Behind the Scenes

April 8th we were going to experience a total solar eclipse, and I wanted to take photos for my Special Days book. The forecast was for clouds on the actual day, so I decided to take my photos a few days earlier, and I thought the beach would be a good place to view an eclipse, so off we went.  I'm getting too old and stiff to be getting down on the ground - unless absolutely necessary - so we brought along our projector stand to pose the dolls on. I don't normally like taking doll photos in full sun because of the possibility of harsh shadows, but taking photos earlier or later in the day when the sun is not high overhead, and then having all the dolls looking into the sun helps minimize the shadows....

I sprinkled some of the fine beach gravel on the stand to help hide it in the photos, and made sure everyone was looking in the exact same direction, before taking close up photos....

We had taken a white umbrella along to shade the dolls from the sun when I wasn't taking photos of them...

Behind the Scenes at Home

The castle interior was set up on the dining room table, but I needed to photograph several Special Days photos, and most needed just a small set-up at one end of the table.  
​Like the sleeping babies in their bed, for World Sleep Day...

I was in the process of taking several completely different scenes, so there was quite a mess piled on the other end of the table. But no one would ever notice since all the photos I needed were close-ups

Then the wall and furniture were switched for the National Quilt Day photos...

Again for just a small scene at the window end of the table...

My work space was also a huge mess with several projects on the go all at the same time...

Bonnie was changed into her paint smock to be photographed for the Art book, I was in the process of making tiny baby elf wigs, and clothes for the Myou twins, as well as a Victorian outfit for Baron.

But my work space is constantly changing. This ,morning there's an entirely new group, with Matias patiently waiting for one last photo shoot before he gets changed into his casual outfit, and all the little girls that I'd been making lace party dresses for. There is just one green BID dress left to finish, and then I'd be done and can move on....