Monthly Featured Photographer - September 2013

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This month's Featured Photographer is the man with the perfect name: Playtime.  Perfect because with a house full of dolls, every day must be playtime there!  I mean, how would you like to own a Wicked RealDoll?  Or maybe two?  Okay, but how about ALL FOUR?!

About the Photographer

Playtime's current camera is a Canon EOS 1000D DSLR.
It uses a 18-55mm zoom lens.
He uses mostly natural light.
He also has a tri-pod and is soon getting a mono-pole.
His first camera was a 35mm Contax 137 and with that he has taken pictures that have won art competitions (although they were entered without his knowledge at the time). He also has a Contax 139MA with 'Databack' and a range of Carl Zeise lenses from 50mm to a 600mm zoom.

Just before he got his first doll (Kaori B4 F13 Tanned skin), Playtime finally begrudgingly made a purchase of a digital camera, which was a small box style Contax TVS and many of his first pictures were taken with that camera until a circuit board may have cracked, causing the screen to be filled with static leaving him unable to take any pictures. That may have been because he used to transport it in a tail-bag on the back of his Honda CBR1000rr6. He thinks the vibrations may have gotten the better of it over time.
From there he has his current camera, the Canon EOS 1000D. He picked that up the very day he collected jessica drake, his first 'Wicked doll'.  His transition from 35mm to digital hasn't been the smoothest as he is not quite getting the settings correct at times, though he is getting better...

What got him started in photography?
Well his father was always the man with the camera and took all the good pictures, so when Playtime was in my mid 20's he wanted to take his own pictures so he got the same camera his father had and went from there. His father got him started by teaching him what-did-what, and then it was just putting it into practice. Being rather financially light most days he had to learn quick as having film processed cost money and he had to make the photos he took count. Before he knew it he was getting rather good, then for a while his situation changed and he no longer took pictures for a few years; it wasn't until I was looking around for camera gear that he came across some pictures of Realdolls and they looked so real!
(It wouldn't surprise him if they were Stacy's!)
So after a week or so he found out about Realdolls and in that search I found TDF (and he hasn't it regretted it since!)
He became a member soon after and 3 years later got his first doll.
Almost 2 years after that he got my first 'Wicked doll' jessica, that was soon followed by 4 Teddy Babe Deluxe's and almost at the same time the second 'Wicked doll' Kaylani arrived; 1 year later the remaining 'Wicked dolls' Alektra and Lupé arrived.
So now he has the subjects to photograph, the equipment, and a new home for them; he has a location. He is looking forward to building on his skill set and entertaining everyone as he goes.
He is hoping to show off his girls in their best light and do them the honour their creator deserves.

We think it's hard to take any bad pictures with such beautiful and realistic dolls, Playtime!  Thanks for sharing!

- GFELube

Note from the Editor: Each month we will feature a
different photographer's work. We invite doll owners and manufacturers
alike to participate in this new monthly feature. Photo shoots must meet
a minimum quality level. If you do not meet that level we are happy to
work with you, critique your photos and help you to raise the bar on
your photography. Good photo shoots can be had with low cost digital
cameras. It is all in the technique.

Submit your inquiries and sample entry photos to featuredphotographer@coverdoll.com