Perennial Problems with Portraiture
Originally posted on September 21, 2008
I have developed an immense respect for photographers that take group photos. Dolls are difficult enough, but humans? Yeeeesh!
Those who would argue that the dolls don’t move, and are therefore easy to shoot, are D-E-A-D W-R-O-N-G though. I swear I spend fifteen or twenty minutes just setting a pose and by the time I turn the camera on and aim it, they’ve changed so that they are no longer “perfect.” All the little negatives in their personalities seem to be magnified several times when you force them to interact in close quarters. Today’s adventure with my four Domuya Perennial girls is an excellent example.
I posed all four of them together in an attempt to get a good group photo. These girls’ bodies are all (allegedly) the same, yet each one still has its own unique quirks and challenges. The Domuya Perennial body is highly pose-able, so you would think my task would be easy. But you would be incorrect.
From left to right we have:
Solenne, Domuya NS Saisha, faceup by Jay
Laura, (I think that will be her name; haven’t decided for sure just yet), Domuya light tan Ida, factory faceup.
Melisa Townsend-Adams, Domuya light tan Fin, factory faceup.
Delia Lawrence, Domuya NS Fin, factory faceup.
However, from left to right we also have:
Solenne: extremely quiet, serene, good natured, moves to her own internal music.
Laura: athletic, outgoing, a bit gawky, always the tallest girl in any crowd; her pet peeve is short girls who take tall guys off the market
Melisa: a real barracuda who writes for a gossip sheet, a conniving, back-stabbing virago you don’t want as an enemy OR a friend
Delia: a lush who likes to party, and an actress with delusions of adequacy; keep her supplied with booze because she’s a real bi*ch when she’s sober.
Not the best combination to ensure cooperation. This is what happened today, when I was silly enough to expect it…
Melisa: Move, you $%&!@#!
Delia: Anybunny wanna lil’ drinkie-poo? I don’ mind *hic* sharing…….
Laura: Do you mind if I shove over here a little, Hon? I don’t want to get bloodstains on this white skirt.
Melisa: You spill one drop of that blue stuff in my hair and it will be the last drink you ever have.
Delia: You stupid cow. It isn’t even real. Don’t you know a prop drink when you see one?
Laura: Uh-oh…..
Melisa: I knew that. Just like your hair isn’t real, you ignorant sl….
Me: Melisa, this is a family board.
Melisa: Dan Akroyd was always allowed to say it.
Laura: Get ready to duck and cover…
Melisa: There, that’s better.
Delia: OW! I think you even tore off the silicone cap!
Melisa: You have way too much silicone anyway.