The last time I was at Dragoncon, I was a different person. It was 2017 and I didn’t know what I wanted from my life, only that cosplay photography was going to be a part of it, because that was the one thing I was sure about. Two years have passed, and I couldn’t be more excited to see what the future holds and I’m thrilled with the present! 2019 has brought a magazine feature, an interview, and clients from around the globe I feel so privileged to have worked with - I can’t wait to see what else is in store! This Dragoncon was a refreshing and grounding experience to have with my camera and the path I’ve chosen to go with it.

Being in Atlanta again was a whirlwind, as is every con lately, it seems; but that’s not a bad thing. Shooting cosplay has become half of my photography career, and a busy weekend is good news! And a busy weekend it was. Well, more like four days. Dragoncon…I forget how nuts you are. The partying was a bit out of my realm after each day of shooting, though I did manage to go out for one night and had a blast with friends while in cosplay. Overall it was a very successful, if not exhausting weekend.

Traipsing through the semi-familiar streets of Downtown Atlanta, I was pleased to find that I saw things differently than I did two years ago. I noticed my eye had changed. I looked at everything differently, looked for harsher shadows or dappled light. I posed my subjects more confidently and bravely. I got to play a little bit with new techniques, and indulge in the moodier, richer side of what I think is a turning point in my work. And lastly and most importantly, I got to work with another amazing collection of people from all around the globe. Toronto, London, Australia…Dragoncon brings cosplayers from all over the world, and I’m stoked I got to work with them.

You know the drill by now - scroll down for the pretty pictures of the awesome people. If you’d like to book me, I shoot on-location in Boston and NYC, and I’ll be at Colossalcon East, Anime NYC, Anime USA, and Holiday Matsuri in the remainder of 2019. You can read about working with me and see when booking opens for those cons here.

You’ve seen this goddess many a time in my spotlights - Alexis (sakythia) is my muse. Her Paya cosplay is perfect as is she. Guys, i love this girl so much. Watching her grow over the years as a cosplayer and person has been amazing to witness  behind and outside of the lens.

You’ll see these two throughout the spotlight, as they’re the unsung heroes of the cosplay world - Amy and Crystina, the owners of Arda Wigs! We had several shoots throughout the weekend showcasing their work. Here they are in their Good Omens cosplays together!

AmieDoubleD was so awesome to meet and work with. She’s a badass female engineer who trailblazes the tech industry with her innovative ideas, and I was stoked to work with her in her Vincent cosplay!

Guys…getting to meet and work with poisonne was amazing. They are a highly experienced model and professional latex designer; this cosplay is made completely of latex with techniques they pioneered themselves. We had a ton of fun with this dramatic lighting, and posing them was like a dream. Bre, you rock!

SartorialJutsu in her Suki cosplay was something else - she hAND SPUN all this yarn. The vibrant texture  and dimension it gave the costume was unprecedented and showed her love for the character truly.

Natasha and Dustin (sewcialistrevolution on IG) were the most amazing Jareth and Sarah. Their couples cosplays are beautifully constructed and they’re both so dedicated to getting the right shot. I absolutely loved working with them for the first time and hope it isn’t the last. These two are special.

el3phantbird’s prosthetic craftsmanship on this was outstanding! And I loved her intense expressions she was serving the camera.

Chewybreadcosplay lookin handsome and relaxed under a tree! Eli is a great guy and talented cosplayer, give him a follow! His smile is contagious.

RamenkingandI in her amaaaazing Arcticuno warrior! Some of the icicles  you see on her costume are made by meticulously dragging hot glue and waiting for it to dry in place.

I always am  happy when I get to work with Lyddidesigns. Lydia has booked me for years now, ranging from things like Sailor Moon to Princess Peach, but I gotta say, she really outdid herself with this Game of Thrones cosplay. Hand-tooled leather and meticulously sourced fabrics make up her gorgeous costume.

Lauren (xaretsayax) is a joy. A total bundle of British joy. Just look at her adorable Jester cosplay lighting up the entirety of Atlanta~

The light was a rich and moody godsend to me and Amy of Arda Wigs during this shoot. Here she is in her original design she recently wore to the Labyrinth event in Las Vegas!

Starbuck.Cosplay is regal and lovely - It was a pleasure getting to work with her for the first time. She was patient and easy to pose. I loved that wig!

Amy and Crystina in their Good Omens Roman cosplays were so soft and tender in front of these pillars at Hardy Ivy. I am seriously so happy with all the shippy stuff I got to shoot this weekend. Cosplay ships are my favorite, and bonus points if you’re an IRL couple! These two were TOO CUTE. I kept yelling that at them aggressively.

Rin is such an expressive Nott from Critical Role. And their makeup was sooo on point! Follow them on ig @ thesmollestnerd

These four INSANELY talented BABES are ivorivet, knit_freak, art_o_fia, and pearlybaecosplay; they’re all cosplaying from the book series The Grishaverse by Leigh Bardugo. These four friends adore these characters and were seriously having the most fun I’ve ever witnessed a group have together. This is what cosplay is about . Having fun. Love y’all!

Lastly, had to sneak in this portrait of art_o_fia in her Grishaverse cosplay. The light was too good to not post it here. ;)

Otakon this year was the best one yet! From past clients to new, I had a blast capturing an array of talent in Washington D.C. Currently I’m booking for Dragoncon and Colossalcon East; shoots start at $150. You can send an inquiry directly to me here and we can set something up!

nihopalaoa

wigseverlasting

DriftingbyStars

Team.Deathmatch

cosmic_sea_turtle

elsewisecosplay

getsetpirouette

DisastertownCos & Appledress

Alana Owlet

heirapparentcosplay

DriftingbyStars

polyjuiced

wottermelons

Colossalcon always felt like a wild cosphotography fantasy to me for years AND YEARS. Each time it would come and go, I’d stare in wonder and envy at these photographs taken in a dusky golden field with soft grasses and long unobtrusive horizons dotted with trees. It looked like everything I ever sought in my own location shoots, but wrapped up in a convention weekend with fun, waterparks, and lots of partying. Well, dang it, I was tired of pining!

It was finally time to make that happen for myself! So I hopped a plane to Ohio from Boston and ended up having the absolute time of my life. Oh, and I def used it as an excuse to party hard because my birthday was earlier that week. Treat yo self. (Spoiler: I did. It was worth it)

I went easy on bookings this time around (though anything feels easy compared to my 25 shoot weekend at Katsucon, oops) and went with the intention to place emphasis on FUN rather than WORK. When you’ve been going to cons as long as I have for JUST work (9 years…) it’s a hard thing to rewire my brain to do. I could have booked more but I told myself I wanted to give con life a try… and boy did it not disappoint.

The rooming situation was rad. I shared a suite with a group of wonderful, talented, supportive girls who mostly all Colossalcon veterans and showed me the ropes…plus they knew how to throw a rad room party to boot. Rooming with them was a dream! It’s always nice when your con rooming situations are secure and peaceful so you can focus on having fun.

I was the first to arrive on Wednesday night at the Kalahari in our giant suite, and the first thing I did after a gross flight was dunk myself in the jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. We’re off to a good start. I wish I had more to tell you but that was essentially it before I plotzed into bed. To be honest I was feeling pretty anxious about Colossalcon; it’s been four years since I’ve been to a new con and I’ve become so used to knowing the ropes that approaching a new landscape felt intimidating. Would I do it justice? What if it rains (spoiler: it really rained) or there arent a lot of spots to shoot? All I’ve seen in the past were the fields and the pool–but Thursday morning I woke up and scouted around to prep myself for the weekend, and the more I saw, the more jazzed I became. There were definitely a lot of fun, unique framing opportunities I could use to make the images my own. Don’t get me wrong. There are still plenty of Ye Olde Colossalcon Field photos, because I didn’t come all the way out here to not do that. But other than that, I’m quite happy with the weekend’s shots!!

ON TOP OF ALL THAT, I COSPLAYED MY BEST BOY WITH SOME RAD PEOPLE!! I am still GLOWING from this and it happened a WHOLE WEEK ago…I can’t believe I got to photograph Final Fantasy XII and cosplay at golden hour in the Colossalcon field. If you know me at all you know how much I love FFXII and this! was! a! dream! come! TRUE!!! My heart is so full!!!! It was such a magical time just chilling in this field surrounded by cosplayers and friends, shooting and posing and goofing off. It was so special to me! 

I roomed with new friends, I made some newer friends, I saw some old OLD friends from high school who I cherish so deeply. At night, I partied hard, laughed a lot, sang and danced, and did it all over again for three more days. I finally understand what a post-con depression is…I kind of wish I could just live at Colossalcon, and I know I share that sentiment with others. Y’all, I am definitely coming back. And you’ll see me at Colossal East too, with a Kalahari cup in one hand and a camera in the other.

For now, here are some of my personal favorite “photographer’s choice” images from the con which are just a handful out of my private bookings, plus one or two for-fun shots because I can’t resist photographing FFXII at sunset… Catch me next at Otakon, booking is now OPEN! ONTO THE PHOTOS!

First up is  _sammills on IG as Bakugou! She had such a striking profile and embodied him so well. She loves him a LOT and it showed. Shoot, she even made me a Bakugou stan by the end of it…

I absolutely adore this expression itsladylillie (IG) was serving me in this dramatic, rainy lighting. This shoot was during the thunderstorm, but we made it work with a trusty umbrella and this spot right next to the lobby awning!

Say hello to Colossalcon’s 1st place Journeyman winner, Balthier! Audrey/Ligerscout (IG) slaved over this beautiful cosplay and I’m so STOKED I got to photograph them in it and hang out with them all weekend doing FFXII shenanigans. SO HANDSOME. We snapped these in-between my private shoots because I couldn’t resist shoving them in those shadows!

I was a bit starstruck when Mica Burton booked with me! She wanted magic hour field photos on Sunday, and I was Big Anxious because beforehand a GIANT angry cloud loomed over us. But it cleared and we got this gorgeous lighting fit for her FFXIV cosplay! She was a dream to work with! Mica hmu when y’all do that sexie Wizard of Oz worbla group LOL #theresnoplacelikecolossalcon

I. am. so. glad. I got to WORK WITH THIS ANGEL!  Mimikobaker and I have been twitter mutuals for ages and getting to photograph her at Colossal was such a highlight. She looks so beautiful in the honeysuckle!

Remember that fiery Bakugou from earlier? Here’s sammills again in another BNHA cosplay! She has this amazing ability to transform.

Bethany of bep.cosplays (IG) serving real sultriness for the camera in her Shuten Douji cosplay! I was super stoked to finally work with her and would love to again! We had fun exploring new ways to frame the poolside perimeter.

How gorgeous radiant lovely beautiful is wannabedeli as her girl Aera?! She is such an angel!!! I guess also literally because Aera dies!! WHY!!! Now I’m sad. But I loved this spot to have a nice formal fullbody of her looking regal and lovely.

When jjpyropi chose me to photograph her legendary never-done-before full Akatsuki group, I was so down. When a lightning storm happened during it, I was…still, somehow, so down. We made it work! Look at them! They’re epic!!!

Meltingmirror serving me sexy demon boy looks *fans self* HELLO??? she was rad to finally work with. I’d seen her work over the years and when she hit me up I was stoked!!!

Commiaownist in his huge Monster Hunter build was a serious treat to photograph during golden hour on Friday. The lighting was so good to us and I had a blast capturing all these incredible details he poured his skill and time into. Just look at that armor weathering and the textures!! AHHHH!

Jackerufu (IG) is so ethereal in his Jaeha cosplay from Yona Valley of the Dawn. I was so happy to finally meet him and hang out - his full group was a labor of love and I was honored to be one of the few to capture it!

How. fricken. cute. is. CHRYSA. AS. PENELO!!!! Im dying. Chrysa (CautiousAmber) is a talented cosplayer and artist - she often is cranking out rad enamel pin ideas for all sorts of fandoms so check her out! We shot this spontaneously for fun while goofing off in FFXII and I’m glad I got to snap a little leisure shot in between bookings. She embodies her so well!

Ravracos split her shoot time with Mimikobaker - even though they weren’t cosplaying from the same series, I don’t mind if two friends split the shoot cost together to still get some rad photos for a fraction of the cost. Her armor and prop work were gorgeous.

Damn, what a weekend! Thanks for stopping by and go give these folks a follow. Again, I’m booking for Otakon now! Grab me while you can!

It’s overwhelming to sit down and write about the best shoot weekend of my photography career (9 years come Anime Boston). There’s honestly a lot to say. But I’m going to do my best, so strap in if you want to read, or scroll down if you want to see the pretty pictures of the rad people. 

25 shoots, three days, 40+ cosplayers, and one amazing convention. My heart and memory cards are full of the many talented creatives that graced my lens over these insane 72 hours. I’m still reeling from it! There is a massive sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that only comes with this type of work I do with cosplayers in specific. I shoot weddings full-time, and that is something I enjoy too, don’t get me wrong. But this is a whole different beast. 

Cosplay Photography is what I really love. Working with cosplayers is what I love. Making people happy with my images of their hard work and years of talent and months of crafting and sewing and pricking themselves with needles or accidentally burning themselves with a glue gun… when I can make them feel so great and make it all feel worth it, it fulfills me in a way nothing else does. I’ve found my niche and I’m endlessly, endlessly grateful to this community for allowing me to flourish and grow. I learn something every con. I’m endlessly fascinated by photography and the way my eye is always changing.

I cannot imagine my life without doing cosplay photography. I really, really can’t.

I think of the 14 year old girl I was at my first con, Animazement 2006, posing with my chocobo plushie and Kyle Herbert (DBZ’s narrator VA) and I think of the woman I am now, and I think 14 year old me would be stoked to know this is how she immersed herself into the con scene. Although, I think 14 year old me would have one criticism… “Cosplay more!”

So I did! And I’m going to. Watch out world. WATCH OUT. 

I was Prompto this weekend from Final Fantasy XV. Anyone who knows this massively popular game knows he’s a freckled ray of sunshine, the token comic relief of the group, and …the photographer of their beautiful and heartbreaking journey together. I love him so much, and some friends helped pool together their own Prompto cosplays so I could wear him. team.deathmatch on IG lent me her Prompto vest, and thesistersmischief lent me the accessories and t-shirt. And of course, the drop-dead flawless wig was made by retro.hime/Kait, who is competing in Iron Wig right now. I get by with a lil help from my friends :”“”) I made the pants, which I know doesn’t seem like much, but it involved  custom bleaching, dyeing, and many hours stenciling in some leopard print spots. I ended up feelin’ pretty proud of my work! LET ME HAVE THIS.

I had SOOOOOO much fun as Prompto (so. much. FUN.) . I didn’t shoot much in cosplay because I move and jump around a lot and mobility/comfort is key. But rest assured I’ll be cosplaying him a lot more, and thank you all who complimented me…it means a LOT, considering I never cosplay. When I looked in the mirror and loved what I saw, I felt like 14-year old me again, trying on Thief Rikku in the hotel room with my mom who took me to Animazement for my birthday weekend. :’) It was nice to feel that way again. Blonde FF characters are my brand…

Sam (sam_saturn) was the bEST and did a shoot with me of my Prompto which was SO SWEET and I really love them!! THANK YOU SO MUCH SAM!!! I FEEL VERY CUTE AS POMPO.

Onto the con!

Katsucon is a con I have a love-hate relationship with (lifts mic out to the audience of other photogs who yell in agreement). The ‘hate’ really just comes from the crowds, as I’m sure others can share the sentiment, but the Love outweighs it all tenfold. Especially this year. I had the time of my life here while still managing to shoot the most I’ve ever booked (and if I can curb myself, most I ever will book, cuz I dont wanna do that again LOL)!

 I decided for the first time ever to really, really make an effort to socialize - I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve spent the majority of these nine years not going to cons, but simply booking, shooting, and heading back to the airbnb/hotel. Cons have been strictly work for nearly a decade for me (LORD it’s scary to say that LOL what is time). Yet in this decade of work I’ve met the most amazing, compassionate people. People who make me laugh, people who support me, people who share my work with others and refer them to me. Nine years of culminated contacts and experience gave me a vast network of cosplayers to reach out to and make a connection beyond just twenty minutes in front of a camera. 

Thursday night I was 1920’s Prompto with team.deathmatch and heirapparentcosplay as 1920’s Cindy and Luna and it was a dapper time. Friday I didn’t cosplay, and also didn’t eat until 6pm, so like, that was fun (read: dumb). However I DID get to hang with Liz (comiclz) who I met for the first time and it was AWESOME I love her. Then I died because I had nine shoots that day.

 Saturday I rose from the dead for another day of nine shoots. I can’t remember what day Security told me to get off the bar for the laying-down-on-the-floor shots but they gave up after the first time and I was spotted by several people doin’ the Thing LOL. Listen, I have a brand, I gotta keep on brand, okay? I’m a simple woman. I see a subject, I put them on the goddamn floor.

 I was saved TWICE this weekend by an actual angel who brought me food and water and made sure I was taken care of - ruffledquillpen, thank you SO much. BIG SHOUTOUT TO HER!!!! I AM ALIVE BC OF THIS HUMAN BEAN. I am also stupid and need to Chill with my scheduling and limit my shoots next year. My soul is in the gaylord fountain, resting with Danny Devito cardboard cutout. 

And this year I didn’t just hang with cosplayers. I hung with photogs too! With some recent happenings in the cosplay community with photographers abusing their position, I wanted to pool together a little outing with female photographers in the cosplay community. Cosplay is so female-centric, fandom is so female-centric, and photography is perceived as something very male-centric, which is a stereotype I’m always trying to change. It was a spontaneous decision on Wednesday before the con to try and get together with other female togs, which I know is hard when we all have shoots and 874535 other things to be doing with 358397539857 other people. But it ended up being such a serendipitous and wonderful last-minute get together. 

On Saturday at 5, I met up with Sam (sam_saturn), Solita (solitadelacruzphotography), and Ayden (solaris.studios) at Starbucks and we geeked out over our clients and shoots and cosplayers and it was WHOLESOME. Next time I’d really like to set aside a real block of time and do a dinner or coffee date with more of the female togs!! I had such a great time talking afterwards with Sam as well, and look forward to stuff we have planned together for the near future. We went to Grace’s Mandarin for their amazing happy hour and had hot sake and sushi…honestly one of the highlights of my con! Good talks, good food, good sake…GOOD TIMES. I’d love to make it a mini thing at other cons too. Ladies, where you at!

Since last year I’ve started connecting with other female togs in the wedding industry and so transitioning that into cosplay, which has been such an intrinsic part of my life for so long, would be so cool. I hope to keep doing stuff like this in the future!!?!?!  It was great also to see Sarah (sorairo_days), Amie (amiephotos), Lisamarie (ethereous), Alex (Alexandra Lee Studios) and meet Emily (yoemilyrey)! LADIES, YOU’RE AWESOME, KEEP KILLIN IT!!! I’d love to interact more with female cosplay photographers (gender is a social construct so whatever, take that as you will). 

I had so much fun connecting with other ladytogs, that I’ve made a small FB group for professionals and hobbyists to join so we can organize get-togethers at cons, shoot days, and discuss technique/ask for help/anything under the sun. Please feel free to join. I hope to see more folks and interact soon! I know cons are so busy…but we always have time for coffee. And if you don’t, you need to make some, because you gotta breathe. 

I’m still reeling from a weekend of 25 booked shoots (including the two giveaway winners). This was the most packed weekend I’ve ever booked (why do I say that after every Katsu), which was great but also I’m planning on toning it down big time next year. I like to limit myself to 15-18 at most, but it’s so hard to turn away some applications I get in and past clients I adore working with. Plus, Katsu is so beautiful! It’s too seductive to say no to shooting! AHHH! 

Onto the client spotlight! This is a fraction of my bookings over the weekend of some of my personal “photographer’s choice” photos that I love. I know that’s what you’re here for so let’s GOOOO! 

Hello HANDSOME.First up is suchamantis on twitter/IG! MK is cosplaying  Percival De Rolo from Critical Role. I don’t CR, but I’ve shot a couple of these cosplays and I have to say, these cosers are some of my faves. Their energy is just so infectious and the cosplays are always gorgeous. This is honestly and truly one of my most favorite cosplay portraits to date.

Sakizou! Sakizou! Gimme all the Sakizou! Giraffe_cos on IG booked her Sakizou Sleeping Beauty with me. I saw these shadows on the Gaylord entrance sign, and decided to play. I love the result!

Tanya…where do I start with this BABE?  Tanya (minacoleta) had never had a photoshoot before this. They expressed how anxious they were beforehand…but I took ONE shot of them and showed them the back of camera and they were like “oh”. Yeah, you’re killin it. THAT MAKEUP….GOD….

I loved tobirion(twitter)’s Cloud! I had fun with this background. Katsucon’s locations are soooo versatile for all sorts of cosplays, and this was like, the one variety shot I feel like I got amidst a con of marble and trees LOL.

Alana! Alana!! I love Alana. We’ve worked together for YEARS now. She forgot how much I LOVE Final Fantasy (idk how) and almost didn’t book this with me because she knows my brand is flowy stuff but I’m SO GLAD she did because UHHH …LOOK AT THIS. Topaz Carbuncle from FFXIV.

More FF? More FF. When Day/heirapparentcosplay told me she wanted to do a Luna and Gentiana shoot from FFXV, I couldn’t wait. I just finished this game a month ago and SO MANY TEARS. She and her Gentiana (starlithearts on twitter) were just STUNNING together. I wanted to capture their tragic and beautiful bond in this composition.

OTP shoots? OTP shoots. Appledress and Disastertowncosplay as Robin and Chrom from Fire Emblem. Tori (appledress) loves this ship more than life and I was SO happy to do this for them. They’re soooo cute!

It isn’t a good con without Alexis on my schedule tbh. And getting to shoot her twice? Thank GOD. Alexis is one of my favorite humans. I met her last year when I shot her Kida at Katsu and she made my entire con with her radiance. Here she is as Princess Yue from Avatar. IG: sakythia

When JediManda sent me a shoot application I nearly fainted. I’ve followed her work for years. She’s an icon to me, and I adore watching what she and Alex (alexandra lee studios) create together. Getting to meet her was SO rad. Here she is in her iconic Anastasia ballgown. I loved loved loved working with her…it was her first Katsu!!

Lindseycreeps as Poison Ivy killin’ it in front of my lens! I always love working with her. She’s such a babe and always bringing something rad to the table in the cosplay realm.

Mel (riotswimbananas on IG) booked her Rift Herald cosplay with me and BOY OH BOY, WAS THE LIGHT GOOD TO US HERE OR WHAT? I was geeeeeking out over these shots. She looks SO EPIC!!! Big thanks to Maya for assisting, couldn’t have done it without you!

RaeScales and her group of nine girls as Sunset Dragon’s mermaid Eeveelutions was a wild ride filled with a killer combo of gorgeous babes + creative powerhouses. I haven’t had a group this big at Katsu in years but we killed it! THANK YOU LADIES! I loved the energy and teamwork you brought to my shoot!!!

thegeekyseamstress was the loveliest Sailor Moon! I love shooting Sailor Moon cosplayers because their makeup is always flawless and they’re an encyclopedia of poses. She was a joy to meet and work with. I love this spot for photos, if you can’t tell.

O hello again Alexis. She got that good-kush magic hour light which can be both VERY FINICKY and also INCREDIBLE. We shifted around this one shrub like 6 times til we found that perfect spot. Look at her! SHE’S RADIANT as Nadia from Arcana.

Cee (team.deathmatch) in her Blue Mage FFXIV cosplay. Yes. Give me all the FF’s. Wow, I shot a lot of FF this con. I am NOT mad about it. I def wanted to showcase Cee’s beautiful cape in this shot. I love the lining.

knit_freak_cosplay (IG) in her Sakizou Snow White! Isn’t her profile just gorgeous?! I love the sleeves on this cosplay too. The light was sooo good to us here. It was my first time working with her and I hope to again!

Sakizou Marathon WADDUP. I can always count on Jess  (animelayer.cosplay on IG) to bring something fabulous to me and she never disappoints. This is Sakizou’s Muscat Queen which we have deemed GRAPE LORD. Mood. Now I want some wine. Riesling plz.

MK again because I love this shot - another OTP photo! It made MK so giddy to have shots of this Critical Role ship of Percival and Vexhalia .

Here is disastertowncosplay in his Chrom from Fire Emblem doing an obligatory cape toss. Okay but look at that lining tho. I love this spot for photos because it’s unconventional but still poses a nice composition.

I am so sad I didn’t get a photo of Tabby (sailortabbycat) stepping on me as Aquanort… isn’t she a babe? She braved the cold cold cold Saturday weather for these but I think it was worth it. I LOVED her Aquanort, the silhouette she did for it is just perfection.

Kaimitsu in her Sakizou Knight cosplay was lucky enough to get that good kush magic hour light and I definitely am in love with this shot with the golden light, the gold on her cosplay, and the gold/black lines on the marble. This is one of my favorite shots of the entire con.

I will be booking for ANIME BOSTON next. Booking opens on MARCH 1ST. Shoots will start at $125. Follow me on IG, chezphotocosplay, for updates. 

That’s a wrap, my friends. Katsucon 2019 was seriously a milestone in my career. And no, I’m not exaggerating when I say career. If it weren’t for cosplay, I wouldn’t be a full time photographer. I owe every ounce of my love to all of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. THANK YOU!!! I cannot wait to cosplay more this year and attend many more conventions!! This is the start of something really great.

For now though, I really need to clean my room…

XOXOXOXOXO

RILEY

Woah, it’s been a hot second since a blog post.

Otakon just happened this past weekend in downtown DC for its second year there, after being a longtime runner in Baltimore. But whether here or there, Otakon stands true to one thing: IT’S HOT.

But despite the trepidation about the temps, I was still looking forward to it. This is my third Otakon and last year I really enjoyed the versatility offered in downtown DC for locations immediate to the con. Even though the heat was a bit of a limitation for both myself and my clients, we still got some amazing images which you can see and read about below.

I’m from Boston so my trip to DC was yet another 9 hour bus ride, but actually it barely felt like 9 hours at all. We pulled into DC around 6pm on Thursday and I stumbled blearily into the Embassy Suites to be greeted by–wait what–free happy hour?! 

Yeah, this hotel ruled. I had a tequila sunrise that definitely lifted my spirits. 

This year I was also #blessed with a solid rooming situation. I found these two girls through the Otakon 2018 FB group and they ended up being super chill, friendly, and respectful. 10/10 would room with again.  After a much needed shower I met up with Cee of Ruinous Cosplay for a chat and before I knew it, it was dark out and I still hadn’t gone to scope out for any new locations! So off I went. To get all sweaty again.

Whatever.

I noticed on my taxi ride to the hotel that the library across the street from the con was under construction. That wasn’t a huge deal for me, but it did make me wonder about the  cos/tog crowds being denser in more desirable shoots areas. I was right. It definitely was cramped. But y’know what? If I can do Katsucon every year and get the images I do, I could do this. 

Here’s the thing about shooting cons with me: It takes me about half a day to figure out a formula of sorts. When I figure out that formula, I stick to it. Often that means clients are taken to the same places and there is some similarity among finished images. But that really doesn’t bother me; people aren’t paying me for my photos to be different from everyone else’s who also book with me. They’re paying for strong images, and if a spot works, I’m gonna plant my butt there and shoot.

Cons do not give time for me to casually experiment. My shoots are short and I need to know what works and what doesn’t and every year it’s a grab bag with weather, crowds, etc. Even Katsucon, I con I could walk through with my eyes closed, makes me anxious because you never know what the new year is going to bring in terms of crowds and weather that can completely thwart an entire weekend of packed shoots. So once I feel out a con vibe, I discover some new shots and angles for trustworthy locations (could be as generic as I Like This Building or as specific as I Like This Shadow in This Corner at 2pm Let’s Go There). Then, it’s smooth sailing for the most part! 

 Usually I try to limit myself to no more than 15 shoots a con, but I overbooked and Saturday I had nine shoots instead of my planned five (oops). Thankfully, I paced myself with one shoot every hour on the hour for the first half of the day, followed by a few back-to-backs to tie it up. In the middle of it all, Cee brought me some food, which really really made my day, lol. The last time I had a helper at a con to make sure I didn’t plotz was Katsu 2016. I forgot how nice it is to just have someone bring you a sandwich lmao. Cee is the real MVP (and now I have discovered Potbelly’s delicious shakes?!). 

Oh, and I even cosplayed myself too! I was Princess Garnet from Final Fantasy IX with Disastertowncosplay’s Zidane (he won Best Journeyman for it!), and on Sunday I did a quick chill shoot with my darling Heir Apparent Cosplay as Draco with her Hermione. We both shot with Marie Newby Photography and I’m looking forward to seeing what she captured, even though I’m reeeeeeeally not easy to photograph, lol. Honestly? I don’t know how you cosplayers do it. Sure, I have someone who is new to shoots from time to time but even then, it’s hard to find someone in this community who is Bad in front of the camera. 

I briefly ran into Adoyible Photography/Molly while we were both shooting in the (lovely) Henley Park Hotel. I had never met her before and we ended up chatting for a bit after some shoots and she said something really interesting that struck with me: When doing regular portraiture, people are so much more reserved. It’s hard to bring them out. But in cosplay, people are so open. So receptive and eager to portray. It’s as though being in costume allows people to bloom in front of a camera. And I thought that was a really beautiful thing Molly brought up. I do really love that about what I do. 

A quick ending note: With my wedding photography business picking up, I see cons being on the backburner for me, but I truly owe so much - if not, everything - to credit to cosplay for how I’ve grown as a photographer and a professional. No, really. I owe everything to this community from the bottom of my heart. And although I desperately want to go to more cons for fun now, and less for work, I’m not sure where to start. It’s ironic; I’ve spent 8 years shooting cosplay but when I want to dip my toe in the community myself, I feel a little intimidated and lost and timid. So, to counter that and hopefully connect with people in a way that I can have some fun at cons too and make new friends, I’ve finally made an FB for cosplay folks to add me! Please do, I would love to connect!! 

Now, onto the photos! These are a select showcase of a fraction of my bookings. Please give these cosplayers a follow. And connect with me too, on IG at chezphotocosplay!

-Riley

Up first is Appledress in her Mae cosplay from Fire Emblem! She was the perfect mix of sweet n sassy all wrapped in (a lot of) pink. Also, she won third place in Journeyman division for this! Congrats!

Sorry if there are typos I’m trying to type through my tears streaming down my face at how beautiful Heir Apparent Cosplay/Day is. She booked her Wedding Lunafreya at Katsucon with me but I would never say no to shooting this again. Her radiance emanates whenever she puts on a cosplay. Day always cosplays characters she LOVES with all her heart and it shows.

Okay I love this gal. I’ve worked with Alana Owlett for years now, and even though we don’t get to hang out outside of shoots, she just GETS me. Working with her is like butter. She is so seamless to pose. Also her mom is sweet and I’m sad I didnt get to say hi. Here’s a shot of her as Katara (Hannah Alexander vers).

Cee! I love Cee. I met her last year at Otakon when she cosplayed Prompto and since then she’s become my FAVE Promptie. This year she and her sister brought Alphinaud and Alisae from FFXIV and I will never say no to photographing beautiful elf people in the dappled sunlight. Check her out at ruinous cosplay on FB and team.deathmatch on IG!

Hello um Alexis is my queen. Here she is as Nadia from The Arcana. I met Alexis (Sakythia on IG) at Katsucon this year when we shot her Kida cosplay and when she reached out again there was no way I was gonna miss the opportunity. Her grace and regal aura showing through when she wears Nadia translates beautifully to the camera. Follow her!

Aw! Here is DisasterTownCosplay as Zidane from FFIX. He won first place Journeyman for this! Check out his twitter and IG for in-depth photos and explanations on his processes. I met him this year at Katsu when we shot his (also first place winner) Balthier.

Here is Day as Luna once again, this time a more conceptual version. Luna means a lot to Day and she wanted a shoot that encompassed Luna’s death scene in FFXV. So with some helpers tossing the sides of her nightgown and this glowing wall, we had some fun with fabric movement.

How cutie patootie is AnxiousArtemis/Sarah in her Critical Role cosplay? And how crazy is it that her gloves match her face paint color? I loved this cute character and just in the ten minutes we worked together we got some great shots.

Look at this tired royal good son. I saw Zeikani on the Otakon FB page looking for a ‘tog, and when I saw how excited and thrilled she was with her finished Noctis cosplay, I knew I wanted that enthusiasm in front of my lens. She did not disappoint! I love her Noctis and it meant a lot to me that she loved this cosplay so much.

Thank you CosmonautCosplay for being my only Sakizou light in this tunnel of Sakizouless darkness at Otakon (but really, where are all my Sakizous at?!). Her makeup was amazing and she was such a sweetheart. I’m so glad we finally got to work together!!!

Blue.IrisCosplay as Bee from the Bee and Puppycat finale in this rad spinny shot. Would you believe we got this on the first try? Hell yeah. Also those eyeballs are real apparently. no contacts here. Dang.

Remember that cute blue Critical Role coser a few shots up? Here is AnxiousArtemis again slaying my life as Black Cat. I loved how fun she was to pose and the hints of black marble throughout made this a fun shot to do.

Aw! How cute and poofy is allhailtheanimator as Sakura? I am so glad she booked this with me! She is always making something grand. I love the colors and volume here, and her makeup.