Picture of the Week Award ~ April 10, 2010

Remember the name Rebecca Berry because you will be seeing more of her photography in the future. She posts most often on the BFC, In The Pink and on Doll Divas. I discovered this photo on the W Club and I'm glad I did.

[Picture source was removed by photographer.]

The doll is a new Fashion Royalty doll from Jason Wu from his Monogram line and is called "Disclosure."
She is dressed in the outfit originally from Valia "Adore." Isn't she gorgeous? Seriously!

I asked Rebecca to describe her photography set up and camera. Here are her responses:

"The photo was taken in a photo tent with a graduated blue background, (it goes from white to dark blue).
I like to take photos in natural light if I can but I live in the Pacific Northwest so good quality natural light is hard to find from November to July. I use a three light system most of the time - one on either side and one light on top. I show some behind the scenes of my setup on my website http://thinkpink1265.spaces.live.com/.
I am currently using a Canon 40D and these photos were taken with a 28-135mm lens."

"I consider myself a young an inexperienced student when it comes to photography and I have soooo much to learn. I am inspired every day by the photos I see on the doll board and flickr and especially on your doll blog. I love the photos you post."  {Ooooo....thank you, Rebecca.}

"My suggestion to fellow collectors is to have fun, photograph what you love and don't forget to play!"


Rebecca is blessed with a 10-year-old daughter with whom she spends time discussing fashion photo shoots. She feels inspired by the amount of creativity on the doll boards and is in awe over the supportive and kind natures of fellow collectors.


Readers, you must visit her links to see her work and her collection. You will be in awe! 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42498300@N07/

Congratulations, Rebecca, on the Picture of the Week Award!

Mega Barbie Fix - House of Barbie Shanghai Documentary

You may have missed this video. I found myself smiling half way through. I want to go there!
House of Barbie Shanghai Documentary

Chrome Hearts Barbie Dolls

The clothes are to die for. The details are amazing but what else would one expect from Karl Lagerfeld? I was not familiar with Chrome Hearts clothing and jewelry as I rarely purchase things like $800. hoodies. (rarely=never) OK, so I'm sheltered, too. Putting fabulous clothes and edgy hairstyles on stiff-armed, weirdly proportioned 3-foot tall figures is artsy to say the least. How on earth is Mattel marketing this to these designers? There are much better looking dolls out there. Anyway, there is no resemblance to Barbie except for the stiff arms, perennial smile and the big head.

Is this Mattel's casual/punk version of Theatre de la Mode?

"Karl Lagerfeld's favorite ring-maker, Chrome Hearts (they make other stuff, too, like $800 hoodies and $190 trucker caps) has collaborated with Mattel's Barbie on a 12-doll retrospective.
Now, these are no ordinary pocket-Barbies, oh no. The Chrome Hearts Barbies are each more than 3 feet tall, dressed head-to-toe in intricately detailed Chrome Hearts clothing and jewelry, and they all have their hair done by celebrity stylist Oribe—who usually charges human clients about $500 for a haircut. The clothing, accessory, hair, and makeup detail is actually stunning—check it out in the gallery (above). The Barbies are valued at $18,000 to $25,000 each and will be on exhibit from April 10-24 at Roma Cohen's Alchemist in Miami, after which the tour will continue through New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Shanghai."
Image and text from RACKED. Click on the link for more pictures and information about individual dolls.

Picture of the Week Award ~ April 4, 2010

This is a Tonner doll named Hypnotic Antoinette. James Griffen, aka Paradise Blue on the doll boards, has captured her beauty in this photograph.He repainted her eye-makeup and liner, deepened the shade of her lips and glossed them using Golden Fluid Acrylic paints and then sealed his work with "Golden Varnish".
For the photograph he wet her hair to deepen the color and tame the fly-aways.

James has added the following information:
"Her earrings are something I made from bits of craft pieces that I bought at a dollar store. Her jacket belongs to a Gene Marshall centerpiece doll from the Kentucky "Derby Dreams Gene Convention." Her skirt is a hand-knitted popcorn cape made by a friend which I decided to use as a skirt."

Setting?
"The backdrop is made of black foam core and photographed near a window. Shadows are created by vertical blinds. Antoinette sits on a Siamese cat figurine, also made for me by a friend."

Any photo suggestions to others?
"I use natural light when I can. I like to photograph my dolls by a window. Sunlight coupled and vertical blinds as shadow work well together. Always use the view finder on your camera, (if your camera comes with one.) It helps keep your focus on the prize."

See more of Hypnotic Antoinette and James' work at http://www.thedollpage2.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/417

Congratulations, James, on your Picture of the Week Award!