Published in my column Pinup Talk by Dianna Prince, in Delicious Dolls Magazine!
You're known in our industry as the best, no one better. How does that make you feel? Wow, what a lovely thing to say, thank you! I have worked so painstakingly hard (80+ hours a week for 4 years solid) to get DOLLHOUSE to the level it has reached, and I really can’t believe how popular my work is worldwide - I am very fortunate to do something I absolutely love - anyone who knows me knows that I eat, breathe and sleep DOLLHOUSE! I invest almost every penny I make into the business and there is an undeniable fire in my belly to constantly improve my work and see DOLLHOUSE grow from strength to strength. What was it that inspired you to set up DOLLHOUSE? I simply adore the pin up genre as it is so stylised and visually indulgent. Becoming a photographer was actually unplanned though! I did a pin up shoot for fun with a few friends using a camera I had bought for my graphic design work… After posting the digitally enhanced photos on Facebook, seemingly out of no where all of these pin up fans started sharing my images, and before I knew it I had quite a following. Because I enjoyed it so much and felt that I could creatively stretch my wings as a photographer, I left a career in property marketing/design in London to start DOLLHOUSE, and my feet haven’t touched the floor since! What training did you do before becoming a photographer? I had no formal training in photography, I just experimented with light and settings to get results I liked - I still shoot without modelling lights or a light meter in fact, and I do all of my editing on a laptop with a 3-inch built in track pad which is pretty unorthodox for a professional photographer. I learned basic photoshop at school as a teen and became instantly hooked - I spent up to 15 hours a day experimenting on Photoshop for 15 years before DOLLHOUSE was born… this spring-boarded my post production techniques into a level that allows me to create literally anything I imagine - hence the extravagant and surreal style of a lot of my work. I spend up to 8 hours on some of my composites but typically 1-2 hours per image in post production, and I get a buzz like nothing else when I finish a special new piece. What is it about the vintage, pin up style that you enjoy so much? Why did you choose this era? I love the saucy almost innocent cheekiness of vintage pin-up – it puts a smile on your face and there were several famous artists/exponents of the genre who elevated it to an art form. The era in which pin up developed – war torn ‘40s has become so romanticised, and I love to recreate some of the classic poses and to construct new ones of my own. How many photoshoots are carried out each week at DOLLHOUSE? At our huge DOLLHOUSE studio in Birmingham England, typically we shoot 10am-7pm four or five days a week, and this can be anything from 5 to 15 clients a week who travel from all over the place - we had 2 clients from Australia last month and one from Hong Kong, as well as regular USA clients, and of course many from London and other parts of the UK. I also tour the USA 3-4 times a year and shoot several lovely clients per day across Florida, New York, Texas, Nevada, Louisiana and California. I actually shoot very quickly but the shoots take a lot of time due to the elaborate styling and costume changes - in between each set I shoot I am glued to my laptop editing, I tend to edit for around 10-12 hours a day, every day of the week. Are women nervous when they come in for their photoshoots? All but the most professional models are nervous. Some are almost crippled by their nerves and I and other members of my team take a great deal of care in helping them to relax and enjoy their shoot - they are always walking on air as they leave and I find that the “Before and After” shots that clients have given me permission to use are also very helpful in settling nerves. How long does it take to transform a woman for her shoot? (Hair, make up, clothes etc) It varies greatly on what look/theme they want in their shoot. If we have someone with very short hair who wants curls to the waist or someone who chooses a wide range of clothes and props, this greatly affects the length of the transformation. What kind of lighting and techniques are used to transform the women into flawless, glamorous pin up models? How long have you got? ,) My Stylists are amazingly talented and we work so well together from consultation with the client that she understands exactly what I want for the particular client. My Stylists can make the best of a person’s skintone and overall colouring and I can tell on sight what angles and lighting I need to use to bring out the best in a fact or the client's body. What kind of props are used for the shoots? We use everything from a motorbike, to a bale of hay, to valuable vintage furniture, to a bespoke gown in the style of Dita von Teese. My props wardrobe is looking like the backroom at a theatre because of the many elements I use in my shoots - our wardrobe is insured for £200,000 and my team and I are like little girls playing dress up with our clients a lot of the time - there is never a dull moment at DOLLHOUSE! How much is a pin up photoshoot at DOLLHOUSE Unless it is a specially commissioned shoot, all of our numerous styled shoots are listed and fully described on our website - we are not cheap, but nothing high quality is ,) What is the main reason for women to come and have a DOLLHOUSE photoshoot? Apart from professional models who want shots for calendars, photobooks, commercial products etc. there is no “main reason” why women want a DOLLHOUSE photoshoot. Many want a set of beautiful photographs in fabulous surroundings and clothes as a keepsake for their own satisfaction or as a gift for their partner. Some of my older clients want a set before they think they are too old (I say “never” – my oldest client was late 60s). Some love the romance encapsulated in a shoot and some who struggle with a disability in their everyday life want to see themselves in their best light. However, I am proud to say that all of my clients love to have a set of shots in which they look beautiful - many say more beautiful than they ever thought they could look. I work so hard to ensure every photo I take is produced with the attention to detail of a mini work of art, and the incredibly heart-warming and uplifting messages I get from clients after they receive their pictures, make all the early mornings and late nights worth every moment. www.dollhousephotography.co.uk [email protected] Tel: +44(0)121 227 5028 [email protected] DOLLHOUSE 199 Warstone Lane Birmingham B18 6JR UK
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