Press Button To Blog - Cosplay Photography

As a lonely nerd since childhood, I have always been a bit fascinated by cosplay photography. Growing up in the 1990s, I was surrounded by the increasing normalcy of geek culture, and everything that came with it. Video games, comic books, wrestling, and board games were my thing before they were socially acceptable hobbies. Believe me, I paid for my indulgiences socially. The crowds that were into those things in the 90's weren't the same ones getting invited to parties and getting all the girls.

Nowadays, it seems like a large portion of North American economy and culture is centered around the properties that we grew up with in the 80s and 90s. It's amazing to see how these brands have grown and evolved over the years. Just recently $30 million worth of Funko Pops were thrown into a landfill, thousands of figurines for characters that weren't popular enough to sell, simply trashed. That pales in comparison to the billion dollars they made in 2021 just for that brand of toy alone. Spread that across every property, from TV, videogames, shirts, posters, books, etc. and you're reaching values of billions upon billions for things that were once consider niche.

One of the prominant results from this cultural shift has been the rapid explosion of "cosplaying" as a hobby. For those of you who somehow haven't come across this term, it's basically people dressing up as their favourite characters like it's Halloween party and they're trying to win best costume.

One of my favorite experiences in recent years was attending Comicon in Toronto, where I was able to see firsthand the amount of effort that cosplayers put into showcasing their love for the brands they grew up with. From superheroes to video game characters, cosplayers bring these personalities to life with incredible detail, making them feel like they just jumped out of the screen or page.

Now, with all that being said, I've never actually done any cosplay myself, nor have I photographed anyone doing so. I've technically taken photos of cosplayers from afar, but never worked with anyone directly as models. Which of course is something I'd like to do in the future as I expand from my diaramas and taking pictures of snails. But doing so with strangers at a convention seems strange to me. They didn't get dressed up to take pictures specifically with me, so that experience isn't the same as with portraiture. Even though I adore candid photography, there's also something lost when taking pictures from afar when the focus is on the costume and not the event itself.

Being a bit of a perfectionist, I would love working with cosplayers to create images that highlight the details of their outfits and their character, from the seams and textures to the accessories and props. It's amazing how much thought and hard work goes into some of those outfits, it's a shame to not showcase them prominantly. Understanding their nuances and creating an ambience that helps accentuate these features is also important. Sure She-Hulk and Poison Ivy might both be green skinned, but how you would want to shoot them would change. You might find the cold concrete of the city with some sort of action pose is better suited to the former, but a backdrop of trees and a sulty stare is a fit for the latter. Someone who doesn't know or appreciate the variation in tone and story that comes along with these charactors simply won't be able to do them justice unless you're trying to subvert expectations.

For me, cosplay photography is not only about the incredible artistry and creativity that goes into creating these costumes, but also about capturing the joy and appreciation that these individuals have for the characters and franchises that they revere. Like a wedding or other special occasions, the cosplayers may never experience that moment again. The costume could be a one off, or perhaps they had to travel to attend and may never again. It's not enough just to get a "good" picture for myself, but a photo that best encapsulates the FEELING they had for the brief time where they became someone else.

As a nerdy boy who grew up loving everything from video games to comic books, I love that fans now get to showcase their passion and creativity as cosplayers. And it doesn't hurt that I'm in a place where I get to theoretically assist in fulfilling someone's fantasy, because every once in a while every one should get to feel superhuman.