I’m not sure why I’ve never done an interview on CostumeGet
these past 6 years since I’ve conducted countless Q&A’s in my previous day
job. That oversight gets rectified now with a chat with one of the
photographers I’ve become a fan of on
flickr, Mr.
Muggles.
CosGet: How did you get started in photography?
Mr. Muggles: I'm a huge Harry Potter nerd and was introduced
to the world of fandom and cosplay in 2006 when I attended my first HP
convention in Las Vegas. After returning home, I quickly regretted not having a
single photo of the great costumes I saw, or the new friends I met so I
purchased a basic point-and-shoot. Long story short, I had so much fun playing
the event photographer at the following conventions that I began to pursue
photography as a hobby.
CG: Do you have any formal photography training?
MM: No, but I've spent countless hours scouring the web for
tutorials and reading everything I can find about photography and lighting.
CG: Who influenced your style or is/was an inspiration to
your work?
MM: I can't think of a single dominant influence, but I
certainly owe much to folks like David Hobby and Zack Arias for their tutorials
and generous knowledge sharing. Aside from that, perhaps the biggest influence
comes from wedding photographers as they shoot with many of the same challenges
as hallway cosplay photogs--that is, low-light, high iso and a hybrid of photo
journalism and narrative.
CG: Is cosplay your favorite subject? If so why, if not what
is your favorite?
MM: Dramatic visual narrative is what I'm artistically and
creatively drawn to capture and create and Cosplay set me on that path. I've
been experimenting with more deliberate editorial styles lately, but I suspect
that I'll always be rooted in photographing people in lavish costumes whether
the inspiration is Anime, literary characters, or drawn just from my
imagination.
CG: Describe your routine when preparing to go to an event
like Anime Expo?
MM: Shooting a convention like AX can be thoroughly
exhausting--it's not uncommon for me to go non-stop for 8-10 hours with only a
brief lunch break. Given that, I try to travel as light as possible. The night
before the event, I'll review my gear and whittle my bag down to just the
essentials. Also, I try to get lots of sleep beforehand, although that never
seems to happen somehow =P.
CG: What is your workflow after getting back from an event?
MM: I shoot raw and import the files into Lightroom. From
there, I typically crop if necessary and adjust the tone curve to give the
image more punch, sharpen and then export. I don't often round-trip into
Photoshop, but will do so if there's heavy spot removal required.
CG: Is your day job photography related? If not, is
photography something you want to pursue professionally full time?
MM: My job isn't (typically) photography related, but I work
for Yahoo! and have had the good fortune of being asked to cover events such as
Blizzcon and E3 as a direct result of coworkers hearing about my cosplay
photography. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there will be additional
opportunities in the future.
CG: What are you shooting with now? Are you satisfied with
it?
MM: I'm currently shooting a Nikon D700--it's light years
ahead of my abilities, so if I ever complain, take those comments with a grain
of salt ;-). That said, I wouldn't mind dual memory cards as I've had two
separate memory card scares where, for one heart-stopping moment, I thought I
had lost a good chunk of my day's work. Other than that, I wouldn't mind even
better low-noise performance, but that's always a given.
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| Poison, a CosGet favorite character and outfit. |
CG: Any tips for others who want to attend events and shoot?
MM: Know your gear. Get to the point where you're intimately
familiar with your camera's quirks and begin to think like your light meter!
Also, spend the time to size up your environment before you start shooting. In
particular, look for interesting backgrounds and especially "pools of
light" if you're shooting natural light. As you begin taking photos, don't
be afraid to provide gentle direction to your subject--"quarter turn to
your left", "chin up slightly". Also, think before, during, and
after every shot. Ask yourself what you did right, or what could be improved.
Perhaps most important, though, is to be polite and considerate--don't
interrupt a cosplayer if they're obviously busy (eating), or rushing off to a
panel. Besides just good manners, a little professionalism will generally put
your subject more at ease which improves your chances of getting a good
"performance".
Thanks so much to Mr. Muggles for your time and keep up the great work!
 |
| There has never been a Kiki's Delivery Service game, but this pic too damn cute not to post. ADORABLE! |
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