7 cosplay photography tips

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7 Cosplay Photography
Tips
EVENTS . HOW TO . PHOTO  March 15, 2018  1311 Views
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Cosplaying, or costume playing, is considered one of the most
fun and exciting forms of self-expression for people who enjoy
fantasy and ction. It involves dressing up and pretending to
be a particular cartoon, lm, or TV show character, and
sometimes even attending conventions like the famed Comic
Con. where cosplayers from all around the world gather to
showcase their chosen alter egos.
If you’re a photographer wishing to take cool photos at the
next convention or a cosplayer who wants to know how they
can look great in pictures, we’ve compiled a few easy tips for
cosplay photography.
Home  Events  7 Cosplay Photography Tips


For some, taking really good cosplay photos can be more
challenging than being on stage as you’re given literally one
shot to show the essence of your character, but these helpful
tips should help you understand what it takes to capture and
make the best of that costume.
Cosplay Photography Tips:
Image via Shutterstock
Cosplayers bene t from posing for photos as they typically
need it for their portfolios. Some of these are taken in studios
or during conventions and similar events. And for
photographers, it’s always an exciting opportunity to expand
their horizons and improve their photography skills. Here’s
how you can ensure great cosplay images.
Ask for Permission
If you’re shooting at a convention or any other event where
there are cosplayers, it’s always best to ask for the cosplayer’s
permission before taking pictures of them. Sure, you can

usually snap away at comic conventions, but you’ll have much
better shots if your subjects are fully aware of your camera
pointed at them. They’ll be much more willing to strike
di erent poses and maybe even allow you to direct the shot so
you can have more control over the nal image.
Allow Your Subject to Get Ready
Comic conventions can be very exciting, and it’s easy for newer
photographers to want to take as many photos of their favorite
characters as they can. However, as with photography in
general, it helps to take the time to compose your shot and
wait until your subject is ready before clicking your shutter.
Allow them a few seconds to put on their masks, x their
costumes, and get into character for your shot. This also shows
respect for the craft and for their hard work in putting their
costumes together.
Create a Scene for the Character
A good cosplay photo has harmonious image elements. This
means also minding your background and picking one that
complements your character. You may not have much time or
freedom to move your subject around, but there may be better
options than capturing them exactly where and how you found
them.
First, familiarize yourself with your subject, and then quickly
think of how you can make them connect with the available
space. For example, if you’re shooting a Spider-Man cosplayer,
you can simply ask them to pose next to a wall and pretend to
climb. If there are no walls nearby, you can suggest that they
work with the oor and pretend to crawl on it. You can plan

this ahead and have much better background choices when
you’re doing a full photoshoot.
Use Natural Lighting
Avoid using your camera’s pop-up ash and stick to natural
lighting. Shoot near doorways or windows that allow sunlight
in to make your subjects look as natural as possible. You may
even need a re ector to minimize shadows, especially under
your subjects eyes, and make your scene look warmer.
If you’re shooting in an indoor studio, you’ll do much better
with external ashes (usually with ash di users or soft boxes)
that don’t produce harsh shadows and can be manipulated to
create di erent kinds of lighting that will complement your
subject.
Highlight their Unique Characteristics
For superhero characters, this may mean making sure that
their costumes (or logos) are fully visible in the photo. For
action video game characters, you may want them to hold out
or place their weapons where they can be easily spotted in the
photo. Being in character and doing signature poses generally
work well for every cosplayer, as long as it helps viewers
quickly understand who your subject is portraying.
Shoot from Di erent Angles
Take as many photos as you’d like and experiment with image
orientations and angles. Don’t be afraid to take angled close
ups, especially for villains and other mysterious characters.
This type of shot will work well for a character like the Joker, as
the zoomed in perspective can highlight the makeup and the

distorted angle will give viewers an unsettling feeling that
matches his presence on screen.
Talk to Your Subject
Don’t just snap away. Also take time to communicate with your
subject and ask them about how they wish for their photos to
be interpreted and shot. Depending on your skills and
experience, this can open you up to more options that you
previously may not have thought of. You can also help the
cosplayer achieve their goals and attract their target viewers.
For professional tips on how to create a personalized studio
setup for subjects in character, check out this episode of
AdoramaTV below:
GuruShots Photography
Challenge: Cosplay

Photographing cosplayers, or just being around them, is always
a fun experience. If you’ve taken any cool cosplay photos,
share them with us for Adorama and GuruShots.com‘s
Cosplay Photography Challenge, and you can even win up to
$400 worth of prizes!
Participating photographers 13 years old and above can show
o their work by submitting up to four (4) entries that feature
cosplayers. You’ll get a chance to win any of the following:
Join the GuruShots Cosplay
Challenge!
Top Photographer Award – $200 Adorama Gift Card
Top Photo Award – GuruShots bundle with 20 Swaps, 15
AutoFills & 10 Keys
Guru’s Top Pick Award – GuruShots bundle with 20 Swaps,
15 AutoFills & 10 Keys

Interested participants can send up to four (4) photo
entries only.
The photo challenge runs until March 18, 2018.
Photos submitted should be in JPEG format with a minimum
resolution of 700 x 700 pixels and a maximum le size of
25MB.
Images must be distinct in subject, background, foreground,
and location. Thus, multiple cropped or edited images will
not be accepted.
Entries must be strictly your own or else you will be
disquali ed.
Non-relevant entries will be disquali ed.
Obscene, provocative, defamatory, sexually explicit,
objectionable or inappropriate images will be disquali ed.
GuruShots will use a “blind voting system” method to keep
the voting as fair as possible.
Entries will be ranked as follows:
All Star – 1950 votes

Check out GuruShots for more photo challenges—plus stay
tuned for more photography tips!
Adorama
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Tags: cosplay gurushots photography challenge
photography tips
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