FDQ: In Focus

As a photographer (http://www.faeyephotography.com/) and doll collector, I started photographing my dolls almost simultaneously as I started collecting them. There are many inherit difficulties in photographing dolls that just don't exist when photographing things on a larger scale. Styling, scale, stands, reflections, all of these things present problems. After buying many issues of FDQ over the last few years, I was excited when the In Focus book project was announced, and eagerly awaited it's release.

I have to say that the book did not live up to it's promise. Hear me out! Many of the problems of doll photography were expertly addressed, and I definitely learned a couple of things that I never would have figured out otherwise, but I think they needed another round of editing! I hate reading a book full of typos, and this one definitely is. Also, while I understand the urge to try to make the book an all-in-one volume that instructs the reader how to everything from start to finish, this book both tried too hard to reach this goal, and also failed at it at the same time. As a semi-professional photographer I know how to use my camera. Not only that, if I were trying to learn how to use my camera for macro photography, there are much better written and more instructional books on the market that would do a better job of explaining. While reading the first chapter, I felt like an elementary school student being told how to operate my camera in the simplest possible way (not to mention that many of the camera tips in this book and statements of so-called fact directly oppose much of what I have learned both in personal experience and from my other sources of instruction). That was the trying too hard part. The failure part comes in that they give many tips for improving your photography, but there is no actual instruction. They survey their staff and contributors, which elicits answers from all across the board, basically telling the reader to experiment until they get their best shot. Use available light, studio lights, or sunlight. Use a real background or a location. Use props or don't. Plan your shot out well before hand or let the shoot determine how your photos turn out. You get the idea. Considering where I am with my photos, I think I would have been better off with a PDF list of top doll photography tips than reading this book cover to cover.

So is it a good purchase? If you have almost no photography knowledge, you're a creative person who can learn on your own with just some vague ideas to guide you, and you just started considering photographing your doll collection, yes. If not, e-mail me and I'll give you the best tips I learned from reading it, so you don't have to. :)

A Family Treasure

I have the amazing benefit of having grown up with all of my grandparents, as well as several of my great-grandparents. It's something I wish all kids could experience, but most of my friends growing up missed out on it. My great-grandmother is almost 100 years old. In 1917 she turned 7. Her gift from her parents were 7 dolls. The dolls were later stored. 5 of them were ruined beyond repair, while two of them were rescued from that fate. Currently those two are in need of some TLC. One of them is a bisque doll with a leather composite body with bisque hands and feet. It's in okay shape, but needs to have it's eyes reset and possibly it's wig replaced...at the very least restyled. The second doll is a large china head doll with a pieced together cloth body and disintegrating leather hands. This doll needs some serious repair. It has a crack along the breastplate and the body is practically irreparable. The head can be dated to somewhere in the 1860-1890 range, and the doll was not new when it was given to my grandmother. I plan to try to restore both of these dolls...and document the restoration here.

A New Year and a Resolution

Okay, so I'm terrible at updating this...but I'm going to keep at it, I promise. I know I don't have any followers, and I know that nobody cares, but I'm doing it anyway. I got some dolls for Christmas! They are:

1. Dynamite Girls Candy Cane Carnival Eltin
-She's awesome and gorgeous! Once I get back up and running with my doll photography she will be my photographic darling. I've read a lot of remarks online about how disappointed folks were with her, but I'm not at all. I think she fits in just perfectly in my colorful and fun Dynamite Girls collection (which is sorely lacking, by the way!).

2. Dynamite Girls Wave 2 Jett
-One of the 2 Wave 2 girls I was missing, now I'm down to one. She seemed to be selling out everywhere after sitting on shelves for 2 years, and I was starting to panic. She's awesome and flirty, and I'm not giving her up for anything.

3. ITBE Sleek
-I realize that these dolls are basic editions, and they are totally gorgeous (I totally love looking at her), I am a bit disappointed that she isn't more jointed. As she is still a collector's doll I thought she would be of a better quality, but instead she appears more like a sophisticated playline doll than a doll worthy of collecting. Don't get me wrong, I love her, but I'm sad that at a time when the playline giants like Mattel are introducing more sophisticated playline dolls at their typical low price point, a "Basic Edition" means going back in time to sticky, rubbery legs and unjointed arms.

New Issue of Haute Doll

Sorry for the extended absence (nobody reads, but I still feel guilty). I have so much to write about! But today I'm going to restrict myself to the new issue of Haute Doll magazine.

As usual, it's great. I love the patterns for the handkerchief dress! I'm also pleased to add to my paper doll collection. Hooray! I would absolutely recommend this issue!

Hooray for Doll Class!

So last night I had my first doll class with JoAn Morris. I think this may be the best deal I've ever found! She charges $8.50 for the class, and then you pay for your materials as you go. I chose a beautiful doll to make named Martina...she'll be ready for me to clean in next week's class. I'm so excited! Last night I worked on a practice doll head. I cleaned her seams and cut out her eyes. I didn't even break or chip her! I'm just so geeked! It was so great to be able to talk to women who are just as excited about dolls as I am, even if they are a few (or several) decades older than I am. I think this is going to be a good thing for me. I'll keep all of you, my nonexistent audience, in the loop.

This is the doll I chose to make. She's made by the Great American Doll Company and is designed by Rottraut Schaut from Germany. I hope she turns out just as beautiful!

Which doll should I buy?

I think I'm going to spend my next paycheck on dolls. But what should I buy? Should I get an Innoquii (they're so pretty) or a few Dynamite Girls? I'm leaning towards Dynamite Girls before I get too behind. Who am I kidding? I know I'm getting Dynamite Girls.

However, I'm incredibly interested in the new Playline Barbie Fashionistas. Highly articulated playline barbies...doesn't get much better than that...

No Dolls!

This Saturday is my 25th birthday. My husband gave me my birthday gift last night, but this is the first holiday in a long time that I didn't receive a doll as a gift. The gift I got was wonderful, and I will certainly be putting them to good use, but it was just a strange realization I had that there was no doll.

Probably a good thing, as I should probably be spending my own money on my expensive hobby. :)