Blythe Doll Photography: 10 Simple Tips for Beautiful Photo Stories With Your Phone

Blythe became famous through photographs. Here is how to take beautiful ones of your own, with nothing more than a phone and a window.

Blythe doll photography is how the whole Blythe revival started. In the late 1990s, a photographer’s pictures of her vintage doll travelling around New York made the world fall in love with Blythe all over again. Today, thousands of collectors share photo stories of their dolls every day, and you do not need a professional camera to join them.

Here are the ten tips our team uses when we photograph dolls for the shop and for fun, plus a few real examples of photo stories to inspire your own.

10 Blythe Doll Photography Tips

1. Use window light. Soft daylight from a window is the most flattering light in Blythe doll photography. Place her near the window but out of direct, harsh sun.
2. Turn off the flash. Flash flattens her face and creates hard shine on the vinyl. Natural light or a lamp bounced off a white wall looks far better.
3. Shoot at her eye level. Crouch down so the phone is level with her eyes. Shooting from above makes her look small; eye level makes her look like a character.
4. Look for the catchlight. Tilt her head slightly towards the light until you see a small bright reflection in her eye chips. That little gleam makes her look alive.
5. Use Portrait mode. Your phone’s portrait or background-blur mode separates her from the background beautifully. Apple explains how in its guide to using Portrait mode on iPhone.
6. Keep the background simple. A plain wall, a shelf of books or a few flowers is enough. If the background is busy, move her or move closer.
7. Add one or two props. A tiny cup, a book, a bag or a hat gives the photo a story. Too many props and she gets lost.
8. Use her eyes to tell the story. Pull the string to change her eye direction. A sideways glance can look shy, curious or cheeky, and changes the mood of the whole photo.
9. Shoot a series, not a single photo. Three to five photos in a row, like a tiny comic strip, turn a nice picture into a photo story.
10. Edit lightly. A little more brightness and warmth is usually all a doll photo needs. Heavy filters hide the details you worked so hard to style.

What Makes a Good Blythe Photo Story?

A Blythe photo story is simply a moment in your doll’s life. She wakes up, reads a book, waits for a parcel, goes to a café, tries on a new hat. The best stories are small and everyday, because they make the doll feel real. Give her a little goal in each series, and let the photos show her reaching it.

Blythe Photography Outdoors

Outdoor light is beautiful, especially in the hour after sunrise and before sunset. A few safety rules keep your doll safe: hold her or use a doll stand, keep her out of wet grass and sand, and never leave her in a hot car or strong sun, which can fade hair and vinyl over time.

Styling Before You Shoot

In Blythe doll photography, styling is half the picture. A fresh outfit from our Blythe doll clothes, a pair of tiny shoes or a new hairstyle can inspire a whole series. If you want her to have a completely new look, see how to change Blythe doll hair.

Share Your Blythe Photo Stories

The Blythe community on Instagram is one of the friendliest corners of the internet. Tag your photos with #blythedoll, and tag us at @thisisblythecom if your doll came from us. We love seeing where our dolls end up. If you are curious why photography became such a big part of Blythe’s popularity, read why are Blythe dolls so popular.

Find your next photo model

With love, This Is Blythe Team