You know what would be fucking awesome? A photographer who cosplayed as a photographer from a game or anime. Todd from Pokémon Snap maybe? There are probably cooler ones. Max from Dark Chronicle/ Dark Cloud 2?

>>4980241
>A photographer who cosplayed as a photographer from a game or anime. Todd from Pokémon Snap maybe?

Believe it or not, I actually do have a image of Todd from Pokemon Snap during Otakon 2009. But it's part of a group shot. I should really start to take individual photos of costumes I like.

o hai

photo student here. I like to shoot photos of cosplayers whenever I got to a convention. occasionally I'll come here and give newbie photographers tips on how to make their pictures better.

I don't cosplay myself, though you may have seen me running around otakon wearing a horse mask.

If you're going with a lot of gear, an assistant helps, if only to deal with moving the lightstand.

Goddammit, I wish I knew people who would assist for an entire con.

>>4980264

wish I was half enough pro to have real shoots. It'd be even nicer if I could afford a camera better than a lolrabal, but you work with what you've got.

I think something a lot of con-shooters mess up on (not actual photographers, but people just taking pictures) is, they'll frame their shot so there's a gigantic window right behind the subject. it results in having what is, essentially, a giant blown-out white brick behind your subject that draws the eye away from what you want people to see.

>>4980258
I remember seeing you with a horse mask during Otakon 2011. I didn't got a chance to take a image of you sadly.

>>4980271

Just ask for a bit of time and show your work on a phone/leatherbound port.

wow these photos suck

can't you invest in a new camera?

>>4980279


>invest in a new camera
>better photos

-9/10

>>4980279
Which ones? Mine or the other people who replied in the thread?

>>4980271

for instance, this picture would probably have been 10x times better if I'd had the Daft Punks turn around and I stood facing the second level, rather than the street. the windowlight completely draws attention from the subjects.

>>4980272

excellent!

>>4980279

some of the most iconic photos in history were taken with beaten-up film SLRs that you probably couldn't pay someone to take off your hands.

besides, like I said, student.

>>4980272

do you have any recordings of this year's /cgl/ meet up at Otakon by any chance, jkid?

>>4980271
Just walk up to people and ask if they want to shoot.

rabal is fine. Lenses are kind of important but lighting even more so. Hauling a softbox/umbrella with you for shooting opportunities in the halls is a pain though.

>>4980288
yours of course. are you going to buy a DSLR soon?

>>4980293
Yes, and they will not be released to the public. I already told them about it the first time they asked.

Speaking of cosplay photography, there is another thing I do called convention vidtography, and I have hours upon hours of recorded footage of conventions.

>>4980302
>yours of course. are you going to buy a DSLR soon?

I knew you're going to say that. Not anytime soon. I usually cosplay while being a cosplay photographer and rather prefer cameras that you can put into a belt clipable pouch than one that I hang from my neck or carry all the time.

Besides I do this for fun, not for serious business.

>>4980307
that's a real shame, jkid. they would probably turn out great. you have great talent dude. keep it up! :)

>>4980307

I'm still kinda piss about that camcorder shit at Otakon bro

>>4980312
Do a google image search on "micro four-thirds"

There's some damn small DSLRs now.

>>4980353

>digital single lens reflex
>micro 4/3

You mean cameras with relatively big, quality sensors can be small nowadays. Just as expensive though.

I have a question:
Are there any specific lenses you use for shoots, or cons in general?

>>4980271
What most con photographers actually mess up is sidling up to the cosplayer, quickly snap a picture and walk away. If it was taken indoors I can guarantee half of them come out blurry.

Have the courage to ask the cosplayer for a pose, hold the camera steady and take at least a few photos to ensure one of them comes out ok. Look at the screen to see if the first came out right or wrong and adjust if necessary.

>>4980284
Most con photographers have no desire to learn the arcana of photography and for them idiotproof cameras is exactly what they want. Nowadays there are very cheap compact cameras with stabilization and good low light handling, so if somebody is thinking of switching, just do it.

>>4980355
Protip: 99% of the people out there think DSLR means "interchangeable lenses." Even though I know this is clearly wrong, I go with common usage.

They'd get even more confused if I drew the line between actual fourthirds dslr and micro fourthirds. If you feel it's your solemn duty to go around correcting people while adding nothing, by all means, go for it.

>>4980380

Of course I added something.
>relatively big, quality sensors can be small nowadays. Just as expensive though.

But thanks for your concern.

>>4980351
So what dude? You're at Con. You should have been expected to be recorded by someone at the Con. It's freedom of speech and expression.

Sometimes I pretend I have poor English and point to my camera excitedly. They usually get the message

>>4980373
I think what that anon meant was that equipment is no fix for a feel for actually taking pictures. There's so many "photographers" running around cons with $2k lenses and can't even be assed to have decent composition.

It's one of those deals where the high-end stuff is going to be wasted on you until you develop the basic skills. I mean, sure you can grow into your equipment, but you'll spend more time at the beginning trying to figure out your own gear than you will taking pictures. I mean, it's like thinking that giving a shitty driver an extra 200 horsepower will make them a bigger driver; it won't, it'll just make the crashes more depressing.

>>4980241
I saw someone do that at Sakuracon '10. He wasn't really a "con photographer" but he did take pretty nice photographs.

I convinced my sister to do con photos since 99% of what I've seen is total shit and overpriced at that. People don't know what good photography- they see photos taken with a good photograph and consider it good, despite the lighting and composition. I think she can get a lot of business.

>>4980390
>It's freedom of speech and expression.

Recording is freedom of speech and expression? Are you a goddamn retard or something? Maybe, you could claim it's freedom of the press. Of course, if that extends into a private venue for which admission is paid... derp.

It's alright, I'm sure you have an excellent understanding of the 1st amendment from cable TV.

>>4980401

>>4980406
>>4980390
most conventions have something posted somewhere on site and probably in small print in something you had to go through earlier to get your badge that you may be recorded at any time. i can't remember the exact wording but the gist of it is that your presence is your implicit agreement allowing that.

also you can be photographed/recorded at any time in public places, unless specifically posted or asked by the operators of the establishment. this does not apply to places where you are expected to have privacy like the stall of a bathroom or a changing room, however.

Cosplay photographer here.

I think you could say that I'm fairly experienced, so if maybe you have any questions, I can try to answer them for you.


I just came home from Connichi (German Convention). This was the first time I could try out my new lens, a Samyang 35mm f/1.4 and I loved it!

>>4980511
Yeah, that's a given. It just annoys me to no end when somehow people transliterate "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." into "I can do/say whatever the fuck I want and nothing can do anything about it."

Law does not work that way. Stop it.

>>4980576
How fast can you MF with it and do you use it wide open a lot of the time? How's the DOF? I guess it's a little more forgiving than my 85 1.4 is because of the focal length but I've never considered it for on the go shooting at a convention

>>4980623
It takes some time, but I'm getting faster with every shot. I'm using the Canon EG-S focussing screen, which makes manual focussing a lot easier though.

For portrait shots with only one person I use it wide open.
For shots with two or more people or for close-ups I stop it down to f/4 max.
A big drawback is the manual diaphragm. At apertures smaller than f/4 the viewfinder gets really REALLY dark. At f/22 it's practically impossible to see anything even in brightest day.

DOF is really tricky. In close-up situations at 1.4 the DOF is about 4-5mm at best. Can't compare it to a 85 1.4 though, because I only own a 85 1.8 which I used for full body shots or cosplay skits until now.

The biggest help with this lens is definitely LiveView.

bump

>>4980401
I did this at Sakuracon 2010. There was another one and I think a 3rd.

Female here, Used to cosplay a lot, got into photography and now cosplay occasionally.
Also: I used to take a shitload of photos at convention, but reduced this a lot and now prefer to organize shootings.

I'm also somewhat experienced and offer advice just as my dear squirrel does <3

>>4985329
Good Neru. Best Friend.

>>4985329
Speaking of photo shootings, I usually do attend at least one photoshoot in each convention. Many times I go to multiple ones in the same time period.

This small con is coming up in a couple weeks and I wanted to try doing some photo shoots so I asked around and got four people who I'm going to shoot for free. It's my first time, I have no idea what I'm doing and the camera I'm using is just a Nikkon coolpix. They know that, so it's all good, but I'm going to feel really stupid trying to figure out angles, lighting, poses and all that jazz. Kind of nervous... I have no idea why though...

Anymore tips for point and click congoers?

>>4988162
Get a DSLR already, there's no reason why you shouldn't.

>>4988298
Not anytime soon. I still cosplay while being a photographer.

>>4988162
I'm going to assume only the most basic knowledge of photography and keep it simple.

General tips:
Take several pictures, try different angles and don't hesitate to ask cosplayers to move to a better spot. Look at how pictures come out in the viewfinder. Avoid flash if possible, few people look good when exposed to a flash fixed to a camera. But if you are a rotten photographer, go ahead, the ultimate point is to have viewable pictures.

Outdoors:
Avoid filming with the sun in the background or in the face of people. Wigs are tricky, they often reflect light brightly, and due to their size also shade large parts of the face. Potentially you end up with a face where one half shines bright while the other half is dark. In many ways cloudy weather or shaded spots are ideal for beginners. Avoid dappled shades you get under some trees.

Cont...

Indoors:
The relatively weak light often leads to blurry photos. Keep your camera as still as possible. Cosplayers should be still and avoid poses that require balancing or tension to maintain. The light in the ceiling can give photos anything from a red to a green tint (many point and shoots can compensate if you wanna check the manual). If you find neutral lights, ambush cosplayers there. Don't take photos with a big window or other source of strong light in the background. Cosplayers in the foreground will come out dark while the background comes out excessively bright. Do take advantage of window light by taking photos from an angle where it shines in from the side.

Stages:
Counterintuitively you should choose a preprogrammed setting that compensates for strong light (still, always good to learn how to manually change ISO, aperture etc). The background is very dark but the person up there is illuminated by stagelights, so cameras tend to overexpose faces into a shiny white blob. Get seats as close to the stage as possible. The more you zoom, the more sensitive the camera becomes to shakes. Don't try to film moving people, they'll come out as a wavy blur. Wait until they stand still (to cosplayers, remember to pose unmoving for 5-10 seconds under the lights, don't walk off immediately).

Anyway, I've probably forgotten to include some stuff but this is what comes to mind right now.