(Now booking: Anime Boston
Next con: Momocon. Booking opens April 7th.) 

I wanted to make a blog post highlighting the biggest group I photographed during Katsucon. On Valentine’s Day, I had the pleasure of shooting this full Love Live group! I have so many good things to say about this experience I had to edit this post like 6 times. 

Despite it being incredibly hectic with the crowds and last minute rush of Sunday con-goers, these girls were truly a pleasure to work with! I really couldn’t get over how synced up they all were with their poses. As a photographer I’m pretty used to telling people what to do in terms of posing, but I didn’t have to at all for them. Right down to the head-tilt and exact poised fingertip, they knew what to do. Which is pretty impressive. 

Another fascinating thing with this big group was the continuity and consistency with these costumes. Everything was so seamless. All the costumes were made of the same material, the flags were super-legit (like, you could hurt someone with those), the boots were adorable, and those CHOCOLATE DRIP HATS ARE TO DIE FOR. So cute!!! AHHH.

Also, again I spend a lot of time looking at people up close while I edit, and I just have to say… These girls know how to do their makeup. Their lashes, their eyebrows, contouring and highlighting, dang… They were all definitely On Fleek, and I need to get some lessons from them.  

I have never worked with a group this large before,  so it was very impressive to see. They were always helping adjust one another’s costumes, guiding each other with poses, it was a great dynamic.

Khamomeal Tea is Kotori

Danielle is Maki 

Saheehee Cosplay is Nico

Lula Cosplay is Umi

 LyddiDesign Costumes is Honoka

Sarah Shortcake is Hanayo

Janvier Cosplay and Crafts is Rin

Betsy Bon Bon is Nozomi

And Coffee Cat Cosplay is Eli!

Can we talk about those awesome smiles?!? You’d think after posing for photos all day before the shoot they’d be so sick of it, and maybe they were, but if that was the case they sure fooled me. They did more smiling in that one hour shoot than I do in a month, which I guess says more about me than them. That’s why I stay BEHIND the lens… Anyway. Anthony, of course, was a great help in being the best flag holder for photos and also for holding literally all the flagpoles when we didn’t need them, and helping me keep track of time while dividing it up among nine people, so thanks again Anth!!!

Did you hear that Katsucon isn’t going to be on Valentine’s Day next year? I have to admit, honestly, I’m a little relieved. I can’t exactly say that my Valentine’s Day with my boyfriend was romantic, with all of the shoots and the five-and-a-half-hour drive in the dark that followed. I know most people are bummed, but I’m not… looking forward to next year!