• Marisa’s Photoshoot Guide!
• On set Checklist
  • Grooming
  • Posing
• Posing Tips
  • Group photoshoots
• Things to watch for
• WSJ Shoot Manner
• WSJ Posing
• Pose Samples

Marisa’s Photoshoot Guide!

Cosplayers really want to look cool in photos, first and formost. Unlike photogs, the technical aspects don’t matter as much as a swooshing cape and cool eyes.

Plan as much as you can in advance to make things go smoother.

• What are they cosplaying? Research the character ahead of time and think of various poses or locations that would work for the character.
• Where do you want to meet? A field of flowers for a whimsical outdoor shoot, or a parking garage for a rugged apocalyptic scene? Have at least three or four locations in mind in case it’s raining, one spot is already taken, or something goes awry.
• What does the cosplayer want to take away from the shoot? Ask what they want, and show off examples of your previous work so they know what to expect, as every photographer has a unique style and every cosplayer has a preference. Make sure boundaries and expectations are very clear to both parties. Don’t go expecting a boudoir shoot and the cosplayer shows up in full head-to-toe armor, and don’t show up in the dark without a light if the cosplayer was expecting to shoot outside at night. I’ve seen a huge scandal break out because a girl thought she was being harassed by the photographer she hired, but he was a gravure photographer and was used to telling his models they looked great/hot/etc. while shooting and didn’t realize the cosplayer was uncomfortable. Lots of drama from that.

Be able to direct the cosplayer. Where to stand, where to look, etc. The cosplayer may have some ideas for poses but it always helps to recommend things, and sometimes candid shots come out the best. Cosplayers may also have pose ideas that are fantastic and awesome in their head, but make them look like an idiot when they try it in real life. Try to compromise with this, give it a shot, and if it doesn’t work move on or make suggestions to make it work.

Sometimes cosplayers are hardcore and will sacrifice their well-being for cosplay. Make sure they don’t pass out or fall. One time I almost fell into a lake, and another time I was afraid my subject might fall off a 3-story balcony. Good times.

If you’re in a large group, count down to when you’re starting to take pictures and when you’re going to end. That way they can try not to blink as much as possible knowing there are only ~10 seconds left until they can break pose.

Chat with the cosplayer and be friendly. Get them to relax and laugh because the more comfortable they are, the more natural the pictures will look. If you’re doing emotional shoots (angry, sad, ???) ask them to think of something that makes them angry or sad. Like kicking puppies or something horrible.

Use the environment to your advantage, but try not to get other people in the shot. Unless it’s a crowded city shot with the cosplayer as the focus. Then blur everyone else out or something. Ask the cosplayer if they have any props or can use any props, like a phone, flowers, a weapon, doll, and so on.

There’s probably a ton of other stuff but yeah that’s all I can think of probably for now maybe. please rate/ask questions/provide criticism and don’t forget to subscribe

On set Checklist

Grooming

• Con badge
• Weapon check tags/zipties
• Push up glasses if any

Posing

• Lean on back leg to look slimmer
• Shoulders back

Posing Tips

• Watch out for the squinty eyes. They make people look like Brock/asleep/raggedy anne.

• Shoot full body from a crouchish. Full body shots look weird from standing height.

• Watch props extending the required width of the photo. A sword sticking out in half the frame with nothing else there looks funny.

• Shoulders back, really emphasis that.

• Watch out for buldging pockets on dress clothing.

• “Cross swords” where blades are tip to tip never fit in frame. Just avoid them.

Group photoshoots

• Always have multiple rows when there’s alot of people. Camera’s only can catch so much width wise, and the photographers rarely can move back during a group shoot. In the same vein, if there’s stairs or other physical layers, use them. Don’t have everyone stand on the same level.

  However: With stairs, don’t go too high. There are perks to it, looking down on the photographer can be cool and intimidating. But being forced to shoot can make for a missed shot, if the shot would look good low, the photographer will crouch to help it along. Spitballing, but a rule of thumb could be don’t go above eye level of the standing photographer.

  Skirts. Enough said.

• Staggering is a stage term, it means making sure that from a specific angle, such as the photographer’s camera angle, everyone is visible. You do this by standing wide enough you don’t block anyone. This is crucial in group photography. Please don’t block other people. Also watch out for massive Scythes (Ruuuby….) blocking faces as well.

Things to watch for

• Corsets apparently slip down. A lot. Watch for it in a pose.

• Eye shadows. Worst thing to correct for.

• Keep an eye on exposure adjustments. You don’t want to be stopped down a stop and a half in a dark room.

• LCD Screens lie. They lie so much.

• Turn off continuous shutter. Maybe it’s me, maybe it’s my camera, but I find I get blurry shots when I use continuous for shooting mostly static scenes.

WSJ Shoot Manner

• Confidence: Confidence is infective, makes the cosplayer happier, makes you shoot better. Get some. Prior work can cheap build confidence. Research is another.

• Encourage: Tell them what you like, and they can do nothing wrong. If they’re doing their own thing, let them ride.

• Get in Picture: Don’t just talk about the pose, make the pose. Don’t linger in it, just give an idea of what you’re thinking.

• Communicate: Guide when the cosplayer is kinda lost.

• Don’t Chimp: At least to the point where it’s disengaging from the model.

WSJ Posing

• Go Big: Over act. Over exaggerate. Go over the top, it barely shows up on camera. If you feel you’re overdoing it, you might be doing it right.

• Inspiration for poses doesn’t just come from the source material.

• What’s the Motivation: Give a reason to be making the pose you have in mind.

• Legs: Feet crossed is feminine, a wide stance is masculine.

• Shaft head tilts

• Use the Location: Lean against walls, shoot through things, interact with the environment in interesting ways.

• Spider man poses

• Do a Close up as a warm up, and for some good shots, but don’t just do close ups. The full body photos are the ones people remember.

• Move: If the light can pull it off, just move freely instead of solid posing.

Sauces for WSJ Posing 1 Posing 2 Manner 1 Manner 2

Other nice article by him: How to Photoshoot

Pose Samples

Moar Digital Photography School