The subtle art of posing (hardcore XXX image included in post)
Making Doll Content Behind the Scenes
There's a hardcore image from the dollbanger.com content posted below. Read the post with that in mind.
I've said this before, and I'll say it again, I HATE unsolicited advice, and yet I can't help but offer it sometimes. Particularly when I see someone trying to create good content, whether photography or video, but doing a mediocre job. I've mostly stopped offering advice, and rather post my general comments here on the blog for people to find for themselves. So in that spirit, here's a bit of advice on posing dolls for photos and videos.
Avoid the Dead Doll pose
Okay... for the average doll owner who wants to post a photo of his (hers, their, whatever) doll on Twitter or Instagram, just taking an iPhone photo without posing the doll or adjusting her eyes is normal. I love a cute doll pic now and again, especially from a doll owner who just wants to share the dolls he loves with his followers. However, when trying to make good content, there's a whole set of moves you need to do it well. Especially to avoid what I like to call, the dead doll pose.
The dead doll pose is EVERY pose you've ever seen in which the photographer didn't pay attention to the position of the eyes, the head or the limbs. This is at the core of what makes a good doll pose. If you pose the body perfectly, but don't position the eyes properly, your shot will be affected. If the eyes are really out of position, I call these "head trauma" photos. Likewise if you position her eyes well, but not the fingers, they can look awkward or broken and she won't look natural. If the pose is stiff, exaggerated or twisted too far, all of these rob your doll of her personality. She seems lifeless. Hence, the dead doll pose. I know these errors well, because I've made them all. But, over time, I've learned to overcome them to achieve natural, cute, shy, sexy images.
Bend Everything
A photographer I know tells his models, "If it can bend, then bend it." The neck, the elbows, the wrists, back, hips, legs... everything. But, bend it naturally. Here are some examples of what I mean. I'll use some shots from my third photo set of Piper Doll Miho to demonstrate.
In this photo (above) you can see several bends in Miho's pose. Her head is turned slightly, her chin is down and her head is tilted forward. This is "coy" or "playful". If her head was upright, chin straight and head tilted back, it would be a stronger pose. This is more sexy and sensual. Softer. Her right shoulder is coming up to meet her chin. A slightly "shy" posture. Her back has a curve, and her wrists are slightly bent. Even her fingers are carefully posed to give the sense she is "gently removing her jeans" vs "tearing them off aggressively".
Here's a different angle of the same pose (below).
Have an idea behind your poses
One thing that is really important to achieving a natural looking pose is for the pose to make sense in the viewer's eye. We humans practice all day, every day, looking at other humans. We know when someone is angry, happy, sad, in pain, having an orgasm, tired or trying to be sexy. We have evolved to detect these modes in other people, for survival. So, we're REALLY good at it. That means, if you want to pose your doll well, you have to know which of these things you want to achieve, and do that with your pose. This means, using photographic references for your poses, and practicing. Look at a nude photo you find attractive or sexy. Pay close attention to what his or her body is communicating and how. Notice everything. When you pose your doll, imagine: is she getting undressed but doesn't notice you watching her, is she sitting on the sofa next to you, trying to seduce you while you're watching TV, or is she being sexy and flashing her tits to get your attention? Whatever your concept, look for photos of that subject and observe the people in them. Then try and replicate that pose.
Here is Starpery Rong (below) from the set of DollBanger, lifting her hips and bending her lower back to accentuate her ass. She wants you to imagine fucking her, doggy style. Also note how her feet are crossed, in a cute girl way. She's being sexy and alluring.
Below, Miho is being shy, and cute. Unlike Rong, above, who is very clearly about to get fucked, Miho is trying to be cute and pretty. Her head tilted to the side slightly while her hair drifts over her shoulder is more shy. She's in a very insecure posture, but her shoulder is exposed, drawing attention to her skin, which then makes you think of her breasts. It's a subtle pose, but communicates a lot. She's cute, shy, and REALLY wants you to notice her. The ear poking through the hair also communicates cute and shy.
Miho again, in a similar pose, but this is less shy, and more sexual on nature. Now, she's done flirting and has moved straight to seduction. But, she's still cute, not pornographic. As mentioned above, notice all the subtle bends: the head tilt, lifted shoulder, lifted wrist, posed fingers, legs crossed and she's leaning to the right just a little. But also notice, she's "looking at someone", or appears to be. She's not just staring straight into space.
Think about Gravity
A doll has weight, but unlike a human, she has a rigid skeleton. People relax their muscles when they don't need them and flex them when they do. Sitting, standing, leaning, they are all affected by gravity. To make your doll pose look natural, you have to pay attention to how we humans interact with gravity.
Here's Piper Doll Phoebe Elf (below) sitting on the edge of the bed. She's using her crossed legs to balance her weight in a relaxed pose. She's not straining to sit up, she's relaxing into it. Her hand is also supporting her, but without tension. She's not lifting anything heavy, so she doesn't need to be tight or rigid. Her other hand is free to play with her hair - she's looking up at someone as though to say, "Hi, do you like blowjobs? I like giving blowjobs." Again, notice the subtle bends in the neck and back, the head tilt and the eye position. It's all purposeful.
Here she is again, interacting with gravity. Her legs are dangling naturally over the side of the table, keeping her balanced. Notice her toes are pointed downward in a relaxed way, not stiff and pointing forward with tension. Her hand on the chair is supporting her weight so she can push out her cute tits and play with her hair in a sexy way. Her legs straddling the chair is also a playful "cute" pose, with a hint of "fuck me on this table right now".
In contrast, here's Piper Doll Jessica in a standing pose (below). There's more tension in her pose when standing vs sitting. Like a human, she appears to be holding herself up against gravity pulling her down. Her legs are slightly spread for a stronger posture, while she tilts her head and lifts her skirt. Tension to keep her standing, but relaxed and sexy above the waist. She's not ready to fuck just yet - she wants to tease you a little, first.
Speaking of Subtle
Here's Starpery Rong once again from the set of DollBanger (below). She's slim and toned, and that really helps visualize the subtle bends. Here are a couple shots, front and back, in which she's posing in a pornographic style. These are from her hardcore scene, so her attitude is meant to appear just like that of a porn star about to shoot a scene. While her poses are subtle, her attitude is not. She's here to fuck. But that doesn't mean the pose doesn't matter. Notice her hips, back, shoulders, fingers - all of it inspired by real porn star shots I've seen over the years.
Expressions matter too
For the last (hardcore) sample, here's another image where the pose is very carefully crafted, but still seems natural. After she posed like a porn star, she got fucked like one on video for DollBanger and took a load to her sexy face and tits. But, notice that her pose is submissive, not random. She's pushing her breasts together to receive whatever drips off her face, and she's looking up at her scene partner with her face ready and her eyes willing. The eyes are posed up, just a little. Enough to communicate submission, and willingness. Very sexy.
At the end of the day, we all know what other humans are like. We are all experts at non-verbal communication. However, when you have to pose your doll to communicate in this non-verbal way, you have to really open your eyes and pay attention to the small details. That will make your poses better, your photos and videos more realistic and your doll seem alive.