DCC Meet Up - Columbus Studio Shoot

Group Photo from Columbus Meet Up on April 7th

On April 7^th  I hosted a meet up of the Dayton-Columbus-Cincinnati Cosplay Photoshoot group at Chromedge Studios in Columbus.  This meet-up was more of a standard studio shoot, because the location was a basic photo studio with access to items like colored seamless paper. This was a great location for detailed cosplays and to get more of a fashion type look.

I worked with all 12 cosplayers in attendance, which resulted in me shooting 265 frames. Of the 240 frames I edited 155 images and delivered 114 final images. I shot the whole meet using a light from a single off camera speed light on a light stand alternating between using an umbrella and just a bare speed light. I shot using ISO 100. My aperture varied between F4.5 to F5.0 with the most common being F4.0.  My shutter speed varied greatly from 1/20s to 1/320s with the most common speed being 1/100s.  Finally, my focal length varied from 18mm to 50mm, with the most common focal length being 18mm.  It does not surprise me that 18mm was the most common focal length since I was close to the models while still getting full length shots.

This shoot was good but a bit frustrating for me, because I could not maintain sharp focus with my camera.  I think part of the issue is I did drop my camera about a year ago, and I think the lens needs to finally be recalibrated.  Second issue might be I was shooting at an aperture of F4.0 which is not in the sweet spot for the lens I was using.  I did like using the seamless paper.  I have shot with regular back drops before, but I liked the look the colored seamless provided for several of the shots. My only complaint is the studio needed to refresh their rolls of seamless since several of the rolls barely hit the floor, and the point of seamless is to extend onto the floor to create a seamless area of color.  Now onto a few of my favorite images.

These first two images are of Glueme Cosplay as a gender bent Soldier 76 from Fallout. The actual Soldier 76 is a mature/retired, still can kick your butt, male character,  she reimaged the character as a mature, sensible female.  Her reimage gives me the vibes of Helen Mirren’s character in the movie “RED”. So, when directing her during the shoot, I wanted to keep strong mature female poses (image to below to the left). She also asked to do a couple pin-up inspired images, which we did a couple simple poses since we were in group setting, which resulted in the image below on the right. I would like to work with Glueme Cosplay a little more with this cosplay to get her some more pin-up style images because this would work well for that.

ISO 100, Focal Length 20mm, Aperture F4, Shutter 1/30s 

ISO 100, Focal Length 18mm, Aperture F4, Shutter 1/30s 

I also like these two images of Eowinth Cosplay as Gladio from the Final Fantasy video game series. When shooting these images, I felt like I was shooting punk metal band album cover due to the combination of the cosplay outfit, hair style, and overall size of the prop. I feel the two images below really capture an album cover feel, I may edit them later and add an album title if I can come up with a good one.

ISO 100, Focal Length 18mm, Aperture F4.5, Shutter 1/125s 

ISO 100, Focal Length 18mm, Aperture F4.5, Shutter 1/125s 

You can see all my images from the meet up here. Also if you think you would like to participate in the Dayton-Columbus-Cincinnati Cosplay Photoshoot group as either a photographer or cosplayer join us on Facebook so you can see when our events will be held. Our next event is coming up in May and will be Star Wars/Space themed.