Cosplay photography is emerging as one of the most popular portrait genres, and creative composite images are taking the entertainment industry by storm. Whether you’re a fan of superheroes, villains, comics, anime, games, or anything else, cosplay photography can bring your favorite characters to life.
In collaboration with the phenomenal talent of cosplayers, those who dress as their own representation of popular characters, photographers have the opportunity to create works of visual art, celebrating the skill of cosplay.
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A unique event company, Secret Con is a collaboration founded by a small team of photographers and members of the UK cosplay community. With a focus solely on cosplay, photography, and videography, attendees are encouraged to shoot in unique locations in a TFP (exchange for print) style team effort between subject and photographer to create content that all parties love. involved can benefit, for use in social networks. platforms and portfolios.
Taking place at Gloucester Prison in the UK on March 12, this invitation-only event was staged to perfection. The ideal ratio of cosplayers and photographers in attendance meant there were plenty of themes for everyone, and group shots were staged throughout the day to showcase various character collectives.
This included an epic Marvel vs DC battle, and even a choreographed dance routine inspired by the DC series. Pacifier – which was noticed and shared online by its director James Gunn!
Attendees were encouraged to make use of the prison facilities, which include a helicopter, a chapel, a dentist’s chair, prison cells, various cameras, outdoor spaces, a rubble pile, a green screen installation , dining room and dressing room, as well as access to the bathroom. Not to mention, they even had a food truck serving everything from breakfast to burgers, keeping everyone fueled and energized through the busy day.
An extremely valuable networking experience for the photographers, plus the opportunity to work with exceptionally talented artists and cosplayers, made the day feel significantly rewarding.
On top of that, following other event creatives on social platforms like Instagram has dramatically improved my feed with endless inspiration, giving me the drive and determination to improve my own cosplay photos.
The UK cosplay community takes their craft very seriously, as evidenced by these images, and an incredible amount of time and effort goes into making the cosplay, as well as preparing to get into character. .
Regardless of whether a cosplay is created by hand or purchased piece by piece, the level of professionalism and dedication to the mannerisms of character portrayal that I experienced when working with these creatives was unparalleled.
Some cosplayers went the extra mile to bring not one, but three (in some cases four) different characters to the event, changing throughout the day in different wigs and makeup to allow photographers to shoot with a variety of characters.
Some of the best images I’ve seen from other photographers shared on social media include multiple characters interacting with one another in creatively staged shots, depicting crossovers of multiverses and collaborations on everything from Game of Thrones to The Avengers to horror franchises like Resident Evil. and Silent Hill.
The props brought to this event by the cosplayers were also extremely useful when combined with the foundations of the prison. No real weapons were allowed at the event, but many looked surprisingly realistic. One great image I saw was of the spider-man unable to use the bathroom because Mjollnir (Thor’s hammer) was left on top of the toilet seat. These collaborations are the most exciting part of cosplay photography for me as it really brings out the unlimited potential to tell the story of the character.
Several common courtesies were already known and practiced by many photographers at the event, with an initial briefing from one of the organizers on the use of traffic lights and general etiquette at the start of the day.
Practicing showing the subject the images every step of the way to check their satisfaction and adapt to any necessary adjustments is crucial to developing a level of trust and consent, as well as having the patience to wait their turn without shooting the images while the cosplayers is it so. busy shooting with another photographer.
Applications to attend Secret Con had to be submitted and initially reviewed by the event team in order to receive an invite, although no discrimination or bias was applied to an individual’s experience level, and both amateur and professional attendees were welcomed. professionals.
The Facebook group set up before the event by the organizers was immensely beneficial, all event attendees were encouraged to join the group and share ‘cosplans’ of what they intended to bring the day and photographers to feature before the event.
While it was a bit daunting for many at first to find the courage to reach out, or be approached by others who wanted to collaborate, once I found myself and settled into the hustle and bustle of prison antics, it was all a dream. with which to work. and very welcoming.
Many thanks to the team behind Secret Con and to the additional photographers I met at this event who were wonderfully kind (special shout out to the guys who put up the metal gates for me to enhance the scenery when I was filming with Magneto!), and They kindly provided their images of the day to share with us at DCW.
Overall, this sold-out event was exceptional and really weird, in the best of ways. A huge shout out goes to the Secret Con event organizers: Darren, Sian, Ed and Andy for keeping everyone safe and satisfied, as well as the additional volunteers and attendees who helped make the day run smoothly.
The team is working on another event that is expected to take place on September 4, 2022 in a secret location yet to be revealed. Though they have hinted via a composite mood board that we can expect a very different vibe for the upcoming event, planned to take place near the Midlands, UK.
For more information on Secret Con, be sure to follow their social channels on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates and check the website for a gallery of images from the previous and most recent event, images will be updated soon.
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