Most childhood obsessions are more or less grown out of once puberty hits. Toys and hopscotch make way for boys and parties, hanging out with friends and the latest pop band to take the charts. Then real life slowly begins and we start to fall for the boring grown up entertainment venues we never understood, such as talk radio and antiquing.
So maybe I am sticking with stereotypes a bit, but for the most part the days of childhood are left behind and we never go back. When it comes to collection, however, it might not be so simple. One item that seems to remain on some people’s lists of loves their entire lives is dolls. On Flickr, this can definitely be seen by the huge number of doll photography groups with members in the hundreds or thousands.
These are the 10 where you are most likely to find amazing photos, as well as a home for your own shots.
1. Doll Photography
This is the largest doll specific Flickr group, with more than 5,000 members, and 143,000+ photos and counting. With so many photos and members, you do run the risk of possibly losing out on seeing some good shots. After all, you can’t easily slideshow so many photos. But there is such a high concentration of interesting photographs that it is a shock they all come from one group this size.
The rules are really simple here. They don’t allow “doll porn” or anything sexually explicit. Nudity is fine if it is artistic and tasteful. There are to be no pictures of children unless they are with a doll, and it is relevant. You can post eight photos per day.
2. Dolls Art Shoot
Rebelling against the practice of “shot dumping’, this group wants only the best and brightest of your doll photography collection. They are looking for quality, subject matter and composition, preferably artistically minded. The photos are also to be of dolls only, though any kind is fine.
Nudity is still fine here, but no pornography. You can submit up to three shots per day to their member pool.
3. Best Doll Pics
This group has a different way of deciding on quality shots. They ask for only submissions which have been favorited ten or more times by people on Flickr. There is a thread there for eight or nine favorited pics, but nothing below that amount.
There are no other submission rules, so I can only assume most shots are accepted as long as they meet the 10 or more favorited requirement.
4. Creepy Doll Pics
There are no listed rules, they just have to be pictures, videos, illustrations or screen caps involving creepy dolls. So dive right in.
5. Toys
The largest toy group on Flickr, this one is not strictly about dolls. But with more than 18,000 members and 250,000 plus shots, I couldn’t not mention it. It is wildly popular, not only for the photo pool but because they keep up to date with the latest toy news from companies around the world, so they are great for collectors. They also have a huge selection of doll shots, as well as other products.
There is no apparent limit on posting, but they are a safe group.
6. Pullip First
This is a more specialized doll group. According to the front page, they take photos of Pullip, Dal, Taeyang, Namu, Little Pullip and Pullip custom dolls. They only take photos rather than any other media, which is uncommon but not unheard of. A lot of the shots are pretty impressive.
They allow eight shots per day to be submitted, and their only rule is that you have to have taken them yourself. They also don’t allow any commercial information on the dolls themselves.
7. Alternative Lives of Dolls
No, it isn’t a typo in the name. This club is for alternative dollie lifestyles, showing any type that is doing something different than they were strictly created to do, or just trying something new for the first time. What is cool about this group is that all of the shots are staged, telling a story or setting a scene.
There is a 10 post per week limit, with a PG-13 guideline.
8. Doll Observers
Like fashion dolls? Whatever the type, this group is dedicated to fashion doll photos in poses similar to magazine spreads. Some of those that have been posted already are extremely detailed, with full backgrounds. They are very interesting.
You can post six per day, and they are a safe group.
9. The Unofficial Haute Doll Magazine Group
Haute Doll is an actual magazine publication and website that have gained a huge following the in collectors community throughout the years. This is a fan appreciation group, and if you happen to be one of those Haute lovers you can put all associated material here.
10. Doll Headshots
Another specific group, this one is for headshots of Blythe, Pullip, BJD, Pinky St. And Momoko. That means nothing full body will be expected, nor any other kind of doll. But their rules are pretty open, even though they ask that you don’t post pornography… which, to be fair, would be hard to do with a headshot.
What are some of your favorite doll photography groups? Post them in the comments below!
