March, 2006
After spending six months building my cosplay, I am finally ready for photos. Now instead of painting, I am on a quest to find a photographer. Every one that I call has the same answer: They know nothing about cosplay, the character I was cosplaying, or anything remotely close to what I want in a photographer. After hearing this over a dozen times, I finally give up and hire one of the only photographers that agree to shoot me.
When I arrive to the studio, I am in awe; Lights everywhere, a twelve foot backdrop, and plenty of space to make the photos I envisioned. Except for one small detail: the photographer (although in awe of my cosplay) had no idea how to pose me. After an hour of shooting (and four hundred dollars), I had completed my shoot. He said he would have my photos for me in two weeks.
Two weeks go by…
Then two more…
After six go by, I start to call to inquire upon deaf ears. Phone calls are dodged, e-mails are ignored, and I am starting to lose patience.
Finally, after two months of waiting, my photos arrive. To massive disappointment. My photos, although crisp and colorful look exactly like senior portraits more than a cosplay shoot that I see in magazines. I was devastated, and out a massive amount of money that I spent months saving up.
As I have travelled the United States, I have heard stories just like this from cosplayers of all walks of life. The upsurge in Conventions has created areas for cosplayers to work with photographers, but the issue with posing still remains….
Posing workbooks. The Missing Link.
In my travels around the United States working with Cosplayers, I have discovered a lot of other cosplayers out there have had the same issue. The largest concerns I hear are composites and posing.
Posing can make or break a cosplay photograph. As a photographer, you want to tell the story the cosplay is telling in one picture. As a cosplayer, you want to have the character down perfectly so the photographs reflect the character you are cosplaying. It is a delicate balance, and when it works, it is spectacular.
When it doesn’t….
well, that can lead to frustration for everyone.
As a photographer, it can be frustrating to find the right pose. You can’t know every character, every genre, and every type of pose for each character.
As a cosplayer, you need to know your character the same as if you were them. You should know at least three poses for your cosplay before you show up to a convention or your next photoshoot. A tall order for everyone but the most seasoned cosplayers.
These are conversations I have had with many people over the years I have been in cosplay. Photographers, like anyone else get into a groove. Even with poses. A photographer can take as much as 2,000 photos at a convention in a matter of hours. As much as three times that in a ninety minute shoot. Sometimes, they want to “get through it” and get their client the photos they agreed upon. To manage their workflow, they have a set of poses that they put most of their clients through. On top of that, most photographers don’t understand their clients cosplay. Sure, they could be a fan of the recent marvel movies, or maybe saw the occasional anime…BUT THEY DON’T ALWAYS UNDERSTAND THAT COSPLAY IS MORE THAN JUST A COSTUME…
The Solution? Posing Workbooks.
As a photographer setting up a shoot, build a workbook full of poses of the character you are shooting. Create this workbook using photos you find of the character, then send it to the client a few weeks before the shoot. This gives them time to practice, and gives you the ability to find composite assets before the shoot, giving you a faster turnaround for photos. Faster turnaround means more shoots. More shoots….more revenue.
As a cosplayer, look for photographers that utilize posing workbooks to help you practice posing. If you cannot find a photographer that is willing to utilize a pose workbook, then make one yourself. It doesn’t even need to be for a photoshoot. Put one together with your build book, and incorporate both your build book and pose workbook into your cosplay. This gives you the ability to have the perfect pose every time you see a photographer on the con floor.
“Hey, I’m a photographer. Can I get your picture?”
“Sure”
opens build book with pose workbook inside.
“Can we do this pose?”
Keep in mind, a pose workbook is not always going to equate to a perfect shot. Sometimes the pose is just too hard because of digital art, sometimes the correct composite assets are not available. These things happen, and you have to take them with a grain of salt. Learn from which ones work, and which ones don’t when you make new workbooks.
Building a pose workbook.
So, now you know what to create as both a photographer and a cosplayer. Use the Pose Workbook Template in the shop to create your own.
Before you begin, Find images of poses you would like to use. Keep in mind copyright; don’t steal images from artists without their permission. Save them to a folder on your device or in the cloud. You will need these to create your workbook. Next, grab your favorite PDF editor. Don’t have one? Try Adobe Express or Canva. Both work excellent in modifying the template, and have little to no cost.
This template is designed to be added to your Build Book, but can be used alone.
If you are adding it to your build book, use the template as an extra page to your build book. Each pose is a page. Add as many poses as you like, but have a rule of thumb as each pose takes about five to ten minutes of shooting time, so consider having about ten poses per hour.
If you decide to use it alone, I would suggest having some sort of cover page as well. Photographers can add copies of their release, contract, and any notes they want to share with the client. These can make your cosplay photoshoot look extremely professional to your clients.
1.Add an image. The box is there as a guide to where to put the image.
2. Put any notes here. Translate the pose into words. explain how the cosplayer should be standing. Photographers want to put in lens and lighting info in as well. If you plan on creating a composite, this can also be where you put in notes of what extras you will need for compositing, so you can match the lighting.
3.Put your logo here. This could be your cosplay moniker, or the title of the character you are cosplaying. Keep the theme in with your cosplay if you are putting it into your build book. As a photographer, you want this to match your brand as a photographer.
Photographers / Cosplayers:
Want a free template to use to create an easy pose workbook? Check out The vault for a free pose workbook template. If you are looking for help creating one, schedule a 30-minute consultation. With our many years in cosplay photography, we can help you create the best pose workbook possible.
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