject directly in the middle for portraits if possible.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Here Colette's head is at a different angle, with her face above the center. I carefully edited arms and softening the highlights on her hard plastic limbs. Colette's face is lightly textured so glares are softer on her face.
I left the highlight on her nose as it defines the angle of light in the photo. Again the shadow on the right is interesting from the soft side-lighting from the mini spots.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
The final photo with the lower left erased and the stray hairs and stand elements erased. It's pretty dreamy...actually for her.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
I tried this dramatic pose side angle and did minimal editing...except for size and exposure. Eh...not that emotionally interesting. As a viewer you are disconnected from the subject.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
I usually prefer my dolls in a realistic setting, but Colette is doing these for publicity shots and an album cover. Editing only on her limbs and highlights. Unfortunately the stand is showing...so I could edit this down for the face only.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
This is a simple screenshot edit on the photo above. Here the shadow definitely adds mood.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
unedited original
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Lowering the camera this is a better shot of the above. I managed to make most of the stand disappear. Stray hairs need to be edited out, honestly I don't see them when I'm setting up...what a pain...love the body shadow on this one.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Change the tilt of her head, cleaned up and liking this photo and the echo of her body in shadow.
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| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Now, I have a few good finished photos to select from.
My photo program is the one I have on my Mac...and my photos come from the cloud, I keep files of them on my computer also and save the edited photos for my posts in labeled files on my computer. I find the photo files in the photo program more complicated then finding the duplicates on my laptop.
Gosh, if you have any specific questions or vague ones even, I would be happy to answer them. The next post I will show some other creative features of editing portrait photos, and I will be using Colette and one prop.
DO YOU PLAY WITH YOUR DOLL PHOTOS?
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Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi
Although I will never be a decent photographer at the rate I'm going, I enjoyed seeing your post. As a dollhouse lover, I hold stuff in place with Mini-Hold (comes in a small red plastic tub with lid). I have found that the similar Lemax stuff leaves grease stains--Mini-Hold doesn't. Could you use that or blue-tack instead of a doll stand when a doll is leaning against something.?Dollhouse dolls stands also come as a base with a longish needle looking spike coming up--would be great with pant legs or gown.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kathy, I'm not that fond of the sticky stuff---it's really hard to get off, and sometimes discolors items. I have mini dishes that short of going through the dishwasher, won't come clean. I use double stick (cheap) tape to anchor things or rubberbands which come in zillions of colors. Desperation calls for sticky foam doublestick on bigger items. The non-permanent peels off most surfaces. Saw Froggystuff anchoring items on walls with magnets...which I thought was clever? But then, my houses aren't harassed by cats, lol. Doll stands are a pain and I do spend time editing them out. Hugs, and love when you post your doll photos! Sandi
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