There were a number of great guest speakers such as Neil Kaplan, Ian McConville, Ken Pontact, Stephanie Sheh, Jayson Thiessen, Christina Vee, and Tommy Yune. Animation on Display also has a number of great panels such as Fabric for Cosplay by Bekalou, Cosplay Cosmetology by Captain Li Hellsing, musical performances by the amazing Yukie Dong, and more.

There were so many beautiful cosplays and unfortunately even with two cosplay photographers, we still couldn’t cover everything, but we did manage to get some shots of great costumes.

Photos by Richard:

Highschool of the Dead with Crystal Likes, Trevor Scott, and BlizzardTerrak

Highschool of the Dead with Crystal Likes, Trevor Scott, and BlizzardTerrak

Highschool of the Dead with Trevor Scott

Highschool of the Dead with Hikaru-Jan, Crystal Likes, and Trevor Scott

Photos by Rendy:

Highschool of the Dead cosplay with Hikaru-Jan and Crystalikes

Highschool of the Dead cosplay with Hikaru-Jan and Crystalikes

Cosplayers: Misster Gloo and Nadia Swan

Cosplayers: Misster Gloo and Nadia Swan

Card Captor Sakura cosplay by Rachael Masako Ing

Cosplayer: Kat Vu

Cosplayer: Kat Vu

Cosplayer: Bekalou

Camera(s) used: Nikon D3
Lenses used: Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
Lighting used: Nikon SB-900, Nikon SU-800, Yongnuo RF-603 N3

Adrian Song aka Songster69

While browsing dA’s cosplay groups, I happened upon a number of amazing cosplay photographs by Songster69. So I browsed though the rest of his dA gallery and found some amazing stuff. Songster69 doesn’t rely on heavy post processing, but his shots are focused on strong compositions and clean backgrounds; everything has a purpose and a place. If you haven’t already, take a peek at his gallery and follow this talented artist!

Cosplay Photographers: Hi Adrian! Thanks so much for joining us today. So how did you come up with your handle?

Songster69: It was a nickname given to me by a neighbor and it stuck with me throughout school up to university.

Cosplay Photographers: Being all the way out in Singapore, is it hard to find cosplayers to photograph?

Songster69: Not really. Geographically Singapore is really small so you’ll find a lot of cosplayers and photographers always converging at events which becomes a networking session for us.

Cosplay Photographers: Do you find you have to ask for shoots or do cosplayers generally request to shoot from you?

Songster69: It works both ways; I started out going to events and taking photos of the cosplayers and giving them copies of their photos if they like them. From there sometimes I’ll get invited to do a shoot with them or I’ll ask them directly if they would like to do a shoot at a more relevant venue.

Vocaloids: Just Be Friends by DixieFlatline

Cosplay Photographers: How long have you been in the cosplay scene?

Songster69: Not long, since 2007. That’s about nearly four years to date.

Final Fantasy Dissidia. (Click to enlarge)

Cosplay Photographers: I noticed that that you do lifestyle photography as well. What do you like better: lifestyle or cosplay photography?

Songster69: I like both although my DA gallery probably speaks for itself; but I find cosplay photography heaps more interesting as you can experiment with your angles and perspectives.

Cosplay Photographers: If I was a new cosplay photographer and asked you for your three top tips on how to get started, what would they be?

Songster69: 1) Take a lot of pictures to find your style and angle, 2) Shoot what you like and like what you shoot, and 3) Enjoy every moment that you’re shooting

Cosplay Photographers: I noticed that your photos are always very vibrant, do you ever do any b&w?

Songster69: Funny that you asked; I started off shooting in b&w way back when I was studying photojournalism in school. Back then I shot using film and had to process the negatives and print the photos for my class assignments. Sometime last year while clearing my external hard disk I rediscovered some scans of my b&w school assignments which I compiled into a journal entry here:
http://songster69.deviantart.com/journal/The-Ghosts-of-Photography-s-Past-228175458

I still do it from time to time and here’s one from my gallery: http://songster69.deviantart.com/art/Chane-Laforet-118712154

I do find that b&w photography is more difficult as you need to get the tones and contrast right or else the photo falls flat without any dimensions.

Cosplay Photographers: How many conventions did you attend last year (2011)?

Songster69: Not many this year due to work commitments. However, for those that I attended this year, Start of Year Con (SOYC) and CosFest XI, I was cosplaying modern forces with my buddies. We got the cosplayers to change roles and take photos of me and my buddies during those events.

Kiddy Grade

Vocaloids: Just Be Friends by DixieFlatline 2

Cosplay Photographers: What are your favorite conventions to attend?

HunterxHunter. (Click to enlarge)

Songster69: Locally, it’ll be the Start of Year (SOY), CosFest, Anime Festival Asia (AFA) and End Of Year (EOY). Other than that, I’d like to revisit Japan to attend the Comiket event which I did in early 2010.

Cosplay Photographers: Are there any conventions you would love to attend if you could?

Songster69: For whatever’s left of this year (2011) I’ll probably be attending Anime Festival Asia (AFA) in November and the End Of Year (EOY) event in December.

Cosplay Photographers: Which conventions are you planning to attend in 2012?

Songster69: I don’t have any plans for next year at the moment but attending an overseas event is always on the back of my mind.

Cosplay Photographers: As a cosplay photographer, what do you look for in a cosplayer when selecting them to photograph?

Songster69: Firstly, their attitude and commitment towards the shoot; those with good working attitude are easier and more flexible to work with in terms of getting good shots as well as the overall outcome of the shoot. If a cosplayer pulls off the character he/she cosplays naturally it also adds to the overall effect of the photo.

Also, communication is important as a cosplay photoshoot is like an artistic collaboration between cosplayer and photographer. Sharing and conveying ideas is the key to getting good shots.

Cosplay Photographers: What are things that would make you refuse to photograph a cosplayer?

Songster69: Being the anal prick that I am I have refused to do shoots if there is a lack of planning and logistics or if the cosplayers have really poor time management skills. Like if a shoot is delayed by more than three hours I usually walk out.

Vocaloids concept by CocoonS.

Ao No Exorcist

Axis Powers Hetalia

Cosplay Photographers: Do you research any of the cosplayer’s character before shooting or do you play by ear during the shoot? Or both?

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles (Click to enlarge)

Songster69: I do both; before a shoot I request for references, usually screenshots, concept artwork or scenes from the manga or series that they’d like to do. If I do have the time I’ll watch the series or do some reading up. However, given the workload of my job I can barely afford the luxury of watching a lot of anime nowadays.

During the actual shoot we’ll run through the references and make adjustments to the poses and standing positions of the cosplayers for the actual photo.

Cosplay Photographers: What was a particular challenge you recently faced and how did you overcome it?

Songster69: Singapore is a tropical island so it’s either glaringly hot and sunny or wet and gloomy. There must always be a Plan B; a wet weather program as our weather can do a 180-degree turn within an hour.

With our humid climate you also need to consider the cosplayers as they need to hydrate and have regular rest intervals to touch up their costumes and make-up.

Cosplay Photographers: What is your philosophy when it comes to crafting a photo?

Songster69: Get a good angle or perspective but more importantly, the cosplayer must be comfortable working with me during the shoot or else it’ll show in the photos.

Cosplay Photographers: I noticed you worked with International Cosplay Beer Drinking Superstar Shiroin. How was that experience and did you get to try many amazing beers?

Songster69: Ah, Ricky’s a fun loving criminal and all the more he ups the fun level of any shoot. He did give me a can of Taiwanese beer after we wrapped up the Final Fantasy Dissidia shoot which I drank for breakfast the next day.

Cosplay Photographers: What is your favorite lens to photograph cosplay with and why?

Pet Shop of Horrors (Click to enlarge)

Songster69: The Nikon 24-70; it’s very versatile and I can concentrate on taking photos without having to change lenses midway through a shoot.

Cosplay Photographers: Are you a Strobist-style photographer or ambient photographer?

Songster69: Ambient, I always prefer natural lighting although recently I’ve been using LED panels as a light source enhancement.

Cosplay Photographers: Are there any cosplay photographers you are dying to meet?

Songster69: Ooh, “dying” is such a strong word. But I’m open to meeting up with any photographers if they are at an event that I happen to be attending.

Cosplay Photographers: Any cosplayer are you would love to photograph?

Songster69: Hmm, not at the moment. I’m also open to working with cosplayers who are dying to work with me if we both can work out the arrangements.

Cosplay Photographers: Any advice for cosplay photographers or cosplayers?

Songster69: Relax, communicate, have fun and enjoy every shoot ya!

Cosplay Photographers: List the tools of your trade

Songster69: My dad and I both share the same hobby with him being a freelance photographer so we share equipment. Here’s the list:

• Nikon D300
• Nikon D700
• Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon AF 50mm f/1.4D
• Nikon AF 85mm f/1.4D
• Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G I ED-IF
• Nikon SB-800
• Nikon SB-900
• Canon G11

I don’t bring out the whole arsenal with me and it also depends on the shoot and what my dad is using for his assignments or projects.

Cosplay Photographers: Thanks again for your time and sharing with us so much invaluable information. We can’t wait to see more amazing work from you!

About a month ago, I attended Malaysia’s largest AGC (Anime, Games and Comics) event, Comic Fiesta 2011 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. As it was the event’s 10th anniversary, a lot of effort have been put in place for it’s success. It is by fans, for fans and close to 20,000 folks have turned up.

For many of the local photographers, as well as for the ones who came from other parts of the world, the event have always been viewed as a chance to capture the many cosplayers who thronged the event. Many of the series that they have cosplayed range from the common to the very rare, such as the Taiwanese Pili puppet show series.

There is a large park outside the convention area where the cosplayers and photographers can enjoy their bout of photoshooting too. Apart from cosplay, there are a substantial number of amazing artworks and doujin from talent local artists. Showcasing both amateur and professional works, visitors definitely would not be left disappointed.

So overall the event has something for everyone. Why not drop by event for this year? See you there.

Kneesock & Scanty from Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt

Yuzuriha Inori from Guilty Crown

Youtube Cosplay

Tokiya Ichinose from Uta no Plince-sama

Taiwanese Pili (霹靂) series

Taiwanese Pili (霹靂) series

Sucker Punch

Sakura & Ashura from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles

P-san from THE IDOLM@STER

Kotetsu T. Kaburagi & Barnaby Brooks Jr. from Tiger & Bunny

Goro Majima from YAKUZA

Fatime Ulicle from Five Star Stories

Impromptu photographer's gathering

We just got back home this past Saturday night from a quick trip to Los Angeles to attend Anime Los Angeles (ALA) at the Marriott LAX. This was our first time ever at ALA as well as our first time to a SoCal Anime convention and it definitely didn’t disappoint!

We had a great time seeing all our good friends such as Eric Ng aka The BigWhiteBazooka, Abbott Wang, Tony Quan, the cosplay photographers of Manual Shoot (Michael Cabusi, Martin Wong and Ken Eden), Andy Rak, Joseph Chi Lin, Kris Ling, Ben Lam, Jan Pesino Illenberger, Crystal Likes, Trevor Scott, Yosidha Itsumo, James Giovanni Pan, Chloe Doan (The Sushi Monster), Luke, Nadia Swan, Alicia Dang, Castor Lai, Erskine Noel, Vincent Milum Jr. (Darkain), Ejen Chuang, Yoko, Setsu, Ming Wang, as well as meeting new friends (in person for the first time) such as Tim Vo, Aileen Luib, Tram Dinh, Tiffany Jing Crawford, Crystal Graziano, Dale Oshima. Apologies in advance if we missed anyone as it was a whirlwind trip!

We were also honored to meet and spend a considerable amount of time with the super talented Aileen Luib, a SoCal fashion/commercial photographer who is also doing cosplay photography in her spare time. We had a great time talking shop together. You can see more of her amazing work on her website: http://aileenluibphotography.com as well as on her Facebook page. If you ever get a chance to meet and chat with her, we definitely suggest you do! We also met up with New York Times published photographer and Cosplay Photographer’s January 2012 Featured Photographer of the Month Joseph Chi Lin who flew in for the weekend to attend ALA. Great guy, easy going, and fun to hang out with and we can’t wait to hang out more at a future cosplay convention. Definitely browse his amazing work on his website  and Facebook page.

And as many of you may know, our very own Richard Bui took part in a cosplay panel with fellow cosplay photographer Tim Vo (and his assistant Hall) of FiveRings and cosplayer Chloe Doan aka The Sushi Monster titled “Cosplay Photography at Hotel and Convention Centers”. We had a great turnout with lots of useful takeaway information. We were also very fortunate to get some items for giveaways. TotallyCostumes.com provided us with a cool panda head gear as well as a 10% off discount code that is good until January 31st. Also Ejen Chuang the man behind the amazing Cosplay in America provided us with an autographed copy of his book for giveaway. If you haven’t ordered your copy of the book yet, you should before he runs out! Order now. Over 270-pages of absolutely beautiful cosplayers beautifully photographed by Ejen. For those who weren’t able to make our panel discussion, you can see our PowerPoint presentation here:

Here’s a great video put together by James Patterson, be sure to checkout his killer photos on his Flickr site:

[UPDATE (2012-01-18)]: Here’s what some people have been saying about our panel:

All-in-all, we had an amazing time despite being there on Saturday only. We did manage to do two photo shoots: Nier (with Castor Lai and Alicia Dang) and Cowboy Bebop (with Ken Eden, Pho3nix, Hikaru-Jan, and Trevor Scott). Some teasers below and all the photos in our ALA 2012 gallery.

Here are links to other cosplay photographer’s ALA 2012 photos and blog entries, if you have a gallery and wish to be included, leave us a comment with a link and we’ll include it in this list:

• Abbott Wang
• Michael Cabusi
• Aileen Luib
• Martin Wong
• Manual Shoot
• Tony Quan
• James Patterson

Joseph Chi Lin, cosplay photographer

It wasn’t until Fanime 2011 before I knew who Joseph Chi Lin was. It was a very quick introduction by international superstar cosplayer Etaru because Joseph was on his way out to catch a plane to New York. Later, I Googled his name while waiting for my photos to import to Lightroom and I was immediately impressed with his work. The clean, uncluttered, and simple backgrounds contrasted by strong powerful poses and excellent compositions, Joseph is a no-brainer for Featured Photographer of the Month here on CosplayPhotographers.com and so we managed to snag him for an interview.

Cosplay Photographers: So how does it feel to be a published photographer?

Joseph Chi Lin: I don’t really feel any different, but it does make instant ramen taste somewhat better.

Cosplay Photographers: Do you feel you have more pressure from cosplayers you photograph, that their shots have to be epic because you’re a published photographer?

Joseph Chi Lin: Nope. Pressure is having to photograph Emma Watson in about a minute with a room full of people breathing down your neck. Shooting cosplay is immeasurably fun and anything but pressure filled. That being said, I still try to live up to my own lofty photographic standards. In short, I don’t photograph just to make a picture, I photograph to make something memorable.

Cosplay Photographers: So what is the primary focus of your photography? Fashion, cosplay, photojournalist, architectural, lifestyle, or etc.?

Joseph Chi Lin: I photograph whatever I find compelling.

Mostflogged cosplaying as Psylocke from X-Men

Jennifer Barclay cosplaying as Tali'Zorah Vas Normandy from Mass Effect

Cosplay Photographers: So I’m sure many people are dying to know, did you teach yourself photography, read a bunch of Photography for Dummies book (like we did), or did you go to art school?

Joseph Chi Lin: I started college as an architecture major at Pratt. After two years of it I realized that I cherished my sleep and sanity all too much to ever become a truly successful architect, so I changed majors to photography.

Joseph Chi Lin: I’ve been passionate about photography ever since my first disposable Kodak camera in the fifth grade, so getting a BFA in Photography was a natural decision. After my undergraduate degree, I rounded out my studies with a Masters in Journalism from Columbia University.

Cosplay Photographers: Do you often approach cosplayers to take their photos or do you they approach you more often?

Joseph Chi Lin: When I first started shooting cosplay about a year ago it was mostly me approaching cosplayers at conventions, but now I find it to be more of a mixture of both. For instance, this past Otakon I was already booked up about two months in advance. Dragon*Con, on the other hand, was more relaxing since I only agreed to book two shoots ahead of time.

Consequently, I spent most of Dragon*Con eating Chick-fil-A (yum!) and shooting the occasional cosplayer that piqued my interest. Going forward I’m leaning more towards the latter approach, which I have dubbed my Chick-fil-A policy. In other words, I’m most likely going to schedule only a select few shoots leaving me more free time to roam about and, of course, eat Chick-fil-A.

(Click to enlarge.) From left to right: Etaru cosplaying as Siren from Final Fantasy. NealBomBad as Cecil in Final Fantasy 4. ShiyaWind cosplaying as Etna from Disgaea

Cosplay Photographers: It’s always interesting to hear how cosplay photographers get into cosplay photography, so tell us your story.

Joseph Chi Lin: I was always vaguely aware of cosplay, but I didn’t really understand it until I wrote and photographed a photo essay for Time.com back when I was still working at Time Magazine: http://ti.me/dpSf5Y.

It was so fun to see my favorite characters brought to life and to meet/photograph new cosplayers that I decided to stick around a while longer to see where it would take me.

Klytaemnestra cosplaying as Haydee from Gankutsuou (click to enlarge)

Cosplay Photographers: What particularly interests you most about cosplay?

Joseph Chi Lin: The incredible level of detail that cosplayers put into their costumes never ceases to amaze me.

Cosplay Photographers: Give us a rundown of how you would operate at a convention?

Joseph Chi Lin: I usually try get up at around 8-9 am, but my propensity for sleeping through morning wake up calls usually throws a monkey wrench into this plan. A decent breakfast usually follows since I typically won’t have time to eat until late at night.

Most of the day will be spent wandering around looking for interesting cosplays or attending to any scheduled photo shoots. Whenever I have the chance, I head back to my room for a quick breather since carrying around camera gear and shooting nonstop all day takes its toll on you.

At night, I dump my flash cards onto my laptop and back up images on my external hard drive. I try to get to sleep by midnight to rest up for the next day since I don’t like to photograph while sleep deprived. A sleepy Joseph is a grumpy Joseph.

Cosplay Photographers: Ever do private cosplay photo shoots during non-convention time?

Joseph Chi Lin: Yes, it’s actually preferable, but the cosplay has to be exceptional enough to make me wake up on a weekend to do a shoot. Sleep is my friend.

Cosplay Photographers: How many anime/cosplay conventions did you attend this year? How many anime/cosplay conventions do you plan on attending next year?

Joseph Chi Lin: In 2011 I went to Katsucon, Fanime, Anime Next, Otakon, Dragon*Con, NYCC and I’ll close out the year with AUSA in November. I’m going to kick off the 2012 convention grind with Anime Los Angeles. For all those attending ALA, I will be most easily reached at the local In-N-Out should you need me for anything.

Maridah cosplaying as Saber from Fate/Stay Night

Cosplay Photographers: As a cosplay photographer, what elements are you looking for when selecting a cosplayer to photograph?

Joseph Chi Lin: I look mostly for characters that interest me, an accurate costume and impeccable craftsmanship.

Cosplay Photographers: Ever turn down a cosplayer asking for a photo shoot?

Joseph Chi Lin: I try to accommodate as many cosplayers as possible, but due to time constraints I have to occasionally turn down shoot requests.

Cosplay Photographers: What advice would you have for a cosplayer if they wanted to be photographed by you?

Joseph Chi Lin: Show up on time and iron your costume. That and just email me. I don’t bite… much.

Cosplay Photographers: Any sage advice or words of wisdoms for new and upcoming cosplay photographers?

Joseph Chi Lin: Multiple light stands and fancy strobe (flash) gear at a convention does not a good photographer make. Don’t do it, you’ll just look silly. Just learn to see the light.

Dia cosplaying as Rogue from X-Men

Cosplay Photographers: Who were your favorite cosplayer(s) to work with so far?

Joseph Chi Lin: Starlighthoney, Lady Ava, FeliciaCat and Breathlessaire. I’ve learned so much about cosplay from them and they’re just awesome people all around.

Sushi Monster and Pho3nix cosplaying as Kneesocks and Scanty Panty from Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt

Cosplay Photographers: Are there any cosplayers or cosplay photographers you’d like to meet?

Joseph Chi Lin: I’m still fairly new to the community, so I apologize for not being familiar with most cosplayers. Of the small sampling I have come across so far, I would like to eventually work with Calssara and Omi Gibson. Calssara’s Nia and Sakana-chan are spot on and Omi’s Gray Fox from Metal Gear Solid is just wow.

Cosplay Photographers: Where do you draw inspiration from?

Joseph Chi Lin: Pocky. It is the meaning of life.

Cosplay Photographers: Any other photographers inspire you?

Joseph Chi Lin: Margaret Bourke-White, Andreas Gursky, Richard Avedon, James Nachtwey, Patrick Demarchelier, to name a few.

Cosplay Photographers: I notice your shots are always very crisp and contrasty. What kind of post production do you do, how often do you do it, and your thoughts on post production in general?

Joseph Chi Lin: I used to shop out loose threads or any other craftsmanship errors overlooked by cosplayers, but I don’t have the time to do that anymore. Now, I usually just do a curve or color correction, if needed, and then save for web. I’ve always been fairly minimal with my post-production, I prefer to let my picture tell the story instead of photoshop.

Cosplay Photographers: What is your favorite lens, camera, and equipment to use when you’re photographing?

Joseph Chi Lin: I primarily shoot with my Canon 5D Mark II and Canon 50mm f/1.2 L. A baby kitten drowns every time you take a picture with a Nikon. [Cosplay Photographers: That explains why I keep hearing kittens drowning when I click my shutter!]

Cosplay Photographers: Any projects for 2012 that we should lookout for?

Joseph Chi Lin: Some time in the middle of 2011 I realized that my cosplay photographs weren’t coming out too hideous, so I decided that I would try to compile them all into a book. I need to photograph many more cosplayers in order to finish the book, so 2012 will be spent primarily working on it. Here’s hoping for the best!

Cosplay Photographers: Thanks again for your time and sharing with us so much invaluable information. We can’t wait to see more amazing work from you!

It’s official, Cosplay Photographers will be at Anime Los Angeles (ALA) in January. And even more exciting news, we have teamed up with amazing cosplay photographer Tim Vo of FiveRings Photography and international cosplay superstar Chloe Doan aka The Sushi Monster to put on an interactive discussion panel with live demonstration about cosplay photography called Cosplay Photography at Hotels and Convention Centers. Unlike traditional cosplay photography panels you may have been to, this panel will be focusing less on technical photography details like f-stops and shutters speeds and more on actual useable tips like posing group shots.

The topics we will be covering are: Approaching Cosplayers, Interacting with Cosplayers, Locations: All The Possibilities Between Ambient Lighting and Strobist, Dare To Be Different, and Groups. We’ll be expanding on each topic as well as showing proof of concepts through live demonstrations with The Sushi Monster. We’ve also set aside time near the end for questions and answers.

You can read more about our interactive cosplay photography discussion panel by downloading the outline here. If you like to come, let us know on our Facebook Event page.

We’ll see you guys there!

The good folks over at Totally Costumes have given us a couple items for giveaway during the panel discussion, so more incentive to come! Looking for your next costume for a costume party or Halloween? Need something for the next convention? Checkout the amazing offerings by Totally Costumes. With fast shipping (usually same day), great customer service, and fair prices, you can’t go wrong!

Rachael Masako Ing aka Masakocha. Photo by Eririn.

For us, the amazing Masakocha popped out of nowhere. Prior to 2010, We hadn’t heard of her until one day we happened on one of her photos that she took of our friend Bekalou at one of the NorCal Cosplay Gatherings and we were immediately intrigued and captivated. We were further amazed to learn she was a female cosplay photographer and before the entire interweb jumps on us saying that’s a sexist remark, by no means are we suggesting that women can’t be a cosplay photographer, just very few who are quite talented (Hi Elemental! Hi Jin! Hi Hybridre!); either that or we’re not getting out enough.

Some people might also be surprised to learn that Masakocha is also a talented cosplayer as well as cosplay photographer. Maybe because she’s an art major, or a Hawaiian girl, or something else, Masakocha’s photos are always wonderful. If someone was to ask us who our top 10 cosplay photographers are: she would rank very high on the list.

Cosplay Photographers: Hi Rachael! So how did you get your online name of Masakocha?

Masakocha: A creative friend came up with my username. It’s a combination of my middle name and kocha, which is a tea.

Cosplay Photographers: So, prior to us hearing about you in 2010, what were you doing before?

Masakocha: I was a studious kid, very dedicated to school and grades, and I’ve always loved art. At the University of Hawaii I studied Literature, Japanese, and Visual Arts before moving to San Francisco in 2007 to attend the Academy of Art University. During my first two years in the city, I concentrated solely on school assignments and illustration-based art while adjusting to life away from home. It was in late 2009 that I started to do cosplay photo shoots on a fairly regular schedule.

Cloud Strife cosplay by Kasu0236. From "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children"

Cosplay Photographers: So you were born and raised in Hawaii, was it hard finding cosplayers to photograph out there?

Masakocha: Yes, there wasn’t much of a cosplay community before Hawaii’s first convention in 2005, at least that I knew of. Back then, I wasn’t aware that people could consider themselves a “cosplay photographer.” There were people who took photos of cosplayers, but that was just one of many subjects they’d shoot, and the fact that a photographer could schedule enough cosplay photoshoots to be constantly in the hobby would have been unbelievable. There are significantly less cosplayers in Hawaii than here in California, and I feel like the large community at mainland US conventions pushes cosplayers to improve on their craftsmanship as they learn from their peers.

Cosplay Photographers: Since you’re a superstar cosplay photographer, what do you find happens more often: you request photo shoots of cosplayers or cosplayers request photo shoots from you?

Masakocha: I’m definitely not a superstar, haha. I just feel like I have lots of friends that cosplay, and I like to take their pictures, that’s all. I get requests for shoots a few months in advance sometimes, especially for large groups, though the majority come in within a month of the actual con. Most of my photoshoots are requests, but all of them I’m happy to do. Cosplayers often ask if I’m familiar with or would be comfortable shooting a certain series, versus requesting it straightforward, and I appreciate that consideration. If I still have empty slots left a few days before the con (though this isn’t too often), I make a general con-related post on my Deviantart or Facebook and grab cosplayers I’m interested in shooting with from there.

Gwendolyn cosplay by Bubydub. From the game "Odin Sphere"

Katara cosplay by Antiquity-dreams. From the series "Avatar"

Cosplayer Chibiroth as Tinkerbell customized version

Cosplay Photographers: How long have you been in the cosplay scene?

Masakocha: My first con was Kawaii-kon 2005, but I was still in the lolita scene then, so I made the transition between hobbies in 2008-09? Maybe three years now. But I did the typical find-clothes-in-your-closet sort of cosplay in high school. You know, the pictures you don’t show people.

Cosplay Photographers: What drew you to cosplay and/or cosplay photography?

Masakocha: It all happened so quickly, casually taking pictures of cosplayers I didn’t know at cons and small gatherings suddenly snowballed into this full-time hobby kind of overnight. I give much credit to Eririn, who picked me up off the obscure-photog-noob sidelines and invited me to work with her and Holy on their photoshoot projects. The amount of dedication they had for cosplay was really inspirational, and the more I shot with them the more I found that the world of cosplay is not something you can easily push aside once you begin.

I’m an optimist, and I think it shows up in my photos pretty clearly. Cosplayers are young dedicated people who have a full life ahead of them, and each photo is a small fragment of their character’s story, and also their story. They have so much potential, beautiful enthusiasm and energy, and I feel privileged to be part of such an amazing community.

Cosplay Photographers: How many conventions did you attend this year (2011)?

Masakocha: Animation on Display, Sakura-con, Yaoi-Con, and Fanime.

Cosplay Photographers: What are your favorite conventions to attend?

Masakocha: I like Sakura-con because Seattle’s rainy weather makes me happy. Also, the overcast clouds create amazing softbox lighting! But Fanime has to be my favorite: it has a great atmosphere, good locations to shoot at, and tolerable attendance size. But nothing compares to being surrounded by friends that you haven’t seen in such a long time, all excited and dressed for the occasion like one big party of extremely talented people.

Model: Alina Bogdanovich. Designer: Sharon Peng/Heulangel

Cosplay Photographers: Are there any conventions you would love to attend if you could?

Masakocha: Japan’s Comiket is intriguing, if not a little scary due to its massive amounts of otaku. I think it would be a worthwhile experience attending an international convention, not necessarily to shoot, but to observe how the community is different overseas.

Cosplay Photographers: Which conventions are you planning to attend in 2012?

Masakocha: Fanime for sure. Besides that, I can’t say for certain.

Shiki and Rin cosplay by Lala & Tori. From the series: "Togainu no Chi"

Vesser, {…} and Hanna cosplay by Admantius, Alcblueyes & Jay-Dhee. From the series "Hanna is Not a Boy's Name"

Kaito and Miku cosplay by Aitsuito & Rina-liu. From "Vocaloid- World is Mine"

Cosplay Photographers: All your photos are amazing, so I can’t help but ask…how selective are you? Let’s say I’m a cosplayer, I went on amazon.com and purchased me one of those $19.99 Leaf Village Naruto headbands threw on some cargo shorts and a jacket, what are the chances of me scoring a photo shoot with you of my Naruto cosplay?

Masakocha: Hey, I like Naruto! XD I really haven’t had that situation before, and I haven’t turned down a cosplayer based on their cosplay quality, just timeslot restraints. If someone was confident enough in their cosplay to ask for a photo but didn’t put much effort into their outfit, I’d still work with them, not a full-on photoshoot but at least a decent in-focus photo or two. It would take ten minutes, why not. I may not be as enthusiastic as usual about the composition and artistic quality, though.

Cosplay Photographers: What are things that would make you refuse to photograph a cosplayer?

Masakocha: The main deal-breaker is personality: if I’m not comfortable with the cosplayer then I definitely won’t be able to open up on an amiable level with them. Photographs tend to show how the photographer sees a person, so if I’m not able to connect with someone, their photos won’t have much emotion or be very flattering. Though I think it would have to be a pretty horrible first-impression for me to pass a negative judgement and refuse a cosplayer right off the bat like that.

Cosplay Photographers: Do you research any of the cosplayer’s character before shooting or do you play by ear during the shoot? Or both?

Masakocha: I make sure to at least read a summary of the series and the characters who are being cosplayed before I go into a convention shoot. I also try to watch short video clips like opening/ending credit sequences or AMVs (anime music videos). Those are typically good to get an overall feel for the show without having to watch the entire series. Some shows like Madoka Magica can be visually tricky, where the characters look cutesy but in reality they’re portrayed against a dark environment. So, out of respect for the cosplayer and the series, I’d like to give as accurate a portrayal as I can to the original content.

When I start a photoshoot, I double-check with the cosplayer if they have a certain mood they’d like to capture, along with any ideas for poses, or a character relationship that they’d like to portray. There’s not much conversation between me and the cosplayer before the shooting day regarding artistic direction, although I’m always open to any suggestions they have beforehand.

Private shoots tend to be more planned out and researched, since the final photos are the main reason we’re out shooting in the first place. If I know what the location looks like beforehand I may draw small roughs of pose ideas, but often those don’t get referenced very much anyway. I’d like to attempt a photoshoot with a more structured plan in the future.

Cosplay Photographers: What is your favorite lens to photograph cosplay with and why?

Masakocha: Right now my kit lens is having minor focus issues, so I’m relying on my 50mm about 90% of the time. But that’s okay because it’s my favorite of the two––it’s significantly better in low-light situations and I like the depth-of-field, plus it’s a flattering portrait lens. I’d like to get a wide angle lens one day, so I can be more flexible with compositions and capture location details without losing the cosplayer in the photo.

Cosplay Photographers: I noticed your primarily an ambient photographer with your fancy reflector, ever tried using flash in your photos?

Masakocha: I own a flashmount, it’s very unflattering when used off the top of the camera, and I don’t have a system to set it up off-camera. So far, I haven’t felt it necessary to invest in flash equipment, especially since I avoid night shoots. If I can get away with ambient lighting alone, then that’s the option I’ll take. Why add a flash and make things more complicated? Plus, I hear cosplayers enjoy playing with the disc reflector~

Cosplay Photographers: Are there any cosplay photographers you are dying to meet?

Masakocha: Yes, for sure! Especially other female photographers, but sadly, many are in different countries. On Deviantart I love the work by Hybridre, who is in China. Also, Behindinfinity (Jin) in the Philippines is a fantastic cosplayer and photographer. On twitter I talk with Azuo, a cosplay photographer in Japan who specializes in Hetalia shoots. It’s so interesting to compare cosplay cultures with people in other countries. In addition, I’ve been fortunate to meet so many great photographers from around the USA and am humbled to already be around such talented artists.

Cosplay Photographers: I noticed that your recently doing more post-processing in Photoshop. How long do you typical spend on a particular image? Did you learn all this in art school?

Masakocha: I feel like I spend the same amount of time on each image as I used to, but now I’m more efficient at processing. For each shoot there are typically two images that represent the best of that bunch, and I dedicate two to three hours to each of those. This includes removing things like dead leaves and litter, and cleaning up stray strands of wig hair, followed by technical and artistic edits and special effects. In my digital photography class at the Academy we weren’t allowed to use Photoshop––the professor said she’d be checking our photo’s EXIF data to be sure! So that taught me to concentrate on getting good white-balance and exposure right out of the camera, which makes post-processing a lot more convenient.

I learned Photoshop from my mom. She works in graphic design, so I had access to the program at an early age and was able to figure out the tools while using it for drawing, before I started digital photo processing.

Sweden cosplay by Erinin. From the series "Hetalia"

Cosplay Photographers: Any cosplayer you are dying to photograph?

Masakocha: Wanting to photograph someone based simply on their appearance isn’t something I normally do, because I would ideally prefer to know a person’s personality before working with them. It’s easier for me to get a feeling for photographers than cosplayers, because sometimes cosplayers feel like they’re behind a mask and it’s hard to get an idea of what their normal self is like (though this is also the point sometimes!). I do have rainchecks with NorCal cosplayers Maridah and Pikminlink, who I’d love to shoot but haven’t made solid plans with yet. Next year I would like to work with them, continue shooting with my current friends, and venture into other photo projects that aren’t cosplay-related.

Cosplay Photographers: Any advice for cosplay photographers or cosplayers?

Masakocha: Everyone please remember to be safe, respect each other and look out for one another. Our hobby grabs the attention of anyone nearby, and when it’s from people who are shady or if something doesn’t feel right then pay attention to your instincts.

Photographers, push yourselves to be better than before, try something new, and shoot outside of your safety zone. Shoot with cosplayers who inspire you, but also remember to not make that a limitation––as long as the cosplayer trusts me and we can communicate amiably, that is my minimum requirement for working with them, and I’ve never regretted that. If you’re not excited to be pressing the shutter button then the resulting photo won’t be exciting, so go climb a tree and shoot from its branches and get excited. And pay attention to the background, it is part of the photo too, after all.

Cosplay Photographers: So I’m a big believer that some people are born with more talents than other. I somehow feel you already had the artistic eye prior to going to art school, but has art school helped you any and how?

Masakocha: If I had to choose something specific that my art classes helped me with, knowing human anatomy is a big advantage when you’re posing a cosplayer or doing edits on a body. For example, preventing strained-looking poses, or editing cast shadows so they are more flattering but fit the body contours at the same time. You know, preventing accidents that make it obvious that a specific body part has been edited. Look at all those horrible fashion ads with ridiculous proportions––I bet none of those people have ever taken an anatomy class before. At least I sure hope not.

Cosplay Photographers: List the tools of the trade.

Masakocha: Canon Rebel XTi, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, Lightroom 3 and Photoshop CS4. Lightroom is indispensable for organizing, cataloging, and finding photos! I couldn’t function without that program.

Cosplay Photographers: Thanks again for your time and sharing with us so much invaluable information. We can’t wait to see more amazing work from you!

Masakocha: Thank you very much for the opportunity. Congratulations on your website launch, and I look forward to seeing what Cosplay Photographers will accomplish in the future!

Cosplay Photographers: Be sure to follow Rachael’s Facebook page, DeviantArt, Flickr, Twitter, and brand new Tumblr page for more of her delicious photo updates!

Josh Norem of BorrowLenses.com and Richard Bui of CosplayPhotographers.com

First we want to take a moment to thank BorrowLenses.com for their time and help in selecting the winner for our $100 BorrowLenses.com Gift Certificate giveaway. They were very gracious about offering space at their store as well as Marketing Director Josh Norem to select the winner. BorrowLenses is truly the best place to go, online or in-store, to rent a lens, be it for a project, paid assignment, or to try before you buy. It’s certainly where we go when we’re looking for a 400mm to do cosplay portraits…

And without further delay, the winner for our contest is Kara aka Electric-lady, a very talented cosplayer but also a talented photographer. So what is the lens that she is going to rent with her $100 gift certificate:

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L just to hold a L lens XD if i could rent it for 3 weeks, i’d like to take it with me for when i go to japan :]

Here are some example of her work:

Here are some samples of her cosplays:

Lilith Aensland from Darkstalkers. Photo by Makuba.

Oswald and Gwendolyn from Odin Sphere. Photo by Vang Her Photography.

Ciel Phantomhive from Kuroshitsuji aka Black Butler. Photo by Electric-lady.

C.C. and Lelouch from Code Geass. Photo by Shiroin.

You can see more in her photography gallery as well as her cosplay on her Facebook page, deviantArt page, and Twitter. Thank you everyone for participating in our giveaway and be on the lookout for future contests and giveaways by bookmarking CosplayPhotographers.com, liking our Facebook page, and following us on Twitter.

I had a great time hanging out a lot of cosplay photographers, including Bigwhitebazooka, Michael Cabusi, Tony Quan, Yosi Photography, and many others. Even though the hotel is not a big convention center, I was able to find multiple places to do photoshoots without hassle. And this time I had the honor to shoot Crystal Graziano (Precious) as Black Widow, Jan Illenberger as Mikura Suzuki from Mezzo Forte, and other people. With the lobby and other hotel areas, I was given a lot of flexibility to try out different shooting styles, it was as much fun at night as it was during the day.

Martin Wong is a cosplay photographer as well as professional photographer and owner of Martin Wong Photography. He is one of the founding and contributing members of ManualShoot.com, a joint collaboration cosplay photography dedicated to beautiful cosplay photos. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook to see more of his amazing work.

Bigwhitebazooka is an amazing cosplay photographer who has been in the cosplay scene for a while now and we’ve been huge fans of his work for a couple of years now. So we’re very honored to get this once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase one of his photo shoots before it’s seen anywhere else. Bigwhitebazooka is Southern California-based and you can find him at many of those local conventions such as PMX, ALA, and AnimeExpo to just name a few. Spend some time and browse though more of his amazing work on his website, Facebook page, Twitter.

All the images were shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM. Enjoy the photos. We sure did.