This is the first New Doll Times Magazine in 2025, and I am thrilled to announce that the guest for this month is an amazing artist, journalist, and photographer Jo from @papodeclarissa. How many of you enjoy the conversations between Jo (as an admin) and her dolls? Jo also has a second account @thetinycellar focused on a bar called The Tiny Cellar. Jo has created a miniature world with great visual and narrative details. Once you start reading her post, you will get lost in her tiny world.
Are you surprised to see dolls in swimsuits and enjoying the sun in February magazine? That's because it's summer in Brazil where Jo lives, so Jo decided to go with a "pool day" theme. What a nice warm greeting from Brazil!
Interview with Jo
I decided to do something different for my blog, Lily Bear Creates, this year: interview the artists and learn more about them and their dolls, dioramas, and doll photography. So here we go. I asked Jo 10 questions.
When and how did you start photographing dolls?
I started photographing dolls in 2015. Back then I had a small collection of Monster High dolls and one day I found out that ppl would actually take pictures of their dolls and share them online. That's how it started: first with MH dolls, and then a little later with other dolls, especially Barbies.
Did you play with dolls or miniatures as a child? If so, which toys were your favourites (e.g., Barbie, Calico Critters, etc.)?
You're gonna laugh, but actually my fave toys as a kid were some plastic animal miniatures. I would save my money to buy them. I had a few Barbie (they were very expensive here in Brazil), and a few bigger dolls, but my biggest toy crush was those plastic miniatures. Funny thing: I would secretly get my mom camera (an analogic one) to take pictures of them.
Where do you find inspiration for your dioramas? Do you use real interior design photos as references, or do you create from your imagination or personal memories?
As an interior designer, even for dolls, I'm terrible (lol). So it's always Pinterest for me.
Are you currently working on any doll stories, or do you have plans to write one in the future?
You mean a book? Not at all. If you're talking about stories on the posts, with a real script and continuity, I actually love those profiles that can do that, like @a.green.mountain.ken, @barbitecture, @sacredperaplayland, just to name a few.
Who are your main doll characters? What are their names, occupations, personalities, lifestyles, etc.?
The main character of @papodeclarissa is Clarissa, a journalist and photographer. She's also the "voice" of the profile. Most of the other characters are somehow related to her: ZĂŠ Roberto (husband), Leo (cousin), Ariadne (friend), and so on. Most of my foreign friends might not know, but "Papo de Clarissa" in Portuguese could be translated in English as "Clarissa's chat".
Do you watch YouTube channels focused on dolls or miniatures? If so, what are your favourite channels?
I like to watch channels focused on DIY or miniatures in general. The Square to Spare is probably my favorite.
What equipment do you use for your photography? Do you use professional cameras, a cellphone, ring lights, or something else?
I use a DLS, a Nikkon D5600. Like Clarissa, I'm also a journalist and a photographer, so it's been a long road now using DLS. So far I've been used to natural lighting, but this year I decided to give a shot and photograph dolls with artificial lighting. For that I bought a ring light, room box and a LED stick (the pictures of the bar I sent you were my first test).
What do you enjoy most about doll photography? Is it building dioramas, dressing up dolls, writing stories, or something else? And what do you enjoy the least?
I definitely HATE dressing the dolls (lol). When I see Candii from @barbitecture making all those party pictures, with tons of dolls, I imagine all the work she had to dress all of them. Besides, I struggle with fashion, so I usually don't know what shirt goes with that skirt (lol). But I LOVE crafting (I used to make my own dioramas) and photographing. Dolls are so fun to photograph, especially outdoors.
What does your “dream dollhouse” or “dream diorama” look like?
I still want to make a book shop, like the one @elliefromfinland made. But space is always an issue. Perhaps I can convince my husband to sleep on the couch so I can store another diorama on the bed (lol).
Are you planning to try anything new this year? Perhaps buying new photography equipment, starting a doll YouTube channel, sewing doll dresses, or attending doll-related events?
This year I'm challenging myself to photograph with artificial lighting. I have this amazing friend, @imperiumdolls, who's an expert, and he has helped me a lot. So, fingers crossed.
❤❤❤
Thank you, Jo, for being a part of New Doll Times Magazine!
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