Interview GET!

I’m not sure why I’ve never done an interview on CostumeGetthese past 6 years since I’ve conducted countless Q&A’s in my previous dayjob. That oversight gets rectified now with a chat with one of thephotographers 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 introducedto the world of fandom and cosplay in 2006 when I attended my first HPconvention in Las Vegas. After returning home, I quickly regretted not having asingle photo of the great costumes I saw, or the new friends I met so Ipurchased a basic point-and-shoot. Long story short, I had so much fun playingthe event photographer at the following conventions that I began to pursuephotography as a hobby.

CG: Do you have any formal photography training?

MM: No, but I've spent countless hours scouring the web fortutorials and reading everything I can find about photography and lighting.

CG: Who influenced your style or is/was an inspiration toyour work?

MM: I can't think of a single dominant influence, but Icertainly owe much to folks like David Hobby and Zack Arias for their tutorialsand generous knowledge sharing. Aside from that, perhaps the biggest influencecomes from wedding photographers as they shoot with many of the same challengesas hallway cosplay photogs--that is, low-light, high iso and a hybrid of photojournalism and narrative.

CG: Is cosplay your favorite subject? If so why, if not whatis your favorite?

MM: Dramatic visual narrative is what I'm artistically andcreatively drawn to capture and create and Cosplay set me on that path. I'vebeen experimenting with more deliberate editorial styles lately, but I suspectthat I'll always be rooted in photographing people in lavish costumes whetherthe inspiration is Anime, literary characters, or drawn just from myimagination.

CG: Describe your routine when preparing to go to an eventlike Anime Expo?

MM: Shooting a convention like AX can be thoroughlyexhausting--it's not uncommon for me to go non-stop for 8-10 hours with only abrief lunch break. Given that, I try to travel as light as possible. The nightbefore the event, I'll review my gear and whittle my bag down to just theessentials. Also, I try to get lots of sleep beforehand, although that neverseems 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. Fromthere, I typically crop if necessary and adjust the tone curve to give theimage more punch, sharpen and then export. I don't often round-trip intoPhotoshop, but will do so if there's heavy spot removal required.

CG: Is your day job photography related? If not, isphotography something you want to pursue professionally full time?

MM: My job isn't (typically) photography related, but I workfor Yahoo! and have had the good fortune of being asked to cover events such asBlizzcon and E3 as a direct result of coworkers hearing about my cosplayphotography. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there will be additionalopportunities in the future.

CG: What are you shooting with now? Are you satisfied withit?

MM: I'm currently shooting a Nikon D700--it's light yearsahead of my abilities, so if I ever complain, take those comments with a grainof salt ;-). That said, I wouldn't mind dual memory cards as I've had twoseparate memory card scares where, for one heart-stopping moment, I thought Ihad lost a good chunk of my day's work. Other than that, I wouldn't mind evenbetter low-noise performance, but that's always a given.

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 intimatelyfamiliar 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. Inparticular, look for interesting backgrounds and especially "pools oflight" if you're shooting natural light. As you begin taking photos, don'tbe afraid to provide gentle direction to your subject--"quarter turn toyour left", "chin up slightly". Also, think before, during, andafter every shot. Ask yourself what you did right, or what could be improved.Perhaps most important, though, is to be polite and considerate--don'tinterrupt a cosplayer if they're obviously busy (eating), or rushing off to apanel. Besides just good manners, a little professionalism will generally putyour 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!