New WickedRealDoll on the way

Longshot · Post by **Longshot** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:05 pm

umbriel1, congrats on Kaylani. I also selected the express option for Amber (RD2 Body B Face G). I just received a call from Amanda saying that Amber will be ready for pickup on November 2. I only live a few hours away so will be able drive down and pick her up myself thereby avoiding the shipping and packing all together. I’m planning on taking my camera so maybe I’ll be able to get a few pictures of your Kay if she is still there.

As for camera gear that depends a lot on your budget and your interest in photography. When I look at some of the outstanding doll photography done by others on this site, one thing that became apparent to me (as an amateur enthusiast) is that having a nice setting with lots of room and good lighting will make your photo-shoots easier. If you own your own home use support hooks and tethers to secure Kay while posing. This will help to avoid doll crashes that can happen to even the most experienced photographers such as what happened to Stacy here:

http://dollforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=38191

I have a D5100 myself and I’m sure that you are aware that some lens can cost as much your as our dolls. If money is no object for you then go ahead and splurge on a fast piece of glass (one of the f 1.4). With a good quality fast lens you’re good to go in most low natural light situations. Also a tripod is a must (at least for me at my shaky old age). A Speedlight if you want to go flash. Studio type lighting can either be purchased or self constructed fairly cheaply.

of course someone of Stacy’s ability could probably go out with one of those disposable cameras and take great pictures.

umbriel1 · Post by **umbriel1** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 10:43 pm

Longshot wrote: I have a D5100 myself and I’m sure that you are aware that some lens can cost as much your as our dolls. If money is no object for you then go ahead and splurge on a fast piece of glass (one of the f 1.4). With a good quality fast lens you’re good to go in most low natural light situations. Also a tripod is a must (at least for me at my shaky old age). A Speedlight if you want to go flash. Studio type lighting can either be purchased or self constructed fairly cheaply.

Thanks Longshot,

I also considered getting a nice lens for my cam as well. I still got one of the most common with f3.5-5.6, which is ok, if you are outside doing some shots in bright daylight, but might be difficult to get decent pictures inside.
A tripod is a must as well as a decent flash.

All of that was on my shopping list already, I'll just have to figure out, where to get that for a decent price.

I don't think my Kay will be ready by 2nd of November, that would have been a little bit more than two weeks after I placed the order.
I'm looking forward to pictures of your Amber.

Zarnon · Post by **Zarnon** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 11:03 pm

5 weeks? Heh...

Just at 10 weeks waiting although Matt is adding an "extra" to mine.

Very psyched to get my doll. Not sure when that's going to be though....

Star88 · Post by **Star88** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 11:21 pm

I don't use flash. Looks terrible when I do, but I'm only using a cheap cannon digital not a DSLR. I'm sure flash can look spectacular with the right equiptment, and a capable photographer but a tripod and some simple lights make pretty good pics to. If you look through my album, there's not a single pic in it where I used a flash. I use available light, and two little desk lamps that have clamps so I can set them where I need.

As far as purchacing clothing goes, I'd wait until she arrives before getting too many items... even once my girl arrived I found myself buying items that I thought would look great (which they did) but didn't think enough about the functionality... dressing her can be a seriuos chore.

: new clothes 085.JPG (824.2 KiB) Viewed 2595 times

The sweater she's wearing here is an example... I love it, she looks beautiful in it, but it took me nearly 45 minutes to get her into it.

Just my two cents,
Cheers
Star88

1jayjay · Post by **1jayjay** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 11:01 am

umbriel1 wrote:@1jayjay: what kind of equipment do you use for your photo shoots? i just love the photos you took of Misty.

I was thinking of getting a decent flash and a tripod for the cam, as I will need those in the future anyways.
Do you have any tips of taking good photos of a doll?

Thanks

Hi umbriel, and thanks, I'm so glad you like them. In short I usually use natural light. I find that dolls don't look as good with artificial lighting, but there again that's just my own preferance.

I use the motto of "if you get the light right the rest will usually follow" and you can end up with some decent shots. But of course that means a lot of patience because natural light can and does change, and all too frequently.

To save me banging on about it all I usually recomend this thread to anyone interested in photography, it has some very good tips on it,

if you haven't already seen it.....

http://dollforum.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... 01&start=0

Some very good advice from Longshot and Star there as well.

Poor Zarnon. still never mind you have plenty of compnay to help you with the wait!

umbriel1 · Post by **umbriel1** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 1:05 am

Thanks 1jayjay,

that seems like a perfect article for me. I must have missed that on the forum because I did not browse the eye candy forum yet.

1jayjay · Post by **1jayjay** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 12:35 pm

1 wrote:Thanks 1jayjay,

that seems like a perfect article for me. I must have missed that on the forum because I did not browse the eye candy forum yet.

No problem umbriel, it's a massive forum and takes a while to browse all the threads, that may be of any assistance.

If there's anything I can help with just fire away.

Longshot · Post by **Longshot** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 12:47 am

umbriel1, here is a picture of your Kay as promised.

: kay01.jpg (475.16 KiB) Viewed 2502 times

She may be headless at this point but she is still a beauty.

umbriel1 · Post by **umbriel1** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 2:29 am

Thank you very much for the pic, she is already a beauty.
I did not think she will already be in production, but on the other hand the shop, where I ordered her told me I should expect delivery around the 21st of November and we all know how much work they have to put into one of the dolls.

You just made my day, I'm so glad I could get a glimpse of her.

1jayjay · Post by **1jayjay** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 10:51 am

Nice one Longshot,

It must have been quite an experience looking round Abyss.

Very good of you to get that shot of Kay.

It's a catch twenty two for poor umbriel, great to see her but now it intensifies his wait!

Longshot · Post by **Longshot** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 2:03 pm

Abyss is an extremely busy manufacturing facility with a lot more employees and dolls in production then I had imagined. When I entered the lobby there was some type of professional photo-shoot in progress. Not sure what it was about but just drooled over both the dolls being photographed and the camera gear.

Even with all that was going on Debra still took the time to show me around, answer all my questions and help get Amber ready to go. I know that part of this is just good public relations but to me the people that I meet at Abyss seemed sincere and dedicated to doing their jobs to perfection.

umbriel1, one more suggestion. If you haven’t done so already, I strongly recommend not purchasing any more clothing until you get your Kay. Some items that I was sure would fit Amber are just not going to work (either to small or to hard to put on). I know that shopping seems like a good way to pass the time while waiting but I just wish that I had listened to the advice of others and held off.

umbriel1 · Post by **umbriel1** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 6:29 pm

Yeah, the wait might get a little bit harder, but I'll be quite busy the next two weeks, so I hope time will fly by.
I'm just so happy to see that Kay is already in production.

@longshot: I just bought four items for her, so it is not so bad. I already know, that putting on clothes might be a problem, at least it was that with me 4woods doll I owned before.
I hope you had a great time at Abyss.

1jayjay · Post by **1jayjay** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 12:00 pm

Longshot wrote:Abyss is an extremely busy manufacturing facility with a lot more employees and dolls in production then I had imagined. When I entered the lobby there was some type of professional photo-shoot in progress. Not sure what it was about but just drooled over both the dolls being photographed and the camera gear.

Even with all that was going on Debra still took the time to show me around, answer all my questions and help get Amber ready to go. I know that part of this is just good public relations but to me the people that I meet at Abyss seemed sincere and dedicated to doing their jobs to perfection.

umbriel1, one more suggestion. If you haven’t done so already, I strongly recommend not purchasing any more clothing until you get your Kay. Some items that I was sure would fit Amber are just not going to work (either to small or to hard to put on). I know that shopping seems like a good way to pass the time while waiting but I just wish that I had listened to the advice of others and held off.

Nice one thanks Longshot, I've never been to Abyss, unfortunatelty, but it must be a bit like Disnyland! Not that I've been there either!

I'd have to be dragged out of the place, what a fantasy world it must be, with all those creations going on there.

A little PR goes a long way. It's always good to now that the staff are there for you before, during and after sales. I personally can't speak highly enough of them.

umbriel1 wrote:Yeah, the wait might get a little bit harder, but I'll be quite busy the next two weeks, so I hope time will fly by.
I'm just so happy to see that Kay is already in production.

Yeah you're right, it's great to see her in the process of being made, it's not too long now anyway. Stay busy, I hope it pases quickly.

umbriel1 · Post by **umbriel1** » Tue Nov 29, 2011 12:59 pm

Well the shipping over the great pond and customs seems to have taken a little bit longer, than originally expected, but she should be here until beginning of next week.
It's been a really long wait, but now it seems to come to an end. Once she is here, I'll post some pictures.