Otaku High Cosplay Photography

Looks like Kuragiman and crew will be heading to Ikkicon in Feburary after all!  Whoot!    I look forward to working with all of you crazy cosplayers again.   This will be my first con in Austin to attend.    I am already loving the hotel interior!    Lots of pretty bay windows equals photographic win!    Anyone that wishes to schedule a personal shoot with me while I am at Ikkicon feel free to drop me a line at kuragiman [@] otakuhigh [dot] com!   See you there!

All Oni-Con 2007 photos that were useable have been processed and posted in the Cosplay section of the website.   Great job everyone!    To those who’s pictures did not come out.. GOMEN NASAI!  T_T     There is always next time!   NE!?     Kuragiman is tired now…  he’s going to go die in bed now.  ^_^

For the 4th quarter Cosplay Spotlight I have selected a charming and insanely Kawaii cosplayer that goes by the name Katie-chan.  I briefly met her at A-kon 18 and thought that she made the made the most amazing Sakura from Card Captor Sakura but sadly I only took a single photo.   I was fortunate enough to get to work with her one on one at AnimeFest 2007 to produce some of my favorite shots of the convention.  Enjoy!

Cosplayer Name: Jet Texas
Known Cosplays: Jet Black - Cowboy Bebop
Con Circuit: Texas

I have been attending anime conventions since A-kon 4 which was pretty much a long time ago in a galaxy far far away or about fourteen years for those wanting exact times. Cosplay has always fascinated me but in that span of a nearly two decades I have never put on an outfit. With zero talent for sewing and always broke I had to admire from outside the cosplay circle and take home the memories on Kodak disposables. As the years have worn on my interest in cosplay has grown even more to point of getting into series photography with the sole purpose of shooting cosplay. If you can’t dress up the next best thing to do is become a Cameko I told myself. I learned almost every cosplayer wants good photos of their work and so I found my skill, my talent that lets me into the circle. Once inside this circle I have had the privileged of meeting some wonderful and skilled people.

In this new quarterly Cosplayer Spotlight article I have chosen as my first victim a gentleman I met at AnimeFest 2006 in Dallas. He immediately impressed me with his choice of outfit. For a moment I had thought Jet Black, one of the main characters of the hit anime series Cowboy Bebop had some how escaped from the land of cells and paint into our realm of reality. While the outfit was simplistic the face and the way he carried himself screamed Jet Black. I have had the opportunity to shoot him several times since then at A-kon 18 and at the newest con in Houston, Atsuicon. He is one of the rare subjects I do not tire of putting in front of the camera. With grand charisma and intelligence to back it all up, he is more than just a good cosplayer but a great person to just sit with and speak to.

I had the pleasure of preparing five questions for him to let him share with us the why’s and how’s of his personal cosplay experiences. So without further adieu I present to you Mr. Jet Texas:

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How did you get started in Cosplay?

Hm.. that is a puzzling question. Of my group of five closest friends I was voted 6th to be a cosplayer. I had gone to A-KON with two of my best friends and had a blast then went the next year and was still just a “normal” con attendee with a minor exception. I wore a “rally shirt” bright Metallic Candy Apple Red on Sunday so I would be the rally point when we had to find each other. I was asked who I was cosplaying and I think maybe that was the genesis. Oh, and it just looked fun.

What was your first costume and why?
I play Jet Black from Cowboy Bebop, first and only so far. I picked the Tan Suite from Honky Tonk Woman and Brain Scratch because, well umm its was simple and easy. I grew my beard a bit higher then normal then cut it to shape. I happen to look a bit like Jet and I like the character. If you are interested in my progression from attendee to cosplayer I have it on my blog at myspace, please excuse any errors in grammar, the written word is not my strong suit.

http://www.myspace.com/Jet_Texas

What has been your most memorable moment in your cosplay history?

Oh, that is very hard to say. There have been so many but I guess the most memorable would be when I was asked for a photo by a very polite young lady dressed in a Rocky Horror “chorus line” costume. Having some one ask “May I please take your picture?” while wearing a so little in public was truly unique.

What is your favorite costume you have seen on other cosplayers?

That is almost impossible to say. There are so many great costumes some look better then the drawings! I guess the costume that I thought was perfect was at my first A-KON when a toddler was walking next to his mom as Shippo from InuYasha. It was just awesome. And I also have to add the young lady that built and donned the StarScreem to A-KON. Great Job and it must be a nightmare to wear in the Texas heat.

Besides Cosplay, name one other hobby you are in to.

Table top Miniature Gaming. At present I play mostly War hammer 40,000 (Codex Space Marine, Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard Armored Company, and Gray Knights.) If you have any extra money and need to get rid of it fast anything by Games Work Shop will be glad to help (Editor’s Note: That is the total truth. I have Space Hulk and Advanced Space Crusade… $$$).

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Below are four of the photos I have taken of Jet over the last year that I have thought to be my personal best. Click on the thumbnail for a larger version of the photo. See you on the next spotlight Cowboy.

I will begin photo processing when I get home from work today.   I transfered all the images to the main workstation last night before bed.   Based on the final tally of photos it should take me the rest of the week to get all the photos processed and into place.    Check back daily!   

The Otaku High crew will be landing in Houstin this October for Oni-con at the George R. Brown convention center.   I look forward to seeing all you wild and crazy cosplayers.    I am bit turned off by the actual location of the convention as it offers up little in the way of cooperation in lighting and subject location.    Photography at this place is difficult because of the crazed lighting, high ceilings, bad carpet and glass block walls.    Should be interesting!   I hope all my photowork doesn’t suck!   XD     See you all there!

I unfortunately will not be able to attend Ikkicon in Feburary of 2008 as I will be moving the first week of that month and will require all the money for moving and putting down deposits and the like.    Maybe next year, ne?    T_T

Finally done!   I’ll probably tweak a few here and there but for the most part I have processed and uploaded all the images.  The final total used shots was 311.  Not bad at all!    I want to thank all the cosplayers that worked with me to get some of my better shots of the con!    I hope you all enjoy them as much as I did taking them!    Until next AnimeFest!   See you Space Cowboy!

I have downloaded all the raw images as of Monday night and have begun sorting and processing them for developement.  My goal is to have all images uploaded for your viewing pleasure by Sunday the 9th.   I have a few thousand shots to go through to pick the best ones from each shoot so please be patient and check back often!

A new convention has been added to my list of conventions I am attending for 2007.    Izumicon is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and will run from November 2nd to November 4th, 2007.    For more information on Oklahoma’s largest anime convention head on over to their official web site here:   http://www.izumicon.com/