Cosplay is nothing new and has likely existed since the 1970s. However, the photographic community as a whole doesn’t yet appear to acknowledge costume photography. Cosplay photography is a very new field. Few photographers have given it a go. If you are looking for hints and tips about how to shoot cosplay photography, then you are at the right place.
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Even as a casual pastime, cosplay photography is actually rather enjoyable to accomplish. It won’t come as a surprise, though, if some of the most renowned professional photographers in the world occasionally go out to capture cosplayers as their fame and demand continue to climb. Let’s shed some light on cosplay photography, to explain and tell how to make cosplay come to life.
How do you get good lighting for cosplay?
Here are some tips on how to get good lighting for cosplay:
Use a reflector to bounce light back onto your subject’s face.
Avoid harsh light sources like direct sunlight.
Experiment with different lighting setups to see what works best for you.
Quick Camera Settings To Shoot Cosplay
Image Stabilization – On
Aperture – f/1.8 – f/4 (Based on your preference)
ISO – 100 – 400
Shutter speed – 1/25 – 1/250
Flash – Off/On (Based on Preference and Lighting)
White balance – Auto
Image Format – RAW
Contrast Parameter – 0
Exposure Value – 0
How To Shoot Cosplay Photography
There are basic steps to shoot cosplay photography and you have to keep all of them in your mind.
Locating A Place
A snapshot may come to life by choosing the ideal setting for the photo session. You’re not required to stick to simply formal situations. Consider your character and their environment while selecting a setting. Do they hail from a natural environment? Select locations for the ideal photograph using hints from your character’s past.
While there are some fantastic locations there as well, the best pictures are typically taken at off-site locations that you schedule separately from customary conventions. The following are some good starting points for your search:
- Historical sites
- Public parks
- Hiking trails
- Your own backyard
- Public colleges
- The lake or the beach
- Below a bridge
Portrait photography aims at capturing the personality, character, and emotions. It can either be candid or artistic. Portrait photography requires more than just the ability to understand your camera settings, lighting, and composition.
You must also possess the ability to connect with your subjects and capture their unique qualities. So, it is a difficult but rewarding genre of photography.
Click Below to read a comprehensive guide to learning and mastering the art of portrait photography.
Be Mindful Of The Lights
Probably the most crucial element in photography is lighting. You can take quality pictures if you can do this correctly. No matter the situation, a genuine photography expert can make the most of the light. Even if you’re not a pro, you can still learn the fundamentals of taking decent photos.
Three lighting suggestions to remember are:
Prevent Backlight
When the strongest light in the picture is coming from behind you, it is backlit. As a result, you will be visible in the photo only as a shadow or silhouette. If your photographer is skilled, they will still be able to make this into a wonderful image, but if you’re working with a buddy who is inexperienced with photography, you should be aware of this.
Employ Shady Spots
Natural light is great for working with, but if you are right beneath the sun, you will produce unattractive, harsh shadows. Stay in locations with shade and softer lighting.
Plan Early Photo Sessions
Compared to the afternoon, the early light is softer and simpler to work with. Try to organize your photo shoot for before 11 am if at all feasible. While cloudy days are wonderful all day long, it might be difficult to rely on the weather to be cooperative.
Put Together A Situation That Enhances The Character
To achieve this step, you must be familiar with the character you are filming. When photographing a cosplayer who is costumed as Spider-Man for example, you should set the environment such that it fits the character. You just need to find a good position for your subject; you don’t need to ask Spider-Man to scale the wall. You can place them close to the wall and ask them to posture as though they are going to climb.
Pro Tip: If you want your cosplayers to look as real as possible, finding natural light is the best course of action. Windows and entrances can provide natural light if you are filming indoors.
With a Projected Backdrop, Any Environment Is Possible
Using a projected image is a great way to create a backdrop for your shoot. You can try to create the illusion that the model is truly in the scene shown in the background by projecting the backdrop picture onto a screen or wall behind the subject. You can show that a hero is trying to save the world or using his superpowers in the image with a backdrop.
You must make sure that your lighting does not interfere with the picture that is projected onto the screen for such shots (or really, whenever you utilize a projector). Use lighting equipment that emits a more focused beam of light; there are several sorts of this equipment; pick the one that best serves your needs.
Test Different Angles
It is crucial to experiment with angles as always. Take two or three pictures of them from various perspectives if you’re unsure which one suits the cosplay best. You may avoid cutting off the subject’s limb, leg, or head by experimenting with angles. Here’s a tip for angles: determine in advance what a character’s finest quality is.
Make Your Model Look Flattering by Using a Posing Guide
There are several posing manuals created specifically for cosplayers. A few basic guidelines to keep in mind are to avoid placing your arms flat on your body since it will enlarge it, maintain a straight back while shooting a casual photo, and elevate your chin just a little to prevent developing a double chin and to accentuate your jawline. To take candid pictures, get your model to interact with other cosplayers.
In their local communities, many cosplayers are quite involved. As you read this, meetups are taking place all around the world. This is the ideal chance to expand your social network and sharpen your candid photography skills. It’s also a terrific method to get your model’s attention away from the camera and capture lovely pictures of their sincere emotions.
You may capture amazing group pictures of people who are cosplaying as members of the same fictional universe as your model.
Pro Tip: Use a zoom lens to make this look as natural as possible. By doing this, you’ll be able to take a few steps back and capture beautiful pictures from a distance.
You can learn more about the ” What is Monument Photography? Tips to Capture the best shots ” in our article:
Interact With The Subject
You can interact with the subject for different postures and candid shots. Each party’s aim must be clear to and understood by the other. What is the cosplayer trying to achieve by taking on the role? What is the aim? Who is your intended audience? You and your subject may decide how a scene should be conveyed, understood, and photographed by discussing these issues.
Snap Many Pictures
Take as many pictures as you can of as many cosplayers as you can as you go about. Don’t forget to snap many pictures of each cosplayer. You can afterward decide which ones you like. Simply wander around a convention or street festival and approach cosplayers to take pictures for you. When photographers do it, they adore it. They are taught to pose and imitate their favorite characters, after all.
Taking lots of cosplay pictures will enable you to develop a narrative or a theme. Change perspectives and emphasize facial expressions to improve your cosplay photography. A photographer should become adept at using a precise perspective to emphasize the cosplayer’s expression. Allow your cosplay models to be free to explore the imaginary world that you, the photographer, may conjure.
Give them a situation, instruct them to squint their eyes by pulling back only the bottom lid, and you’ve got a shot.
Processing Your Cosplay Photos Afterward
Your cosplay photography should strive to conjure airy pictures rather than realistic ones. Many cosplay photographers have acquired a technique for post-processing that makes their images look strange. Draw ideas from artwork and anime characters to learn how to recreate the mood and feel of a certain universe. And always shoot in RAW, which will offer you greater editing freedom.
Utilize Eye-Catching Props and Lighting to Create Atmosphere in Your Photographs
After selecting a setting, you may further improve it with props and effects. To make your compositions stand out, you might add accessories like imitation butterflies or snow. Your photographs won’t appear overly cluttered if you keep these features discreet. During a photo shoot or in an editing program, you can also add subtle effects. Additional bokeh and vibrant smoke from smoke grenades are two examples of this.
Use inventive photography methods to further enhance the impact of your images. Your cosplay images may be improved with panning, double exposures, and heart-shaped bokeh.
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Tips For Cosplay Photography For Beginners
Avoid Being Intimidated
It’s simple to become overwhelmed by the incredible “Hollywood Quality” costumes people produce if you’re just finding your inspiration on popular cosplay websites. This is especially true when prosthetics are involved. Many skilled cosplayers wind up getting free collaborations from customers to assist them to build such outfits. Not everyone has the resources, the time, or the talent to produce large-scale works of art.
Pose Inquiries
Never be hesitant to strike up a conversation with other attendees at cons, whether you plan to participate or simply watch. It’s OK to approach someone who constructed an amazing costume, offer your congratulations, and inquire about the process. The majority of cosplayers are eager to provide some advice. You will need to take out some of your time and interact with them to make things easier.
Conduct Research
You must research properly before you start with cosplay photography. You should know which models and roles are commonly used in cosplay and what you are about to capture. Different platforms will provide info in such a case. Facebook is fantastic since it allows you to browse reviews of photographers in addition to their prior work. So look through their photographic samples to see whether you would enjoy and pay for their photography services.
FAQ’s
I want to cosplay, should I acquire a ring light?
A phone ring light and a tiny or standing tripod are some additional accessories you may get for your home cosplay studio. Using a tripod eliminates the trouble of having to put your phone up against a stack of books. You may have consistent lighting at any time, day or night, thanks to the phone ring light.