We can place our girl(s) in a chair, on the sofa or the floor, in fact anywhere at home and they will look right. Natural in fact, just as they would if they were human. Of course, if we are going to photograph them, then we need to pay attention to the details. For example, their hands, specifically their fingers and thumbs. How many humans have you seen with spiralling fingers, or thumbs that are in line with the fingers? Probably none, so why do we see it on dolls? We can spend considerable time getting the lighting right, doing their make up and getting their hair perfect, yet we forget about their hands, their legs or even their feet if they will be in the shot. We are concerned only with taking that shot. You may think that I never screw up, you are so wrong! I took this photo a few days ago. A quick glance it seems fine, but look closer, can you see what is wrong?
Leonora doing her interpretation of the famous Lewis Morley photograph of Christine Keeler sitting naked astride an imitation Arne Jacobsen chair in June 1963. If you donât know who Christine Keeler was (she died in December 2017) hereâs a link. Two fingers of her left hand are spiralling.
Posing and photographing them outside gives us even greater challenges. One of the things you will need are props., maybe a ground sheet, beach or picnic mat, sun loungers or chairs, perhaps a wicker picnic basket for her to sit on or look in. When I take Elina out for the day âexploringâ she wears jeans. These are really useful as she can place her legs anyway she pleases as there is not a modesty issue. This is not the case with a dress or skirt. When Elina had her three beachdays, she wore a cover-up over her bikini, again no modesty issues as the cover-up will be removed so she can sun bathe in her bikini, which is acceptable on a beach. Some coastal towns near me permit a bikini to be worn on the sea front (Esplanade or Promenade) but not in the town proper.
Hereâs Elina from her Beachdays (part of the âSeasonsâ videos).
From her first Beachday.
From her third Beachday.
From her third Beachday and Out Sightseeing, from her video My Grand Day Out.
When I took Rosina for her first outdoor photoshoot I quickly ran into issues, the wicker basket she was sitting on began to creak, I didnât want to leave her sitting on it too long just in case. So I lifted her off and placed her on the ground. I had forgotten to replace the timber supports in the basket that takes the weight. With her wearing a dress, I had a dilemma, âhow does a woman sit on the ground wearing a skirt or dress, what does she do with her legs?â The next question was âwhere can I see this?â On our return home I asked Google images, I was presented with many thousands of pictures, however as I soon discovered, these were of models posing. I wanted real people doing it naturally, something Google couldnât sort. I would just have to think about this some more.
Rosina on Durdham Down, an area of some 200 acres âfor the benefit of the people of Bristol.â
Iâm a perfectionist and I like things to be in order, one of those is the front seats of the car, they have to be in line, not just the squab but the backs as well as the head restraints. I noticed a flaw in my posing, in fact a lot of people seem to do it. I open the car door, go back to the house and carry whichever girl I am taking out to the car. My left arm is under her knees and my right arm is around her back, I place her feet first into the footwell, followed by her body going down on the seat. At the location she is removed in the same manner except in reverse. I place on her back on the ground with her legs in the air, then I just straighten her legs at the knees and sit her up. I had done this numerous times before I noticed my mistake. Can you spot it?
Rosina on Clifton Down, an area of approx. 300 acres that joins Durdham Down.
She is leaning back against fresh air. We do not lean back unless there is something to lean back against, like a tree, wall or something else thatâs solid. Nor do we sit upright, we normally sit leaning slightly forward. If you have a female visitor at your home, someone who knows you but is not a family member or close friend. When you offer them a seat, they will always sit close to the edge and bolt upright, this makes rising easier and quicker if they feel the need to get away quickly. Once they get comfortable in your company and feel safe they will then move back further into the chair. Human nature is a fascinating subject.
It was about 15.00 on Tuesday May 13, that I was taking some photographs of a very nice former farmhouse that is now part of the UWE (University West of England), as I walked around the building I was studying some of the students that were sitting out in the sun on the grass that were originally its fields. What I saw surprised me, I certainly wasnât expecting that, I couldnât take any photos of what I saw as I was too close. On Saturday I was out again this time on the edge of Durdham Down. There was a group of students, seven males and seven females having a barbecue. As I walked to and from the properties that I had to photograph I kept an eye on them, on my way back, and going towards them, I changed my lens to the 250mm one and set the camera on full auto. When I got to the place I thought would be ideal I raised the camera and took the shot. The females of this group were all sitting exactly as the women around the farm house. Hereâs that photo:
Their faces have been hidden as they did not know, nor had they given their consent to be photographed.
The females of the group are all wearing either skirts or dresses, like the ones at Wallscourt Farmhouse and are sitting the same way with their legs crossed, just as we did when we were children at school and having the annual photograph taken. My question now is âwhen do women stop sitting like this and what do they do instead?â
So I asked Google this question: âAT WHAT AGE DO FEMALES STOP SITTING ON THE GROUND CROSS LEGGED WHEN WEARING SKIRTS OR DRESSES?â This is the reply I received âThere isnât a specific age where females stop sitting cross-legged on the ground when wearing skirts or dresses. Itâs generally considered a personal preference and varies from person to person, regardless of age. Some women may continue to sit cross-legged out of habit, comfort, or practicality, while others may prefer to sit with their legs together or apart.
Itâs important to note that this behavior is influenced by cultural norms and societal expectations, which can vary across different regions and time periods. In some cultures, sitting with legs crossed might be seen as more formal or polite, while in others, it might be considered less appropriate.
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to sit cross-legged is a personal one, and thereâs no right or wrong answer.â On the same page I noticed this question âWhy, when men are seated, do they mostly sit with their legs wide open, whereas we women mostly sit with our legs crossed or if not crossed, closed together even when wearing slacks?â Hereâs the reply from Mats Andersson B. Sc, M. Sc from Uppsala University. âTo a large extent, it has to do with how the femur attaches to the hip.
When males sit down in a relaxed position, the thighs point slightly outwards. When women sit down in a relaxed position, the thighs point slightly inwards. This is just a function of how the female pelvis is wider.
You can try this yourself, preferably at home with only your underwear so that clothing doesnât interfere: if you are male, try to sit down on a chair with your knees touching. You actually have to exert quite a lot of force to keep the knees there! If you are female, try to sit with your legs separated by 30â45 degrees: you will have to exert some force to keep the knees apart.
With males, you have the additional issue that forcing the knees together makes the private parts uncomfortable. Clothing has some influence here.â
So there we have it, or at least some of it. As our girls will always be aged between eighteen and twenty five, unless sheâs a RealDoll or BoysToy where the upper age is around thirty-five I believe, then they can sit on the ground with their legs crossed and leaning slightly forward with their elbows or fore-arms resting on their thighs or knees for support and not feel out of place, or doing something that isnât âcorrectâ or ânaturalâ for a female of their age. Alternatively we could buy a fold-up fishing stool or a shooting stick so they would always have something to sit on, provided the height is right for them.
Finally one other âlack of attention to detailâ photo;
Rosina Enjoying the Coastal View.
A rather nice relaxed pose on this bench, but look at her left hand. Her first finger is bent in an S shape. She doesnât have finger wires, so nothing got damaged. I was more concerned with getting her head looking in the correct direction, getting her hair to behave in the slight breeze than I was in checking the smaller details.
Regards,
S.
The links above take you to the Amazon UK site, I have done this in case you call the item Iâm referring to something else.
