davidd's A Doll A Day 2018

[neon_jellyfish]

You know, when I take a picture that I don't like and for one reason or another I'm not able to retake it, I just post it. So you get bonus points for trying to improve it! Plus, filters are fun. I'm definitely planning to play with them more!

[davidd]

A better photo of Monster High Elissabat for today:

20 August – Monster High Elissabat from the Frights! Camera! Action! series

[neon_jellyfish]

Looks like natural habitat for her! Perfect!

[davidd]

21 August – Monster High "Beach Beasties" Venus McFlytrap

Why do I have this doll? I do not clearly remember buying her. She is from the later production era of Monster High, pre-reboot, but the quality was beginning to decline. I had to look her up online to see what she was. Apparently she should include a pink beach bag and a multi-colored beach blanket in addition to her sunglasses. I don't know if I still have that stuff. I suppose it's around here somewhere.

And how many "swimsuit" lines did Mattel release for Monster High? The original, Gloom Beach, was kind of fun. Skull Shores offered the novelty Black & White Frankie. But by the time of Beach Beasties, they weren't even trying to include anything inspiring or clever.

Obviously I have, at this point, stopped trying to do anything inspiring or clever or creative with my daily doll photos.

[neon_jellyfish]

You've done more than enough of inspired, clever and creative photos, now just stick with the challenge to the end with uninspired, silly, mundane ones and you're good

Although, I still think they're awesome, like the yesterday's vampy one or Joes in the post-apocalyptic a/c.

I think it's natural to feel that way at this point, so don't sweat it. To be honest, I'm kinda fed up with my dolly portraits, they've become somewhat boring. Last year, Lejays started (don't remember when) doing quick snapshots (still funny as hell, though) on workdays, saving 'pretty and elaborate' pics for weekends. I think it's a great survival strategy!

How's Frank, by the way?

[davidd]

... Now just stick with the challenge to the end with uninspired, silly, mundane ones and you're good.

Although, I still think they're awesome, like the yesterday's vampy one....

To be honest, I'm kinda fed up with my dolly portraits. Last year, Lejays started doing quick snapshots (still funny as hell, though) on workdays, saving 'pretty and elaborate' pics for weekends.

How's Frank, by the way?

I've been thinking about putting together a list or spreadsheet like you mentioned that you use, so I can see who I have photographed, who I have photographed multiple times already, and then figure out how to at least include new figures in the photos. But that would require paging back through over 200 photos and actually writing stuff down.


Thank you, I was fairly happy with the Elissabat pic from yesterday even though it ended up just being a quick stand-n-snap rather than what I initially had in mind.

Your dolly portraits have been extremely enjoyable and informative. I am happy for the opportunity to see nice, clear, complete full-length portraits of so many dolls that I have not seen before or which kind of passed underneath my radar when they were released. I look forward to seeing what new treasure you will reveal each day. Of course, every time that you post a beautiful new portrait against an inky-black background makes me want a light tent even more. I've tried to "fake it" but the results have not been satisfactory.

I would be happy with quick and crummy snapshots if I could make them funny. I am finding inspiration and cleverness to be extremely elusive right now.

Yeah, we haven't seen Frank passed out in the corner for a while, mostly because his set, that I moved with the intention of keeping it clutter-free and useable, has become a dumping ground for detritus from a variety of projects, both toy and non-toy related.

Thank you for your daily comments. It helps me keep going. A glance at the calendar indicates that today is Day 233 of the year. We have only 132 days to go, so we are nearly two-thirds done! I've noticed that on some days, we are almost the only ones commenting on each other's photos. Perhaps we both need to do something exciting to re-engage with our audience!


Okay... I was planning to just sit here and mindlessly surf the Internet for a while, but your query about Frank has inspired me to get out of my chair and go try to at least clean up his space a little bit.

[Cornflower Blue]

Daily doll photos can be a chore at times. I think it's interesting to see how different people deal with it.

[davidd]

Daily doll photos can be a chore at times. I think it's interesting to see how different people deal with it.

Ha ha! The Doll a Day Project is becoming a self-inflicted psychological eeriment!

[Lejays17]

I'm sorry I've been slacking wiht the photo comments, sometimes it's hard to think of something interesting to say that I haven't said a billion times before.

Like neon said, last year I hit a point (actually it was around about now I think ) that it was really hard to be inspired with the photo taking. And i took a whole bunch of deadly-dull "portrait" type pics of mostly MH minis to tide over the week's photos, and then did more interesting / creative things on weekends when I had the time to devote to it.
Like Cornflower Blue said, it is a real chore to take a different and interesting photo each day.

[davidd]

Sometimes it's hard to think of something interesting to say that I haven't said a billion times before.

Yeah, I often worry that my comments are too repetitive. "Nice lighting! Realistic pose! Lovely hair!" Perhaps I should start using Google Translate to jazz things up:


Makatotohanang magpose! Kaibig-ibig na buhok

Schöne Beleuchtung! Realistische Pose! Liebliches Haar!

Bonan lumigadon! Realisma propono! Bela hararo!

Icenay ightinglay! Ealisticray osepay! Ovelylay airhay!

[neon_jellyfish]

I've been thinking about putting together a list or spreadsheet like you mentioned that you use...

...makes me want a light tent even more. I've tried to "fake it" but the results have not been satisfactory.

Thank you for your daily comments...

Okay... I was planning to just sit here and mindlessly surf the Internet for a while, but your query about Frank has inspired me to get out of my chair and go try to at least clean up his space a little bit.

I'm glad I have that spreadsheet, I'm a chaotic and disorganized person and I wouldn't be able to keep up with the challenge without it. You could start writing it down 10 photos a day or something like that, so that it isn't so overwhelming...

Do get the light tent! It's the sole reason my portraits look at least somewhat decent!

Back at ya! You can't imagine how happy I was when I joined this forum and saw someone else doing this damn thing in the 'daily' flavor! It's so much better when you're not alone.

Yay for cleaning up inspiration! I'm sure Frank will appreciate it! If he wakes up, that is

Sometimes it's hard to think of something interesting to say that I haven't said a billion times before.

Yeah, I often worry that my comments are too repetitive. "Nice lighting! Realistic pose! Lovely hair!" Perhaps I should start using Google Translate to jazz things up:

Same here!

[Alliecat]

Perhaps I should start using Google Translate to jazz things up...

Not everyone is here every day... I look in most days but yesterday I went a whole day without turning on my computer YAY me! I also sometimes wonder what to say that is different. "Nice photo" is kind of boring.
I do like the 2nd photo of Elissabat too. She's a pretty doll.
The project shouldn't have to be a chore. You have a nice outdoor setting, and you have interesting sets that you've built, so the photos certainly haven't been boring. I think it's quite OK to just stick a doll somewhere & take a snapshot now & then. Cheers for making it 2/3 of the way.

[davidd]

22 August – Monster High "Gloom Beach" Clawdeen Wolf

[Cornflower Blue]

Nice shadow effects on Clawdeen!

[neon_jellyfish]

She looks like she bought old derelict bar and she's going to turn it into the hottest spot in town! Maybe a popular beach bar, since she's sporting her fabulous bathing suit.