Beyond Still Life, Polina Plotnikova

POLINA PLOTNIKOVA FRPS

My two favourite photographic subjects are flowers and still life, but - as with most of my fellow creative photographers out there - I am always on the lookout for new interesting avenues to explore. The pandemic has severely narrowed photographic horizons for everyone, including me – no more trips to markets to get flowers and vegetables, no more trawling of antique shops looking for exotic props. All this made me actively think of other possibilities, and it suddenly dawned on me that I can try my hand in photographing Ball-Joined Dolls - often referred to as BJD - which I knew of as collectable objects, and also as something that, at the high end, is created by

remarkable craftsmen and is effectively a real work of art.

BJDs are normally made from polyurethane resin - although a wide variety of other materials can be used. One of the key features of BJDs is very precise movements of head and limbs, achieved via a sophisticated mechanical design. They are also highly customizable, with interchangeable wigs, eyes, and other body parts, and with sophisticated makeup. And in addition to that, there is a whole universe of custommade accessories including clothes, shoes, furniture and so forth. For the avoidance of any doubt - last thing that BJDs are meant to be is mere toys.

In more ways than one, the approach I took is a natural extension of what I do with both my flower photography and still life photography. The genesis of an image can be almost anything - a colour, a texture, a shape, a mood, a memory. I then start with composing an image in my head, all the time trying to think of the right light and the right gear, while looking for objects and accessories that I would need. And then the process of taking an image can last anything from a minute to several days.

The dolls proved to be remarkable models for me: hugely inspiring, with lots of stories to tell. An added bonus is that, unlike some human models, they are extremely obedient and hardworking; they don’t get tired or hungry, and are not at all obsessed with checking their Instagram accounts every five minutes!

I am often told how life-like the dolls are in my images. I will let you on to a little secret – It is never my aim to deceive my viewers, to pass a doll as a human. What I am definitely trying to do though is achieve what is known as

“suspension of disbelief” – it is when everything in the image looks so natural that you simply refuse to accept that what you are looking at is NOT a real person. When I fully achieve this effect – it is truly magical, and it’s often the smallest of details that have to be changed - a tilt of a head, a drop of a shoulder, a fold of the cloth, a light shining through the hair.

As with most things in photography, one’s creative approach has to be fully supported by adequate gear and technique. Choosing the lens with the right focal length is important, as you need to avoid distortion. I tend to use Canon 100mm macro or 50mm with the full-frame mirrorless Canon R. The light source is often critical, as well as using reflectors and diffusers.

And of course, every time I get it right, and the magic works – I feel extremely grateful to the wonderful artisans whose work I am lucky to use. A huge thank you to the doll artists.

FIND OUT MORE

polinaplotnikova.com @photoartitude

Doll artists:

@EslynsDolls @lutsenko_dolls @dolly_johaun @isolda_little_dress