Crimson Leaves ~ A Photoshoot

Hey guys! Oh gosh, it feels like it's been a minute. Have I been gone for that long, or has this past month just lasted a hundred years? I spent the better part of October stressed for NO REASON so I feel like that had something to do with it. Anyway. We're here now and that's all that matters. 😊 

Ruthie is a doll I got to complete my historical collection, which was a huge achievement, but I never fully bonded with her. Not bonding completely with a doll in a large collection is okay sometimes, I think, because I often will rediscover a doll that I've had for a long time and it's like getting a whole new doll. I have, however, been working to come up with more fleshed-out backgrounds for some of my dolls that I don't use as much, and Ruthie has been one of the dolls I've focused on. I don't see her in people's collections almost at all, which is a shame because I think, in theory, she's a cute doll. Mine... I don't know, she's got a weird thousand-yard stare, and I've never taken pictures of her, but I decided to do a photoshoot anyway. 

So let's get into it! :)

I've been wanting to take pictures with fall leaves for years, but that's never happened. Mostly because we haven't had good fall foliage. We finally got some this year, but then it got windy and all the leaves blew off the trees. 🥲 I did manage to find a few trees with reddish leaves at a retention pond at my old elementary school, so that's where I took these! 

On my Chromebook, these look really bad, but I know they looked good on my iPad during editing, so I'm having faith in my photography.

I made her shirt specifically for this photoshoot, and it did not end up matching my vision at all. Oh well. I still liked it enough to use. Also the lace is thrifted!! I got a huge bag of lace scraps and they're so unique and perfect for doll clothes! I also got a ton of fabric that day and it's going to be soooo perfect for doll clothes, but now my fabric stash is overflowing. 🥲 OH and I got a jar of buttons on Saturday and they all ended up being presumably victorian-era and guys, I full-on geeked out. My love for buttons is unmatched. One of the buttons is an 1840s-1850s American Navy uniform button and that was the only one I was able to put an exact timeframe on, but can you imagine?? It's in almost perfect condition and I can't help but wonder about the person who wore it. 

Actually tearing up over buttons rn, comment if I should do a button collection post.

So moving on from my button obsession. (Though seriously, someone tell me to do a button post.) 

Um. I'm struggling to do a good critic with how washed-out these look on my Chromebook. The colors were a big focus of mine, so it's hard to gauge how well I did in that regard. Can you guys tell I lost my doll hair supplies at all? I tried to tame Ruthie's hair as best I could, but my brushes, spray bottles, and hair ties for dolls are MIA. Which is actually really concerning because I have like 3 separate brushes and spray bottles. 

Actually, now that I think about it, one of the brushes is my bathroom because I was washing a Monster High doll's hair. 

The angle and framing in this one is not good in my opinion. That sounds harsh but I mean it in a "✨" way, like I don't actually feel bad that I think this one doesn't look good. I took the picture, and that's all that matters. There wasn't a good place to stand her up, so I held Ruthie in most of these. (Which is why you won't see any full-body pictures.) In some of them, I sat her on a branch, but I think I get credit for holding her.

I feel like I needed to do more experimenting with the angles that flatter Ruthie, but that's part of what this was for, wasn't it?? I think this one is pretty decent!

It's bad on my Chromebook, but I feel like if I look at this one on a better device, the editing will look delicious. I just feel it in my bones. 

I actually love this one. The colors look pretty good from my current screen, the framing is nice, the angle is flattering, the lighting is good! I think this is the winner of this photoshoot!

This one is good too! I really like how my camera does its blurring in kind of a circular way (please tell me you know what I'm talking about lol) because it pulls your eye to the subject and also is just fun to look at. 

I kind of don't like the tree trunk being visible. It actually might help the photo composition wise, but I think it's kind of ugly. Oh well. This angle looks good on Ruthie. I kind of think she looks better being photographed from a slight distance. Like, I'll take pictures that are really close-up to a doll's face, but I don't know if that's the method for Ruthie.

I hateee that the sun is starting to set later because I can't really take pictures after school if I want to. I get off school at 4 pm and it's basically dark when I get home. Although... actually, if I say the seasonal depression hasn't set in yet, I'll jinx myself. 

Oh, and I guess this is the last one! I was going to say I don't like the framing, but on second thought, it's not too bad! Still not my favorite, though. 

And sadly, I think we've reached the end! Have a great week and remember to eat your veggies! Bye! <3