How to photograph cosplayers...

By Zeb. 27/07/09, 11:30 am

So I've read most of the threads on this Photography forum, and have some good ideas; I've got a good idea about how to do general portraiture but somehow I think photographing cosplayers is in many ways more than just portraiture.

Does anyone have tips, tricks, techniques etc. they'd like to share? Websites that talk about it would be even better.
Thanks. :)

By MissEevee. 27/07/09, 11:34 am

oh oh, i have a tip: some cameras have a "portrait" setting that's supposed to soften skin tone etc.
don't use it!
it distorts colours slightly - really annoying for cosplay. (:

other than that, don't take too many surprise pictues of us. >.<
if we have time to pose we'll look much more like our character tan if you jump up out of nowhere and yell "SMILE!".
Razz

By Zeb. 27/07/09, 11:41 am

Hehehe don't worry, while I am still new to photography and my camera, when I do the cosplayer photos I'll be in full manual mode.
Heck, hopefully by the time I feel confident enough to take up cosplayer time, I'll also have myself a nice tripod and release cable... really REALLY want those.

Scott Kelby is my friend; just wish there was a version of him for cosplayers. XD

Also no way am I going to be "surprising" you guys, sure fire way to getting a BAD shot imho. It's always polite to ask first. :)

By **JVCA**. 27/07/09, 12:06 pm

I think one thing that we lack in terms of cosplay photographers here is people that can direct the cosplayer to a good shot - in the states you have EuroBeatKing and whatnot who request poses for the cosplayer, and they often come out with the most amazing photos. As a cosplayer myself, I only usually think of one or two poses, and I always think afterwards "damn, I wish that I had posed differently in some of these", because they all look the same - so if you ever have an idea for a pose, obviously ask if the cosplayer minds posing like you request, but I know I at least would appreciate it!

Another idea is - business cards for your website or wherever you upload your photos. Someone at wellygeddon did this - lilapmedia I think? It made it much easier to find photos. Very Happy

_________________

The Biscuit Brigade
http://kevan.org/johari?name=jvca
♥ Midsummer-Snow - Nana to my Hachi ♥

By kagerouhi. 27/07/09, 12:08 pm

agreed with Jess
although it is good that the poses are left up to the cosplayers its always nice to have some help especially when the cosplayer has been awake for the last 48 hours and doesn't really want to think XD

By Zeb. 27/07/09, 12:30 pm

Thanks Jess, will also check out EuroBeatKing's work :)

Its interesting, I notice that a lot of photographers are almost "scared" of asking cosplayers to do MORE simply because there is this mentality that "cosplayers know best." That they'd be offended if asked to pose in different ways.

I agree that cosplayers should know the character they're cosplaying, and know the poses that character makes; but I am also hoping that the cosplayer WON'T be too precious and give new things (within reason) a go.

As for the business cards, moo.com is our fwend Very Happy

By MissEevee. 27/07/09, 12:33 pm

cosplayers should definitely know the character they're cosplaying, and have a few poses ready.
maybe what would be better is some deirection from the photographer as to how we can make poses more photogenic.
since we don't often get to see through the lens, we're not used to making stuff look good on camera.
so telling us to move a little to make the photo look better - especially coming from a good photographer - would be much appreciated. (:

By neimhaille. 27/07/09, 12:48 pm

By **Rowan**. 27/07/09, 04:06 pm

I agree with Jess as well!

I'm starting to get better at posing, but it's not something I feel that confident with. I also usually have only one pose, which doesn't make for interesting pictures. Obviously this is something I personally need to work on, but it would be so great for the photographer to give me some suggestions as to what they want to see.

Um just one thing that ties into the above, when you say

By Static. 27/07/09, 04:56 pm

Posing is a lot of what makes an image "good" or "bad", but honestly...a LOT of people (myself included) tend to have a 'photo face' that they put on when a camera is pointed at them, and it just looks weird. Not bad, just stiff and awkward. I got some great shots at DO with my mega-lens of people across the room (SURPRISE!!!) just because they were totally relaxed and didn't know they were being photographed.

Of course, this is a sneaky sneaky way of doing it, and some people object to their photo being taken in this way. However - some people ONLY photograph well when they relax, and this is about the only way to do it! I will also say that if I get horrible photos of people like this, I get rid of them. Antagonising cosplayers is hazardous to your health. Trufax.

For photographers, a good tip to improve shots is just to zoom in close enough to cut out all the miscellaneous crap in the background - it makes the shot look like you put a lot of thought into it, when really you haven't, hehehe...it's my favourite XP

An editing tip that also helps a lot is to make sure your white balance is right - having a weird colour cast to your image (orange in tungsten, green in fluroscent, blue in daylight etc) always makes things look funny; if your camera has a manual WB setting, always use it! After two solid hours of editing bung lighting last night I can say that THIS IS VERY GOOD TO DO AT THE TIME! I thought my eyes were going to fall out...

Also also on more thing on lighting - if your camera has a manual setting for ISO (light sensitivity), most cons aren't really too bright indoors...it pays to shoot on an ISO between 400 and about 600. Higher than that you start getting a lot more noise in the image, but lower than that you tend to have to use flash...and that *always* makes your models look like possums in the headlights.

LONG POST IS LONG! Sorry guys Razz

Edit: ALSO - I can't speak for all photographers, but personally I love it when my model gives me suggestions for angles! Makes my life easier, and as long as it's not perilous or silly or spoken in an unpleasant tone of voice, I am more than happy to oblige :3 Though I tend to get my model to stay still while I do the walk-around-with-camera-to-face-and-not-look-where-I'm-going thing Razz

Or tell a dumb joke - a spontaneous smile is much nicer than a practised posey one.

**Guest** Guest

I will personally bow down to anyone who produces a good photo of me in a costume. I have the most appaling "photoface" and I've worked and WORKED to try to make it better but I just cycle through these scowling, grouchy, bug-eyed or protruding-jaw faces.
From my entire life history I have something like 6 photographs of me that I really genuinely rationally like.

By neimhaille. 27/07/09, 05:06 pm

Oh yes, the zoom! Rule of thumb: keep at least 5 feet away and use zoom to get close if you are doing a head and shoulders photo. Stand even further than that for a full body and zoom in. When you get close to your subject foreshortening kicks in and you get bobble heads and itty bitty feets ;)

By Static. 27/07/09, 05:07 pm

@Mel: Okay, well, I wasn't gonna name names, but you're pretty much who I was thinking of Razz

I have a beautiful one of you from the ball though - I think I said something dumb, or Na smacked my ass or something? You giggled, and it was gorgeous!

Rationally like? Hehe. Did you have your pi face on?

**Guest** Guest

I mean it's not that I have an emotional reaction to these photos and declare they are awful. It's that I look at them, quite seriously and calmly and HATE them. Because I have the most appaling photoface sad

By Static. 27/07/09, 05:14 pm

You know, I think I'll accept your challenge. Prepare thyself for stalking.