5 Tips and Tricks for Beginner Doll Bloggers

Hello everybody! Welcome back <3 So today I decided to do something a bit different then I normally do, which is, as the title says, more of a tutorial type post. Now, the inspiration behind this idea is that when I first started blogging I didn't really know what I was doing. (which is probably where most people start out) There were other doll blogs that I read and that got me inspired to start doing this as a hobby in the first place, but it's not like this whole blogging thing came with instructions, so for me personally I think it would have been nice to have some tips for beginners. So why not make a post about it? Thus I conspired a list of things that I've struggled with, in the past, (for doll blogging) and how I've fixed those issues. If this seems like a good blog post to you all then maybe I'll make some more in depth posts on how to start your blog, rather than just a few tricks to take with you throughout your blogging "career", as it were. Alright now that you guys have an idea of what this post is about, let's get started!

Tip #1: Falling Dolls

If you're having trouble getting your doll to stand up, which, trust me, is a universal struggle when it comes to the doll community. The first thing to try is to bend at the waist, forward or backward, until your doll can stand up properly without falling over. Basically, it's playing teeter totter till you find the perfect spot. Also! Something I've learned since living in a very rocky area, often, uneven ground can really make a big difference with your doll's balance so changing locations might be the best choice in some instances. Now, there's no telling how long they'll stay up so take your photos quick. If you're still having trouble, find a wall, or a tree, if you're outside, and lean them against that for a more artistic look. And as a last resort, have your doll sit somewhere, and try to think outside the box when positioning your dolls that way your photos turn out more creative or unique.

Tip #2: Shaky Hands

Often times I get very shaky, so taking photos without a tripod, which is what I do most of the time, can be a bit difficult. So, try this next time you run into this problem. Position both your hands, steadily, on your camera and then kneel or sit on the ground with your elbows placed on your knees. That way you're fully grounded. See what I did there? If that doesn't work, another method that works for me, is to lay, spread out, onto your belly with, again, your elbows on the ground with both hands placed on your camera. Don't be afraid to get a little bit dirty, if you're outside. You can always take a shower when you're done. Plus, if you're anything like me, you'll do a heck of a lot for a good picture.

Tip #3: Expressions

Trying to make your dolls look life like or your pictures to be more interesting is hard, but that doesn't have to be the case. Instead of positioning your doll face forward, stick still, first turn their body, a bit to either the left or the right, then move their head to either side, or up, as well. And lastly, if you really want to be creative, change the position of one of their arms or legs for added expression. Sometimes even changing the angle of the photo can help your dolls look a bit more realistic. If you're still stuck, you can always look up pictures, on either Pinterest or Google, of real people and try to recreate their movements.

Tip #4: Trying To Get Creative

When I first started out, I felt as though I had to do every little thing the same as everyone else, because my ideas weren't good enough. Now I realize that's the last thing you should be doing. Whether you're taking photos outside or coming up with stories. Always use your own resources, and get creative with it. Often times buying certain items, especially for doll brands like American Girl, can get quite expensive and you're not always going to be able to have buying things as your crutch. So try to use what's around you as leverage. For instance, I didn't want to go out and buy cotton candy for my Halloween photostory, so I used cotton balls, colored them, and glued them to a toothpick and it looked great! And that's just one example, in other words, don't just copy what everyone else does, there's a very clear line between getting inspiration from someone and copying them. Be yourself, and make your blog your very own, and make it as unique as you. You all are perfectly capable of thinking creatively and resourcefully. Even if you may think you're not, I believe in you!

Tip #5: When You're Running Out Of Ideas

We all get to the point at one time or another when we just completely run out of ideas, right? But there are a few good things that have worked for me. Firstly, look for inspiration. Now I personally either look at Pinterest or other doll blogs. Sometimes even just going to where I take most of my pictures is enough. but that's just works for me, you can do whatever is best for you. Most of the time, if I'm looking at those things a random idea will pop in my head that may not even be related to what I was looking online, or I'll just get inspired to create, which often times makes my brain work faster when it comes to thinking up ideas. Secondly, give your brain a break. If you've done everything and still can't come up with any ideas, sometimes stepping away and doing something else is the best thing. Or try sleeping on it. Eventually an idea will come to you. Trust me.

Alrighty guys! That was it! I hope this was helpful to someone out there, if not I hope it was still entertaining none the less. I honestly, really enjoyed making this list so like I said at the beginning, if this is a type of blog post you enjoy and would like me to make more of, I would be more than happy to do that :) 

I hope you all have an amazing rest of your day, and I will see you next week. Bye for now!

Should I Do More Tips And Tricks Type Blog Posts?

If So, What Should It Be About?

Can You Relate To Any Of The Things I Mentioned?