How’s everyone doing? Well I hope for a Thursday. Well if not that’s
ok, I’m here to change that. With momocon right around the
corner I decided to talk a bit about the photography gear you may
want to bring with you to the convention. If you don’t have this
equipment or anything similar that’s ok, just learn to work with
what you have and slowly work your way up the list.
Its true that a good photographer isn’t completely reliant on
equipment but at the same time a great photographer knows his
equipment well. Im sure thousands of shoots will take place at
momocon but here’s a few tips to help them flow a bit smoother.
Specifically, lets look at 5 tips that will both increase your
professionalism and transitions between customers along with a
bit about my gear.
I shoot with a mid-tier camera, a Nikon D7000. My lens kit ranges
from a Nikon NIKKOR 50mm to a kit 18-55mm lens. For these
photos I used the Nikkor 50mm. I still have yet to invest in
the NIKKOR 85mm which is considered the holly grail of portrait
photography but im getting there. I also upgraded from
a Yongnuo YN568EX speed light (which I still use)
to 3 ORLIT Rovelight 610. Accompanying these large monolights are
3 Neewer 32inch Softboxes or 3 Godox Softboxes. Most of the
images on my site were made using this set up so I swear by it!
Now, onto the preparations.
Location
I can’t stress this enough and have talked about it in several other
posts, you need to have a specific location set for each shoot prior
to the shooting time. Each cosplay may not warrant a different
location but be aware of the ones that do. Post-apocalyptic themed
shoots should not be taking place in green pastures. Aim for
parking garages or more concrete based locations. the same goes
for cosplays replicating vibrant animes. These should be shot near
flowers and trees to truly capture the spirit of that specific anime.
Poses
Poses can make or break a shoot. Have the client practice a few
poses prior to the shoot so you both aren’t completely winging it. If
this is a spontaneous shoot, make sure you have a default list of
poses for both males and females. Certain body types look better
with a side profile compared to a straight on shot. Similarly, some
cosplays look better sitting rather than standing. But arguably the
most important aspect of the image is the hands. Please do not
simply hang your hands by your side. This looks really bad for
most shots.
Camera Settings
Please, please, please have your camera is dialed into the correct
setting before you start your shoot. Its ok to make a few
adjustments during the shoot, this is expected. But you really
shouldn’t be setting up every aspect when the cosplayer arrives.
Your F-stop, aperture and light setting should be close to what you
want for the shoot. Nothing worse than halting a shoot while you
take 2 to 3 minutes to dial in the right settings for the shoot.
Know Your Clients Character
A little knowledge about the clients character can go a long way.
Knowing the tendencies of the character can help you create some
very unique poses that are not stereotypical or telegraphed. It can
also help you with the equipment you can bring to the shoot.
Smoke machines, Smoke grenades, gels and even crystal balls are
all accessories which can spice up your cosplay photography. And
its extremely important to stand out and be unique in this day and
age.
Doubling Up
Last but not least we have doubling up. People seem to really enjoy
either mash ups or multiple characters posing together from the
same series. This has the added advantage of not only getting you
access to more potential exposure via the other cosplayers social
media platform, but you can split the cost of the shoot. These are
two wins that need to be capitalized on. Who doesn’t like to see
Naruto and Hinata or Black panther and Storm? I know they
always make my day.
Well that does it for my rant about equipment and preparations. If
this info has helped you prepare for your next shoot feel free to
leave a comment in the section below. I love hearing from you all
and look forward to more interactions. Thanks for tuning in and
until next time stay BOUNDLESS!!!
PS: IM CURRENTLY BOOKING FOR MOMOCON, FEEL FREE TO BOOK HERE!!!
