Antique Lilac
  • Home
  • for Sale
  • Galleries
  • Favourite Photos
  • Tutorials
  • Blog
  • Links
  • Books

Behind the Scene

8/21/2022

5 Comments

 
Having come to the end of this part of Winston and Saphira's story, and leaving them travelling in the wilderness with the Elves for now, it's time for some Behind the Scenes.

First, packing for the trip. When we went up north for a few days in July, I wanted to take two sets of dolls along - my little Kaye Wiggs dolls (who had never been camping before) and my two dragons and five Elves. It's always a challenge trying to pre-plan the photos I want to take, and then make sure I had all the props required, and some never get used. Most of the props would be for the KW girls camping trip, and I piled everything on the dining room table...
Picture

Dragons on the Rocks

In Killarney I really wanted to take some dolls and the dragons out Chickanishing Creek for some photos out of the rocks overlooking Georgian Bay. So, in addition to the four KW dolls, I also packed Winston and Saphira in a big cloth bag, inside a big garbage bag, to keep them dry in the canoe. Jan makes a comfy seat out of several life preservers in the bottom of the canoe, where I end up sitting, basically 'ballast with a camera'. Getting in and out of the canoe is a major challenge for me, but I'm determined to get some photos, so make the effort.  We always get out at the mouth of the creek to enjoy the scenery....
Picture
The nice thing about the dragons is that they don't need to be shaded from the sun....
Picture
Picture
Then it was back in the canoe and we headed along the shore to another location....
Picture
...and get out for a snack....
Picture
...and to take some photos, while laying down flat on the rocks....
Picture
I even managed to capture their reflection in a pool...
Picture

Breakfast

It's so much easier to set up a scene on a picnic table than on the ground. Unfortunately picnic tables have wide gaps and I forgot to bring a piece of thin wood to put on the table under any scenes. So I had to be careful not to have the table legs, or the dolls, standing on top of any of the gaps. For the best light, I always set up my scenes with the sun behind me. It would have been better for the dolls if it had been hazy, or overcast, but it's not like I can order the weather. I just have to make do....
Picture
But Jan is always standing by with a big umbrella whenever I have to shoot in the sun, to shade the dolls until I'm ready to take the photos. He will shade the dolls as I set up the scene, then steps away so I can snap a few photos. Then shades them again when I change poses...
Picture
It's really nice having the scene up on a picnic table, and with the picnic table standing perpendicular to the sun, the wide cracks between the boards barely show up.
Picture
It's also great because then I can walk around and take photos from all the different angles...
Picture
Which is pretty much impossible now if I have to get down on the ground.
Picture
Picture

'Mountains'

I wanted some scenes with the little party travelling somewhere rugged, and had in mind the rocks beside the tiny parking lot at the Killarney lighthouse. I set everyone up on the rocks, moved back to take the photos, but if everyone isn't posed perfectly, or some of the characters are hidden, then I need to direct Jan to make any adjustments.
Picture
Perfect!
Picture
Stay tuned for more Behind the Scenes tomorrow. In the meantime you can revisit the entire 'Tale of Two Dragons' in Favourite Photos.

​Copyright © 2022  Martha Boers
All Rights Reserved
5 Comments
Nancy
8/21/2022 09:16:48 am

It’s so nice that you and your husband can combine your travels with your hobby.

Reply
Martha
8/21/2022 11:36:12 am

We love the scenery up there, and he loves to kayak, and I like taking doll photos on location there.

We do love travelling, and after having been to many places several times it's interesting to have to look at the scenery from doll photography perspective for a change.

Reply
Donna
8/21/2022 08:04:56 pm

Your behind the scenes photos are always very interesting and are a photography tutorial in themselves. They show how effectively you use forced perspective to create lifelike pictures.

One of the fun things about the photos is how they show just how tiny the dolls really are.

Reply
Martha
8/22/2022 04:08:18 am

Thanks. That's why I put all these posts together in Albums in Favourite Photos, where they are easier to access.

Yes, the Elves are TINY. They are just 15 cm tall, so extra challenging to photograph using forced perspective. But I love when the dolls appear in real life settings.

Reply
Dorothy
8/21/2022 10:15:45 pm

Thanks for posting these photos. Behind the scenes photos always make me smile. And there are more coming tomorrow! Yeaaa!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Martha Boers is an award-winning Canadian doll maker and costumer specializing in fantasy and historical-style costumes.
    Read More... 

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.