Decent Photos using Built-in Flash?

Is it possible for us mortal hobbyists?

YES! Built-in flash usually gets a bad rep for producing unflattering photos, but here's a neat trick I learned from my friends Trisha and Nix: use a handy dandy white card in front of the flash!

Like so! (Pardon the webcam photo, haha)

What the card does is direct the light from the flash to a different direction (depending on how you tilt the card), diffusing the light in the process. This is very useful for people like me who don't have a lot of lighting equipment at their disposal.

Here's a before and after example:

Not bad, right? ^u^

The downside to this trick is that it's very inconsistent. Sometimes it takes dozens of test shots before you finally achieve the effect you're looking for. However, inconsistency can also be transformed into flexibility! Just experiment! :D

Here are some sample shots taken using this technique, using various positions of the card. As you can see, the overall effect differs with the change of setting as well.

The card was farther from the flash in the second photo, which made the light reflect on the surrounding objects more than the first photo. See how the overall color of the second photo is affected because of the color of the surrounding objects?

The card was positioned farther from the flash in the first photo. There was a TV on the left side, and since its surface is glass, the light from the flash reflected quite strongly onto Blair. It actually looks almost like sunlight!

Some pointers:

1. From my experience, this works best when done indoors.
2. I find that doing this trick works best for tighter shots like macros and close-ups.
3. The size, color, positioning and tilt of the card can have varied effects, like using a pink card will give a pink cast to the photo. I prefer using a plain white card so it won't give off a colored cast.
4. The available ambient light, the color of the surrounding objects and how you hold your camera (portrait, landscape, near, far) also produce different results.
5. Patience is key.

I hope this helps even though I feel my explanations were a little vague. Feel free to ask if you have any questions. XD

Happy shooting! ^o^

Dolly Diptych Weeks 19 & 20

More photo spam of Blair and Miette today! I'm obviously having fun with my girls' new face ups (yes, I am now smitten with Blair's, too~). Besides, it's been a while since I last posted diptychs. ^^

Week 19: Quickly, before it escapes!

Week 20: Peek-a-Boo

Which Wig Works Best?

...with Blair's new face up? Help me out! I can't decide. She looks so different in every wig. :'D

Fancy comparison photo, just because I can. :P

Blair's Fifth Face up – an Experiment

Blair had been needing a new faceup for some time now. Her face was too red and did not match her body, and her bottom lashes were wonky. Since yesterday's weather was pleasant, I decided to go for it.

I purchased LUTS pearl powder and Tamiya acrylic semi-gloss earlier this month. I was excited to use them, but it took me the whole day to finally do so because I kept on making mistakes! GRAH! FACE UP FRUSTRATIONS. I had to erase my work three times. There was always a spot on her brow bone that won't hold pastels. Ugh. D8<

Anyway, I finished at around midnight yesterday (I started at 1pm, by the way >_>), and this was the result:

I'm pretty satisfied, but I still want to redo it. I used too much pearl powder and ended up erasing some of the details like the lip lines and bottom lashes. I'm also not that happy with how adding an upper lip to the Miyu sculpt makes it look more pouty. It's cute, but not what I want for Blair. But maybe it will grow on me? I don't know. We shall see. ^^

Part of the reason why I want to keep this face up is because I spent a lot of time layering pastel colors to achieve her eye make up. The colors look so simple and monochromatic, but I actually used black, brown, cobalt blue, sky blue, red and white to achieve that effect. I only have the 12-piece Mungyo Pastel set, so I had to make-do with the available colors. So hard. ;w;

The colors look so much brighter in person than on photos though. She looks so dark and sad in person, but she looks a little more neutral in photos. Weird. Or it may just be the diffused flash. Hm. I'm gonna need to find a balance between making her pretty in person and making her photogenic.

My respect for face up artists just multiplied tenfold. Seriously, this can actually be crazy hard and frustrating. You guys are amazing. TT_TT

Ten Things About Blair

Got tagged by some friends on Flickr to do yet another BJD meme! I was reluctant to do this because I've stopped treating my dolls as characters with stories. They still have personalities though, so I thought the meme was worth a shot. ^^

Ten Things About Blair

1. She is named after Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl. Blair also happens to mean "field" in Scottish Gaelic. I thought it was a perfect name for a mori girl.
2. She is Eurasian. Her exact ethnic heritage is unknown, but she considers herself 100% Pinoy.

3. She is asexual and may also be slightly aromantic.
4. She loves sweets. Cupcakes are her favorite. She will eat those super cute cupcakes without remorse.

5. She is a Virgo, which is an earth sign. Yet another mori girl reference!
6. Despite her shy and sweet disposition, she actually has a thing for the macabre, especially animal skeletons.

7. She has perpetual wanderlust, but she tries to hide it for my sake. ^^;
8. Her hands go to her hair or her bottom lip when she's thinking, nervous, or being coy.

9. She is mute, but not deaf. No one knows how or why. She somehow manages to communicate with her pets and me just fine though. Her eyes are very expressive.
10. She really wants to grow a garden, but she sucks at gardening. She takes care of cactii instead. :)

I tag anyone who's interested. :D

Hong Kong Dollism Plus 7: Day 2

To continue with my Dollism Plus 7 report, here's my Day 2 post! For my Day 1 photos, click here.

The second day of Dollism was pretty much the same as the first. Most of the booths and displays from Day 1 were still present on Day 2, but there were several new ones that replaced the shops that were gone.

Fortunately, I had more time to actually shop this time around since I already took photos of most of the booths and displays present in the con. I finally managed to find new pretty things for Blair that day! I was so worried she'd end up not getting anything new because there weren't a lot of things for sale that fit Minifees.

In case you Minifee owners didn't know yet, the girls can fit most YOSD clothes! The more fitted clothes would be trickier, especially for the boys. If your girl has either the cutie or the small bust, you're in luck. Blair has the small bust and I was able to get her three YOSD outfits. :D

Anyway, there's more photos under the cut!

WARNING: THIS POST IS IMAGE-HEAVY. 

Hong Kong Dollism Plus 7: Day 1

So here it is: my Dollism Plus 7 Day 1 post! To say that the event was overwhelming is an understatement. I never thought I'd get to see this many BJDs and owners in one place! It's an experience I won't forget. ♥

There were a lot of BJD clothes and accessories shops in attendance, the biggest of which were Crobidoll, Lati Doll, Switch, Peak's Woods, Dollheart, Leeke World, Blue Fairy, and Nine9Style. Other notable brands were Spirit Doll, Angell-Studio, Coco Tribe, Popodoll, Ringdoll, DikaDoll, Dollfie World, Dollzone, Doll Leaves, and Ruby Red Galleria.

Everywhere I looked, there was a ton of beautiful mori outfits and accessories, which I both loved and hated. I wanted so many things, but most of them were not in Blair's size or were not within my budget! x_x

There were also gorgeous displays in the con! Kudos to all the people behind these beautiful booths! It must have taken lots of effort to pose the dolls and create the costumes and sets.

I planned on taking note of the shop names so that I could label my photos appropriately, but like I said, I got overwhelmed. I failed as a blogger, haha! Hopefully the sheer amount of photos will more than make up for my failure.

WARNING: THIS POST IS IMAGE-HEAVY. 

My Hong Kong Dollism Plus 7 Haul!

Hello, lovely readers! I'm back from my 5-day Hong Kong trip with some of my friends from ManikaManila. IT WAS A BLAST! Lots of fun was had. I can't believe it's over! Ahhh! ;A;

Anyway, moving forward... I took a lot of photos during the two days Dollism was held, but I'm still in the process of sorting and editing them. So in the meantime, I'm sharing my HKDP haul spam.

 Blair's loot: 3 pairs of shoes, 3 dress sets, 2 hair accessories, stockings, a wig, and a pair of eyes.

Miette's loot: 4 dress sets, 3 pairs of shoes, 2 hair accessories, and a pair of eyes.

I spent around a total of $180 for all of these, which is a huge bargain already considering how expensive doll stuff can be. It's still a pretty huge amount for someone who doesn't have deep pockets like me, though. This will be the last dolly haul for this year, I swear! xD

I'm so glad I was able to buy Miette some super cute shoes. She's been barefoot since she's arrived!

 Those blue kitty boots and bunny headphones are my favorites! They're so adorable. ♥♥♥

These Honey Dolly dresses were too sweet, I just had to buy them. I really love the colorful print on the left one, and the sweets print on the right one. Gah! ♥

I got these two in a buy 2 get 1 promo. I bought these two and got a dress for Blair for free~!

Here's Miette, modeling some of her new stuff. She's so ridiculously cute now! >A<  *squishes*

I like these new green eyes on her. She looks more alive with these than her old ones. Hnghhh I can't believe she's mine! > 3<

Now onto Blair's loot. I was beyond ecstatic to see that Kuloft selling their famous deer antler headbands in MSD size! They were a wee bit pricey, but I didn't care because I HAD TO HAVE ONE. It's absolutely perfect for Blair. I'm also glad I got a decent pair of brown boots that she can stand in. ^^

I wanted to get Blair a beautiful mori girl clothes set, but the ones I wanted were either SD-sized or really expensive, so I had to settle for the next best thing: ultra-girly YO-SD dresses.

All of the dresses I got for Blair are for YO-SDs because there was almost nothing in slim MSD size. It's a good thing Minifees fit a lot of YO-SD clothes, otherwise Blair might have gone home without new threads.

Aside from the deer antler headband, these two shoes are my favorites from Blair's haul. If only they had them in my size! XD

 @_@ I don't know when I'll get used to this new look. I love it, but it's quite the change! New hair, new eyes, new clothes and shoes!

I think she's due for a new faceup to complete the makeover. We shall see! Anyhoo, if you made it to the end, thanks for reading!

Default VS Mine

Dolly meme time again! I got tagged by some folks on Flickr to do this. I've been meaning to do this meme even before I got tagged, but I only had Blair that time, and it seemed silly to do it with just one doll. XD

I'm most proud of Blair's transformation. I've been told several times that she doesn't look much like most Miyus. Yay for individuality! Miette's not very different from the default Suji, but she looks a lot spunkier and more doe-eyed, which I'm happy about.

Me & My Doll

Photo by: my sister
Location: Calle Crisologo, Vigan, Ilocos Norte

I know there have been several BJD memes going around but what the heck, here's another one!

Rules:

1. Make a diptych of you and your doll!
2. You must have similar poses.
3. Have fun!

Dolly Diptych Week 17: Garden Chic

This outfit is probably one of my favorite coordinates of Blair's. I love the floral pattern of the dress, the lace details of the vest and her adorable hat and bag! I'd love to rock something like that, but I would just look like a child. At least I can live vicariously through Blair, right? XD

This was also featured in Xhanthi's blog, Jointed Love, for Wearable Wednesday!

No outtakes this week since I already posted similar photos in my Sun-kissed Summer Meet recap post. Have an item list instead! :P

Hat: thrifted human-sized hat hairpin
Wig: restyled WO37_M from Leeke World
Eyes: default Fairyland 16mm glass eyes
Lace vest and floral dress set: 4XF-FM03 from Kondoll
Shoes: Snow Cut shoes for Narsha from Dollmore
Bag: thrifted Vigan City souvenir magnet

A Very Cozy Mini-Meet Down South

What did some of us ManikaManila southerners do on a national holiday? Why, we bonded through foodtripping and dollygushing, of course! ^o^/

Attendees: Kuri's Lumie and Ichigo, my own Miette and Blair, Nick's Christopher, and Kanis's Josh.

We went to Akihabara Café, a cozy and quaint anime-themed restaurant. It wasn't a busy day for that restaurant, so we had it all to ourselves! Perfect for squeeing and laughing our butts off without worrying about disturbing other people. Thank you, Kuri, for your Pinoy Henyo app! XD

BJD Meme Numero Dos!

There's been another BJD meme going around. I got tagged by my friends and several other people on Flickr, so I might as well post it here on my blog for everyone to see. :P

1: From all the dolls you own, who is your favourite and why?
Blair, because she is my inner mori girl personified and because it took me almost a year to get her. It was agonizing while waiting for her to get home!

2: Explain how you managed to get into BJD collecting?
Back in 2005, I found out about BJDs when my bf introduced me to Mistula, a virtual band made of BJDs. I wasn't keen on the music, but I was very intrigued by the beautiful dolls. I was shocked to find out that they were so expensive and quickly gave up on getting one. But in 2010, I found out that a close friend of my bf got a Dream of Doll DOC Too. I got close with that person, and through her, I met the folks of ManikaManila. I went to meets and learned more about dolls. I also joined Den of Angels. The rest is history!

3: Name the very first doll you ever bought?
Blair, a Minifeé Miyu. I haven't been in the hobby very long. ^^

4: Which doll do you plan to buy next?
I'm planning on getting a Littlefeé Chiwoo next year. I plan on making him into a spunky adventurer!

5: Are you currently waiting on any dolls?
Nope, I'm saving my money for Dollism Plus 7, which is only a month away! :D

6: How many dolls do you currently have?
Two: Blair and Miette.

7: Name the very last doll you bought?
Miette, a Lati Yellow Suji.

8: What is the worst thing about this hobby?
Everything nice is EXPENSIVE.

9: What is the best thing about this hobby?
Meeting new friends and sharing the hobby with them. <3

10: Which is your best dolly photo (of yours)?
This one. Coincindentally, it's from the same shoot as the BJD meme pic I used above. I think it's my best because they look alive in the photo. I think I hit the posing + lighting + styling combo right in this one.

11: Which is your favourite BJD company?
Fairyland, undoubtedly! Their aesthetic fits squarely with my taste.

12: Who are on your wish list?
Other than the Littlefeé I mentioned earlier, I would like to get a Rosetta Doll ZIO on an SDF body, a Minifeé Woosoo or Chloe girl, a Minifeé Seorin or Luka boy, and a Lati Yellow Haru. If only I had the money!

13: Are there any dolls you wished you had never purchased?
None so far. I don't think I would sell any doll I would purchase because I really have to fall in love with it before buying it. ^^

14: Who's your favourite face up artist/s?
My top 5 would have to be Andreja of Nicolle's Dreams, Caroline of Viridian House, Meggilu, Propertyoftheuchiha, and Lightlybattered. They all have very distinct styles and all of them give life to the dolls they paint. I can only hope to be as good as them someday.

15: What is a must when considering a purchase/pose ability/faceup/age/etc?
I personally think all of those are a must when purchasing, but it depends from person to person. People decide on dolls for different reasons: some choose a doll that matches a character they have in mind; some just fall in love with a sculpt; some want a muse for their photography, etc. Personally, I choose my dolls based on the face sculpt, the posing, and the body design.

16: Anything else you'd like to add?
The BJD hobby is an amazing, fulfilling hobby, and despite the stigma attached to it, I'm glad I got into it! ^_^

Dolly Diptych Week 16: Hide & Seek

Sometimes, the normally pensive Blair has bouts of playfulness. ^_^

As usual, here are some outtakes. :)