One of the best camera workers in the cosplay community is Kris at Whatabigcamera. He seems to capture the essence of each character he shoots.
Check out his Facebook page here
Andy: What drew you into taking pictures of cosplayers?
Kris: I was at a convention helping a friend set up, and suddenly all these people in costumes started appearing. Everyone was so friendly and so keen to have their photo taken, it was like nothing I’d experienced before.
A: When was the first time you remember picking up a camera?
K: I remember playing with my dad’s camera as a kid, probably around 10 years old. I would only get a roll of film on special occasions so there was a lot of unrecorded practice going on.
A: Most artists think that their work is never really done, when do you know that a photo you took is ready to be posted or given to the cosplayer you took the shot?
K: For a photo to be ready both the subject and myself have to be 100% happy with it. My criteria is that it has to be something we will be able to look back on and see that we did the best we could with the tools/skills we had at the time. For my subject I try to make sure it will be something they can look back on with pride and will not turn their image in a direction they do not want to go. When we all agree it is ready then it can be posted online.
A: You have done quite a number of shoots with Eve Beauregard, What do like about Eve that keeps you coming back to shoot her different characters?
K: Eve is an amazingly creative person and she dedicates so much time and energy into making new things. She is constantly challenging me to produce new styles or improve styles we are comfortable with, we have a constant back and forth conversation about what we see that inspires us.
A: When working with a new cosplayer, what are some of the things you do to ensure a good photo shoot?
K: I try my best to make sure they have a good time. I usually fail at my first shoot with people and so my expectation of a good photo or set on a first meeting are very low. It’s more of a getting to know each other experience. If I can produce something worthwhile then everything went better than expected!
A: What should every cosplayer know about the rights to the pictures, a professional such as yourself, takes of them?
K: As the law stands here, technically, I own them. At the same time I see no point taking photos if they aren’t going to be shared, so I allow a lot of flexibility with my photos. I let people have full size edited files along with watermarked images designed for sharing, and make sure they understand why my watermark is important to me. I always make sure people know that they need to have another discussion with me before money becomes involved, but besides that I allow and encourage sharing and promotion.
A: What character have you not seen yet that you think would make a good photo?
K: I’ve never seen a Dr Zoidberg that wasn’t terrifying for all the wrong reasons…
A: What is the best way for cosplayers to get a hold of you if they are interested in a shoot?
K: Facebook messages to my page. It’s got the history so all the details are easily on hand. I love hearing from new people!
Hayley Elise as Cammy
Rose Cosplay as Ariel from “The Little Mermaid”
Another great Eve Beauregard picture…her as Harley Quinn