COSPLAY photography is the process of capturing a cosplay character’s behavior, experiences, and even their inner feelings. Many photographers are looking forward to taking photos that they are satisfied with, so let’s learn some cosplay photography tips.
1.How to get a shallow depth of field to highlight characters
The way to get a shallow depth of field that blurs the subject’s background is to use a wide aperture and a long focal length, and to keep the cosplayer as far away from the background as possible.
2.Maintain a diagonal composition
In portrait photography, the photographer keeps a distance from the subject to avoid distortion of the person. In composition, the diagonal approach is usually the safest. Leaving some space and gaps will give depth to the image.
- How to get your cosplayer to pose
When shooting posed portraits, photographers and cosplayers should be aware of the following things.
1) Try not to keep your head and body in a straight line. If they are in a straight line, it gives a dull look. Therefore, when the cosplayer is facing the camera, the head should be turned slightly to the left or right to make the photo look elegant and vivid.
2) Arms and legs should ideally not be parallel. Whether sitting or standing, cosplayers should try not to have their arms or legs parallel, as this can easily give the appearance of being stiff and mechanical. It can be a constant bend or an angle between the two, which can create a sense of movement and a variety of poses.
3) Try to make the body shape as distinct as possible. Raise your head, lift your chest, and tuck in your stomach to keep the cosplayer’s posture graceful. Some curvy female characters often require attention to their body curves. There are a few tricks we can use to capture beautiful curves, such as adjusting our posture to accentuate the curves.
4) Pay attention to the seated position. When a cosplayer is seated, you can’t just sit your whole body into the chair as you normally would. It’s best to move your body forward, sit close to the edge of the chair, and keep your chest up and your belly in, so as to avoid weak shoulders, sagging bellies, and bulging.
5) The lens should be far away from near. Generally speaking, taking portraits, shooting from a distance is always better than up close. This is because when the lens (especially a short focal length lens) is close to the cosplayer, deformities can occur.
4.Make good use of busts or headshots.
If the cosplayer is really difficult to pose, or if his outfit or body doesn’t do him justice, try to take a bust or headshot, where the eyes and expressions of the cosplayer are the only thing worth paying attention to.
It takes a concerted effort from the cosplayer to the post-production crew to produce a satisfying cosplay piece. In the meantime, cosplay photographers are the ones who carry on the work, and it takes a lot of study and practice to get the job done right. It’s hard work for everyone who insists on keeping the dream of being a cosplay photographer, but at the same time, we’re also great. Finally, I would like to recommend a website that sells cosplay costumes – Cosplaylab, where you can buy all the costumes, wigs, props, shoes, etc. you want. If you are a cosplay enthusiast, you should check out Cosplaylab.
