page_title: Cosplay
section_title: Photography
hierarchical_section_title: Cosplay / Practice of cosplay / Presentation / Photography
caption_attribution_description: English: Mileena cosplayer for a chroma key studio photoshoot at Space City Con 2014 in the United States. Sorry for the blurriness - it's from an inexpensive camera, and my BF didn't use the flash because he didn't want to get in the way or annoy the professional photog. Also, the photographer was great, but I hadn't done a shoot like this before! It was weird - he communicated VERY clearly - "Stick your butt out some more. More...more...more..., Ok, now take a deep breath and stick out your boobs...more...more...OK HOLD IT" (snap, snap, snap)
context_page_description: Cosplay, a portmanteau of the words costume play, is a performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture, and a broader use of the term "cosplay" applies to any costumed role-playing in venues apart from the stage. Any entity that lends itself to dramatic interpretation may be taken up as a subject and it is not unusual to see genders switched. Favorite sources include anime, cartoons, comic books, manga, television series, and video games.
  The rapid growth in the number of people cosplaying as a hobby since the 1990s has made the phenomenon a significant aspect of popular culture in Japan and some other parts of Asia and in the Western world. Cosplay events are common features of fan conventions and there are also dedicated conventions and local and international competitions, as well as social networks, websites and other forms of media centered on cosplay activities.
  The term "cosplay" was coined in Japan in 1984. Cosplay is very popular among all genders.
context_section_description: The appearance of cosplayers at public events makes them a popular draw for photographers. As this became apparent in the late 1980s, a new variant of cosplay developed in which cosplayers attended events mainly for the purpose of modeling their characters for still photography rather than engaging in continuous role play. Rules of etiquette were developed to minimize awkward situations involving boundaries. Cosplayers pose for photographers and photographers do not press them for personal contact information or private sessions, follow them out of the area, or take photos without permission. The rules allow the collaborative relationship between photographers and cosplayers to continue with the least inconvenience to each other.
  Some cosplayers choose to have a professional photographer take high quality images of them in their costumes posing as the character. Cosplayers and photographers frequently exhibit their work online and sometimes sell their images.
caption: Professional photographers working with Mileena cosplayer for a chroma key studio photoshoot at Space City Con 2014 in the United States
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