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[Yui]

Since it was coming up in the Tips and Tricks for Photographers @ Conventions thread, here's a general space for cosplayers to ask photographers questions about cons and photoshoots, as well as methods and etiquette.

Ask away!

[xApocalypse]

I usually dont take photos when im at a con,beacuse i most of the time cosplay.
But im a photographer,And this thread is very helpful,thank you!
I also try to arrange some free time at the con to do some photoshoots with some cosplayers i already know,But i find it kinda difficult to take photos freely with a big poofy cosplay that i can hardly breathe in xD.
I wish i could do both >:

Oh and,i have a weird question.
Since im a photographer,And a cosplayer,It is very important for me that even the randomest people will have a nice shot of me.
But sometimes even the serious photographers that asks to take photos dont seem to care about how much it is important for me to give them the best shot i can,And you know its very difficult in the crowdest place in the con.So anyway,My question is...If i see someone that looks like a serious photographer and not some passerby with a cellphone cam,That asks to take my photo,How do you think they will react if i ,Myself ask to go to a diffrent location And have better shots?
I wanted to do it for a long time..but i always think its kinda rude..or idk...Is it?
What would you guys do?

Thank you!
^^

[TykeJack]

Originally Posted by xApocalypse

I usually dont take photos when im at a con,beacuse i most of the time cosplay.
But im a photographer,And this thread is very helpful,thank you!
I also try to arrange some free time at the con to do some photoshoots with some cosplayers i already know,But i find it kinda difficult to take photos freely with a big poofy cosplay that i can hardly breathe in xD.
I wish i could do both >:

Oh and,i have a weird question.
Since im a photographer,And a cosplayer,It is very important for me that even the randomest people will have a nice shot of me.
But sometimes even the serious photographers that asks to take photos dont seem to care about how much it is important for me to give them the best shot i can,And you know its very difficult in the crowdest place in the con.So anyway,My question is...If i see someone that looks like a serious photographer and not some passerby with a cellphone cam,That asks to take my photo,How do you think they will react if i ,Myself ask to go to a diffrent location And have better shots?
I wanted to do it for a long time..but i always think its kinda rude..or idk...Is it?
What would you guys do?

Thank you!
^^

I say that if a photographer asks you for your photo and has a problem if you ask him/her if they have a problem walking to another location then they aren't really a serious photographer. This is with exception to photographers that have booths or backdrops set up. I don't see you having a problem with any photographer not wanting to go to another location, so long as it's not a mile away. When in doubt though, it never hurts to ask.

[MiddayIce]

thanks for the tips. they are really thoguht out. And thank you for taking the time to post them to help the rest of us. ^_^.

Although i have run into some people with gorgeous cosplay outfit that didn't want there pic taken. And i always abid by what the person wants.

Sometimes u get a group of people where a few really stand out to you. and the others don't. And you don't want to be rude or anything.

I remeber last year at the az it was like that for me. I just asked the one girl if i could get her pic. She was polite and said yes. So i got a few of her. THanked her and walked off. Her friend was cosplaying as well but i just didn't like the over all look of her outfit. So i didn't take her photo. But she got snappy with me and said "excuse me" so instead of being rude. I just politely took a pic of her and said. Of i must of missed you I'm sorry. How do u guys keep fron that?

[Elemental]

Originally Posted by MiddayIce

Sometimes u get a group of people where a few really stand out to you. and the others don't. And you don't want to be rude or anything.

My rule of thumb there is 'it doesn't cost me anything to take a photo and a little goodwill goes a long way'

If a group photoshoot is happening and there are a few cosplayers there who excel above the rest, I'm not going to ask them for photos and ignore the rest - even if everyone knows those I'm picking out are the 'best' visually, it won't keep from hurting feelings, and that's just not cool. As TykeJack somewhat mentioned, waiting for the group to be done to take people aside unobtrusively is one option.

If there is a situation like yours where there are two cosplayers but you're only interested in the one, I take photos of them both. I can certainly spend more time with the cosplayer I like more - but I also make sure to make it clear why - I compliment their construction, or tell them it's one of my favourite characters. I never tell them it's because they look good in their costume because the implication is that the other person doesn't - and even if it's a matter of one being 'good' and one being 'better' it still makes the other feel self conscious.

Not only is it just more polite, but it means that the next day of con when the 'less interesting' cosplayer is dressed as something really kickass, they won't snub you when you want a photo.

[xApocalypse]

Oh,i dont know about you guys,But "choosing" the cosplayer you want out of a group of people,or friends ,whatever is kinda common around here.
I mean,I was hanging around with the same person,talnted cosplayer who is my dear friend,The whole day.
And people kept asking for my photo and didnt ask for hers,and we were like..Always together.Its very common for us cosplayers where i live so she didnt get offended or anything,but i felt really odd.Why does photographers do that?
Like you guys said...Shooting a person,espically if its a person that is with someone you wanna shoot,wont kill you.
I never get them xD

[MiddayIce]

Originally Posted by xApocalypse

Oh,i dont know about you guys,But "choosing" the cosplayer you want out of a group of people,or friends ,whatever is kinda common around here.
I mean,I was hanging around with the same person,talnted cosplayer who is my dear friend,The whole day.
And people kept asking for my photo and didnt ask for hers,and we were like..Always together.Its very common for us cosplayers where i live so she didnt get offended or anything,but i felt really odd.Why does photographers do that?
Like you guys said...Shooting a person,espically if its a person that is with someone you wanna shoot,wont kill you.
I never get them xD

yea here to. i mean everyone is beautiful. I didn't care if i got my pic taken. If i want it took i will do it myself. But another point being. like u said apocalypse. i have a friend who loves to cosplay. i do alot of her pics. i think i am the only one that does. She seemed to get real upset when another cosplayer she was hanging with. with the same outfit got there pic took. and she didnt. So i can understand the whole nice thing. And waiting to get the person you want when there is no one else around. And your right. 1 extra pic of another person wont hurt. and it will make there day most of the time ^_^.

Have u guys ever had a group or just jump infront of your camera when your trying to photograph??? o.o... im just like.. wow... and just pose and then the group you wanted to do gets mad and walks off.. o.o..

ok getting off topic.

another thing. if they dont have time. to pose that moment. you can always ask if they can meet you at a certain spot at a certain time for like there own private shoot.??? sorry if this has already been said

[xApocalypse]

I have another question guys.
How does cosplay photographers react if the cosplayer is getting a little bossy in a photoshoot?
Im very bossy when it comes to photoshoots,not only cosplay,but in general.Espically when im infront of the camera.I know myself very well,i know which poses that i do looks good and which isnt,I know which lighting is good for me and which isnt.Sometimes even the most serious photographer dont know that stuff about me right away,And im always afraid that if i direct myself a little and do my own thing they will think im rude for not listening to them.
But then again,i only want the best for 2 of us,Im not trying to be rude.
Erg,idk,mabye i should just calm down abit when it comes to that stuff.Im obessed with being in control.

[MiddayIce]

just explain to the photographer. that if they dont mind if u could do a few of your own poses. Most of the time. They will say sure. Because your having fun the pics turn out better. In my opinion. I use to have a few people come in a work like that. And i would do some i wanted as well. ^_^ everybody wins

[Elemental]

Originally Posted by xApocalypse

Oh and,i have a weird question.
Since im a photographer,And a cosplayer,It is very important for me that even the randomest people will have a nice shot of me.
But sometimes even the serious photographers that asks to take photos dont seem to care about how much it is important for me to give them the best shot i can,And you know its very difficult in the crowdest place in the con.So anyway,My question is...If i see someone that looks like a serious photographer and not some passerby with a cellphone cam,That asks to take my photo,How do you think they will react if i ,Myself ask to go to a diffrent location And have better shots?
I wanted to do it for a long time..but i always think its kinda rude..or idk...Is it?
What would you guys do?

Thank you!
^^

First of all, keep in mind that SLR cameras are getting cheaper and cheaper to buy, so they're much more common at a con now than they were a few years ago. Just because a person has an expensive camera doesn't mean they're serious (or good) - it just means they have an expensive camera.

I always suggest when someone asks to take your photo, you position yourself where it does you the most good- when I get asked for a photo in a crowded hallway, for example, I say "Sure, but let's go over here" and walk to a nearby spot that won't impede traffic or have a potted plant growing out of my head. If they want your photo, they'll be wiling to adjust - and if they're not, it's not really worth giving them your photo.
If you feel comfortable with the photographer after a few shots, it certainly doesn't hurt to ask if they'd be interested doing a shoot with you. It's not rude - and many of the photogs here on the forums have said that they're willing to shoot with people who ask. The worst they can say is no, and no harm done.

Even better would be to find photogs you like who are attending the same cons as you and schedule in advance, if you really want the best photos possible of your costume.

[Jia Jem]

Great idea for a thread, guys.

What do photographers think about cosplayers re-editing photos? Cropping, changing colors, airbrushing, etc. Is it considered rude, even if it's pointed out that it's been changed?

[SvK]

Jia: that depends on if the cosplayer is better at editing than I am. :-) I put my name on my pictures, so if someone slaps an ugly filter on one of my photos, that reflects badly on me.

[andyRak]

Originally Posted by Jia Jem

Great idea for a thread, guys.

What do photographers think about cosplayers re-editing photos? Cropping, changing colors, airbrushing, etc. Is it considered rude, even if it's pointed out that it's been changed?

It really depends on the degree of re-editing the cosplayer is planning to do. If it's just some minor fixes to the skin or minor level/color adjustment it might not be that big of a deal. However, if it's gonna be a big makeover to the original image then it is important to communicate with your photog before you make the changes. (more like, before you upload your version of your image actually)

I can't speak for all photographers but to some photographers editing is a big part of the creative process. They might have edited an image a certain way for a purpose. When in doubt, always communicate

[TheBigTog]

I'm in agreement with Andy and SvK. It's always good to communicate possible changes.

Regarding re-cropping, all of my photos are cropped the best way I see fit and include a watermark. I might see an issue if the photograph is re-cropped especially if the watermark disappears. If it's a recrop for avatar purposes, I'm always fine with that.

Originally Posted by xApocalypse

Im very bossy when it comes to photoshoots,not only cosplay,but in general.Espically when im infront of the camera.I know myself very well,i know which poses that i do looks good and which isnt,I know which lighting is good for me and which isnt.Sometimes even the most serious photographer dont know that stuff about me right away,

Well it always good when the cosplayer has a battery of poses to use; it can make the photographer's job a little bit easier. Though giving a photographer some wiggle room for creativity is always appreciated.

As for dictating the lighting, sometimes the lighting dictates you in which case it is usually up to the photographer to adapt to or create lighting or to simply just move you around. With all of the cosplayers I've worked with, none of them have advised me on how I should proceed. Lighting is something that I think of and plan on my own ahead of time and sometimes develop contigency plans for if things aren't right.

[Elemental]

The reason I watermark photos is mostly so that people viewing the photo can easily see who took it and where to see more (since the net is great for distributing things far and wide). If a cosplayer edits a photo, even to cropping the watermark out, as long as they still credit me for taking the photo I have no real issue with it. Heck, I'm really not great at photoshop, so I love to see what people do.

That said, it's always a good idea to check if you're planning to do something massive, just in case. I'm easygoing, but some photogs have a specific intent they don't want lost for their images.