mannequins for portrait practicing

<p>Hi, <br>

Sorry if this is the wrong forum. Wasn't sure if this or the accessories forum was correct. Figured this was closer to the mark as people here might have solved the same problem. <br>

Anyway, I am looking for a mannequin so that I can practice lighting techniques. I tried poking around online and sent a few queries but have come up dry. I also tried to Craig's List but didn't even get any spammy replies there. <br>

So I was hoping someone here might be able to suggest a source or ideally a particular recommendation. (I have no experience with mannequins, and I am not what would work best for this task). <br>

Thanks in advance. </p>

<p>It's sometimes possible to borrow one from a clothing retailer.......</p>

<p>Why assume that you need to go full size. Art stores all sell poseable wooden models in various sizes. Dont like that idea, good sized dolls are available at toy stores. Other than that, if you really require full size mannequins there are suppliers that deal with clothing stores, ask at your nearest clothing retailer as to where they get their mannequins. Often they are hired out.</p>

<p>I think I need something roughly the same size as human. I don't think I need a full mannequin though maybe a just the head and shoulders - maybe I am wrong about that though as I want something I can pose. I was able to find what I assume to be high quality mannequins online that I guess retailers buy, but those where two and three hundred dollars - way more than I was hoping to have to spend on this. </p>

<p>I got mine on ebay !</p><div></div>

<p>When I got my first set of lightstands and umbrellas as a Christmas present last year, my first stop was to an arts and crafts store. I bought a styrofoam head for about $6. USD, spray painted it a sorta-skin color and used a marker to draw in nice blue eyes. Mounted on a broom stick clamped to an old wooden chair, I had an instant, very patient, portable person to practice on. Easy to move back and forth in relationship to a backdrop, easy to change angles, and quiet while I moved the lightstands and strobs around to figure out what worked best. Money well spent, not even counting the gratitude from family members no longer drafted into posing.</p>

<p>I was looking for one recently. ebay has a ton of of lifelike ones, search for "mannequin head", average US$25 + $15 shipping. Another $25 + $10 shipping for a wig. I decided against it for now, I need to increase my picture to prop ratio.</p>

<p>I have a full size one on eBay as well. It's nice in the beginning, you can see the shadows and light will be, but the "skin" is smooth, not like humans so you are not going to see how your lighting is going to hide or acentruate the skin.<br>

And you can not change the body into a different pose, your pretty much stuck with the same pose for ever. So a cheaper head only mounted on a stick, or if you can attach something with a hotglue, you can probaly attach her to your tripod or lightstand.<br>

The face is the most important part anyway.<br>

But yeah I have a "girlfriend" in my studio, hidden of course, and use her if I want to try some new light setup.<br>

At least she can stand still and hold her pose for ever.</p>

<p>I use a big teddy bear. The detail in the face really helps determine focus accuracy, and it doesn't complain much.</p>

<p>I don't know, a teddy bear? Doesn't all that fur make it hard to figure out the shadows? Maybe if I was going to specialize on photographing Lumber Jacks ... : > On the other hand, there is a large one upstairs I could probably coax into a sitting. </p>

<p>To bad you're not in the Central Ohio area. I'd give you one of mine. I'm tired of them and they scare the hell out of the grand kids. ;-)</p>

<p>You could practise with some self portraits Spencer, be you own mannequin :-)</p>

<p>Hair stylists when they are training by mannequin heads with real hair (it's either really or an extremely good imitation) to practice on. I was given one by my former stylist and used to use it to practice lighting. It's full size, very lifelike. Skin may be smoother than real skin but hair is very real. It comes with a clamp to attach it to a table, light-stand etc. You should be able to find one through a local beauty school or hair salon supply house, or ask whoever cuts your hair. They might have one gathering dust at home.</p>

<p>I currently have 3 full mannequins, a couple of torsos, and a few spare hands (the full mannequins are mainly for practice, the "parts" are useful for product shots). The most useful is a glass eyed Greniker (may be misspelled) that I bought from Alan Lowy when he moved to Arizona.</p>

<p>Glass eyes let you see the "catch lights", which is insanely useful. If I were using a cosmetic mannequin, I'd check out setting glass eyes (or even 30mm marbles) into the head, especially if it were hollow and you can access the eyes from the rear.</p>

<p>Follow up on Joeseph<br>

A trick that I was taught was to paint clear nail polish on the eye of the mannequin. That will simulate the liquid coated eye and duplicate the catchlights.<br>

But first, if the eye of the mannequin has a painted in catchlight, color it in with a black "sharpie" before you paint the eye with the clear nail polish. Then any catchlight you see is from your lights.</p>