Guest Photographers

[Admin]

I am looking for a few photographers to be considered as "guest" photographers for 2006. This is not an offer of employment. You will receive reimbursement for your badge/entry fee (up to $50), and massive exposure on the website. You retain all rights to your photos and Cosplay.com will then host them for you on the front of the website.

Basically, as a guest photographer you are your own person, representing yourself at the convention. After the convention, Cosplay.com will set up a gallery for you and publish it on the front of the website. You remain completely independent before, during and after, and can even ask to have your photos removed if you don't want them on the site anymore. There is no further commitment.

This is a perfect opportunity to get your photography noticed worldwide. Currently, my own photos account for only 3% of the images on the site, but around 25% of the photo views. My own photos get a combined 150,000 views per day, give or take, and that is even with the lack of updates as of late. After conventions, that number can sometimes double.

So basically, the major benefit is that you will have an instant and worldwide audience for your photography. What you do from there is up to you. Though I do ask that you do not solicit anyone via the website or under the guise of Cosplay.com.

Photos must be of a quality on par with the photos already on the front of the site. DSLR-quality photos only. You must not be associated with any other cosplay website in any official capacity.

This is also an opportunity to begin a relationship with Cosplay.com, which will likely need to bring in more "official" photographers over the coming months. After a while if I feel comfortable working with you then we can talk about other opportunities.

That being said, if you're interested in talking further please send me a PM. Please note that I am so insanely busy at the moment that it could take a few days for me to respond. Please send a few samples of your photo work, as well as which convention(s) you'd be interested in submitting photos from. I will contact a few people once things calm down over here, and will include further details from there. Thanks for reading.

[The Lord XL]

Wow, this is a really great idea. Then again, you seem to have the knack for them.

Nothing would please me more than to do this. Honestly it is what I had dreamed about, since cosplay.com's photos inspired me to learn to be a photographer several years ago. But I think I am way to young to do this.

[shiroin]

Dear the admin of Cosplay.com,

I will be purchasing better equipments including a new body and lenses and attending conventions (mainly COMIKET 69) in Japan this winter.
I will be able to represent COSPLAY.com and I am highly interested in this offer.

Currently I plan to stay in Tokyo until after COMIKET, and Osaka until I return to school to optimize my convention schedules. During my stay I will have access to atleast half a dozen cons and I plan to atleast attend three excluding COMIKET.
For refrence here are some Japanese Convention Schedules:
http://cure.livedoor.com/event_info/?y=2005&m=12&pg=20
http://cure.livedoor.com/event_info/?y=2006&m=1

For the actual conventionss that I will be attending depends on my decision and other circumstances (other festivals and events because I do other types of photography) when I am in Japan.

Regarding samples of my works, currently I am unable to give you good samples due to school. However, if you allow me a week or few, I can pull out some shots from this summer from several Japanese cons.

The photographs in my current member gallery are works that were done months ago and does not represent my current abily of photography. The photographs were also processed in a falsely calibrated monitor which makes the end result overly yellow on normal monitors.

As a closing remark, if you are more interested in exosures in North American conventions, I will be able to attend and to represent cosplay.com in those while I attend an American university next year. (Early decision application for Columbia University pending status, wish me best luck!)

If you are interested please contact me via e-mail, because I will be inactive due to upcoming school exams.

Regards,

Ching-Yen (Ricky) Pai

[Shiro MS08th]

Dear Admin,

I would like to apply for the position as a guest photographer for Cosplay.com in the year 2006. I am confident that I have the qualities and abilities that is required for this offer.

I am residing in Singapore, where cosplay conventions and events are rather active, with at least 2 major conventions a year (Cosfest and the annual end-of-year event) and a lot more other smaller events, as well as numerous shoots and gatherings throughout the year. I am very flexible with my timing and will be able to attend and provide a through coverage for all the confirmed events as listed above.

I am currently using a DSLR with a few lenses and an external flash.
Full list of equipment:
1) Nikon D70
2) AF 85mm f/1.8D
3) AF 50mm f/1.8D
4) AIS 135mm f/2.8
5) AF-S 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5
6) SB800

Some pictures from my portfolio.
Mainly cosplay ones, some gothic or just people pictures.
(Full portfolio here (http://photobucket.com/albums/d169/ShiroAngYeongHui/).)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d169/ShiroAngYeongHui/People/2.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d169/ShiroAngYeongHui/People/5.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d169/ShiroAngYeongHui/People/7.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d169/ShiroAngYeongHui/People/11.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d169/ShiroAngYeongHui/People/17.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d169/ShiroAngYeongHui/People/20.jpg

However, I have upgraded on my equipment and will be capable of doing better works as those in my portfolio.

I’ve been in the cosplay field as the photographer for around 1 year or so.
Know a number of cosplayers/organizers and well some of them become my good friends!
And the photoshoots are taken place around the whole year.
Either private or public ones posted on the local cosplay forums.

Given the opportunity, I may also be able to travel to neighboring countries such as Malaysia for a more complete coverage.

If you are interested please contact me via e-mail, I don't check forum much lately.

Yours sincerely,
Shiro Ang Yeong Hui

[stefaniecat]

You know... I hope we get bonus points for following directions...

:square:

[Ami Yuy]

Wow, this sounds awesome, and a dream come true...but I don't think I'm up to the level to even apply yet. ;_;

[J Ryoga]

Is there a minimum for the number of photos you're looking for at each convention?

[The Lord XL]

I got rejected T_T Oh well, I did not plan on getting in anyway, because of my age. Two more years people!! ^_^

Good luck to everyone else.

[Admin]

Is there a minimum for the number of photos you're looking for at each convention?
I look at the body of work as a whole and not at the number of photos. That being said, more quality photos = more chance of being asked back. :)

I guess the only thing I would advise is that if you are being comped a badge for the entire weekend, at least get a good cross-section from each day, or whenever the bulk of the cosplay takes place (in the case where nobody is cosplaying on a Friday).

For everyone: All I have done so far is contact the people who definitely cannot qualify (age, etc) and I plan on deciding on a couple of immediate people over the next week. I am starting this out small (4-6 galleries per month max) until I can gauge how popular this is. If the site visitors show a lot of interest in it, then I will likely expand it to include as many galleries as possible.

I'd basically like to take the focus of the front of the site away from "when is Kyle going to get his next gallery finished" and allow other photographers to show off their visions of cosplay from all around the world. My own time is best spent doing occassional editorial-style photoshoots in between all of the correspondence I have to work on lately for the site.

[J Ryoga]

I look at the body of work as a whole and not at the number of photos. That being said, more quality photos = more chance of being asked back. :)

Cool. Thanks!

[Admin]

I got really busy and had to move the contacts back to after the holiday. Sorry for the delay everyone.

[shiroin]

I got really busy and had to move the contacts back to after the holiday. Sorry for the delay everyone.
after the holiday meaning after american thanksgiving?

i should prob submit some samples for you then ^^

[Captain Gundam]

I got rejected T_T Oh well, I did not plan on getting in anyway, because of my age. Two more years people!! ^_^

Good luck to everyone else.


hey XL brought up a good point. whats the age requirement?

[Lolita_Leah]

Hi,
I am available to do photoshoots at UK events :) or private photoshoots. I have a digital SLR and studio lighting gear.
Leah x

[Ollie]

I've got my own site to pimp, but this is a nice oppertunity for those who want to get noticed but not their own site. Best of luck to applicants, and best of luck to Kyle on this endeavour.

[deleriumx]

i am assuming this offer is no longer available, but can anyone tell me for sure?

[staereo]

send admin a pm, its still open, admin has been busy. ^.^

[gmontem]

Thanks for bumping this thread or I would have never noticed this.

[Cynthia]

I need to break down and get my digital already.

[The-Real-Link]

I'd love to apply for this position but sadly I have not ventured into DSLR territory as of yet. Maybe in another year or two though.

[deleriumx]

i left a PM to admin but no reply yet! that's ok, i'll still be taking tons of photos in the meantime!

[staereo]

hehe he's not had the opportunity to reply to anyone's pms.. he's busy atm.. he posted about that a bit above all of this. ^.~

[stefaniecat]

I'd love to apply for this position but sadly I have not ventured into DSLR territory as of yet. Maybe in another year or two though.

Didn't realize DSLRs were required - after all, EBK shoots with a Digicam, proving to me its the photographer not the equipment.

[staereo]

I wasnt aware they were required either, but I use a dslr anyways. The fact of the matter is, you cannot deny that better equipment improves the potential output of the photographer. Equipment does not hand talent to a photographer, but two photographers with equal talent, the one with better equipment has more creative control. If one's ability is capped where the control of a digicam top off, then its not going to help to get a dslr. However, it IS possible that you outgrow the functional limitations of your equipment and look for more versatile equipment to raise the ceiling to what you are able to do with the talent you already have.

Buuuut, this thread has little to do with this topic, so Ill just leave this topic at that. I think theres still a thread open that discusses this more in depth.

Bruce

[Christy McGrath]

I'd love to join in, but I'm in the UK ! I'd love to find some CosPlay models for sessions for my photographic course! Any offers? (I'm in London, but willing to travel)

Christy x

[Admin]

An update: This is still open, I've been so busy with CosWorx the past month that I haven't had time to get back to anyone yet or read many of my messages. Now that the images page has changed over, I will be going through the massive backlog of PM's over the next few days.

[Photorusse]

I would be interested. I have a film SLR but can get a DSLR if needed. If film is ok, images would be scanned to digital and put on a CD