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

Doll Stands on a Hard Surface

3/20/2015

8 Comments

 
So, what do you do if you don't trust your doll to stand on it's own on a hard surface?  Or you are posing several dolls in a scene and don't want to risk them toppling each other over like a set of dominos?  I use the standard metal doll stands for most of my doll photos. I hide the top under their clothes, and pay attention to positioning the vertical support behind one of the doll's legs, and then I try to hide the base. If I can't hide the base, I can always Photoshop it out later, but it's so much easier, and more natural-looking, to just hide the base right away when taking the photo.

Even when taking photos in my backyard on my picnic table, I will camouflage the bases of the stands with some sand the same colour as the wood of the table....as I did here.....
Can you see the doll's bases?
Picture
One of the best examples of hiding the doll base, is the series of photos I took of Isar in the Southwest back in 2012. The US Southwest is mostly rock - lots of bare rock - red, yellow, or white rock. There was no way I'd risk Isar falling onto rock, or tumbling into a canyon, so I always posed her on her doll stand and covered the base with a bit of sand or small stones the same colour as the rock she was standing on.  See if you can spot the covered doll stand base...... 
Picture
Isar in the Beartooth Mountains, Montana
Picture
Isar in the Badlands of South Dakota
Picture
Isar overlooking Schaefer Canyon, Canyonlands, Utah
Picture
Isar overlooking 'Park Avenue', Arches Nat Pk, Utah
Picture
Isar at Lake Powell, Arizona
Picture
Isar at the Grand Canyon, Arizona
In this next setting, I had to balance her doll stand on top of some rocks, 
then hide the base with small matching stones....
Picture
Isar at Clark's Forks River, into Yellowstone,Wyoming
I use this same technique of hiding the base of the doll stands when taking photos of my dolls in the snow......
Picture
If you look closely, you can see a bit of the vertical support peaking out behind Efreet's one leg 
(pants aren't that straight), and there's also a bit of base showing in front of one of his shoes. 

Here's another photo with the doll's stands hidden with snow.....
Picture
Of course, now that you know my secret, you'll be looking for that bit of sand, dirt, or disturbed snow around the feet of the dolls in my photos.  I'll bet you never even noticed it until I told you about it.  It's a great way to take photos of your dolls outside without worrying about them toppling over and getting damaged (unless it's very windy, but that's another story) 

So why not give it a try?
8 Comments
Linda
3/20/2015 12:22:46 am

Yes, you are right, I never noticed the doll stands and always wondered how you did it. Now that I know the 'big secret' I will of course look more closely at your beautiful pictures. Well, maybe, just once or so...

Reply
Martha
3/20/2015 09:08:26 am

Hopefully it's not what everyone will be looking at first.

Reply
Jane
3/20/2015 08:34:58 am

I think you and I use all the same tips! LOL! Like you I won't trust dolls to free stand.
I used too many years ago, until I had a very near miss with a favourite doll.
I always use stands or supports now.

Reply
Martha
3/20/2015 09:11:11 am

"Great minds think alike", as they say! But even doll stands aren't a guarantee, especially not the standard variety. My Ryung was on a doll stand when I took a photo of her in the Rockies, but it was so windy, she fell over - right on her face. Charie ended up having to sand her cheek down a bit when she gave her a new face up.

Reply
Jane
3/20/2015 09:33:53 am

*sob*
I can imagine your horror, and how sick you must have felt :(

Thank goodness for the expertise and skill of Charie

Xanadu
3/20/2015 08:39:51 am

Never noticed any stands in any of your photos, but knew you used them. I haven't needed to as yet, but I would probably use them in future, if I was trying to take a group shot.
Hugs,
X

Reply
Farrah Liliy link
3/20/2015 01:43:44 pm

Great tips about hiding the stands! Isar is a stunning doll. How tall is she? Your photos by the canyon are absolutely gorgeous. :)

Reply
Martha
3/20/2015 11:12:35 pm

Isar is 45 cm tall (with shoes) which is about 18"

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

    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.