Photo credit: Boosted Perspective
The nation’s capital bore witness to some of the greatest cosplayers in the convention circuit earlier this month. I had the fabulous opportunity to attend this year’s Anime USA at the Washington Marriot Wardman Park, just off the Woodley Park Zoo metro stop. Despite the initial gloomy weather, the attendees and guests seem to be in good spirits as they trekked across the hotel eager to attend panels, wander around the Dealer’s Room and Artist’s Alley, and marvel at the glory at some of the beloved guests.
Anime USA, while a bit smaller than other conventions (around 6,000 to 7,000 people), does not lack the devotion and amazing cosplays that other big name conventions are known for. The craftsmanship and the great attention to detail did not go unnoticed. This is my first year attending Anime USA, and I must say that at first I was not used to the venue, or the lack of crowds and hustle and bustle. However, I soon found out that shorter lines and less crowded hallways could be a great thing.
Tons of people from all over attended, including some VCU students. JJ Griffin, owner of the outstanding JJ Armory Inc., was one of the attendees. (He’s also the one in the cover photo; he makes amazing armor and props, just like that Halo outfit! Check out his creations on his Facebook page.)
Some of the guests this year included Steve Blum (voice of the American version of Spike Spiegel, from Cowboy Bebop) and Johnny Yong Bosch (Power Ranger!). I was able to get into Steve Blum’s panel, and I must say he is a joy to watch interact with his fans. He is charming and hilarious and just full of energy.
He described working his way through the industry, how he had two other careers going when he started voice acting and how he admires and respects those that inspired him to continue polishing his talent as a voice actor. I also paid a brief visit to the maid café, which seemed charming and had very helpful and sweet maids willing to assist customers.
The Dealer’s Room held cute plushies, unimpressive clothing (not my taste), delicious snacks (I got green tea Kit Kats…oh man, yes!) and really awesome ocarinas. I bought one, and it was so worth it.
I also bought these deliciously sweet smelling lotions, made by Buttered Buns Studio.
The owner, Chrispy Pyles, was able to sit down and have a brief interview with me! Pyles was into fiber arts when she decided to open her business. She expanded to lotions and will eventually make gloss and body wash. She also creates My Little Pony hats, which were big at Brony Con. She’s been sewing as a business for five yeara and hasn’t stopped! She’s had the name “Buttered Buns Studios” for one year and has been selling at conventions for two years. I implore all of you, if you run across this amazing human being and her great business, smell the lotions.
The Artist’s Alley held impressive prints, bookmarks, hats, phone covers, jewelry and so much more. There was talent beyond belief and I can only hope that these artists had a fruitful weekend.
What I love the most about conventions is the numerous amazing cosplays that people create and put on display. You name the genre, someone is going to be cosplaying within it and around it. People think outside, over, on top and meta within the box of creativity in cosplays.
Photo credit: Dinosaur Photography
Photographers travel from far and wide to come to conventions all over the country to take pictures of cosplayers. One splendid photographer happened to be at Anime USA and I did a fun photo shoot with him. I also had the amazing opportunity to interview this talented and popular photographer, John Jiao!
What color would describe the people you photograph and why?
The thing I love about doing this kind of work is that all of my subjects don’t have any one single shared quality. Some might be red –spontaneous, energetic and fiery. Others might be more blue –collected, graceful and calm. I try my best to get the individual personalities of the people I shoot, or those of the characters they’re playing, to shine through in any photo I take.
How does photography reflect your own personality?
I started pursuing photography when I realized I wanted to broaden my social horizons. Being a photographer is as much about being a people person as it is about having technical knowledge and experience. The vast majority of people aren’t particularly comfortable having lenses pointed at them, so it’s the job of the photographer to make them feel at ease. This is all about taking an interest in all the people you come across and retaining a willingness to remember their names and hear their stories. This is something I’m more or less making a career out of; I’m applying to medical school to be a doctor for similar reasons. Photography and medicine are both a reflection of my love of meeting and connecting with new and interesting people as well as helping to brighten their lives in some way.
Why do you choose to photograph cosplayers at anime conventions?
My first exposure to conventions was a couple years back when several friends of mine went to Otakon in Baltimore. I noticed that all they had were smartphone pictures to show for the immense amount of work they put in, and I asked them why. They told me that it’s rare for professional photographers to do hall photography, instead choosing to work with already established cosplayers in private shoots. This was ultimately how my cosplay photography work got started — I wanted to help showcase all the incredible talent and hard work on display at conventions, specifically by photographing cosplayers on the convention floor.
What goals do you have for the future?
Right now my exact goals are unclear, since I won’t know where in the country I’ll end up for medical school. However, I know that no matter where I go I’ll attend all the cons I reasonably can and continue doing cosplay photography. I love what I do, and I love being a part of this community.
Make sure to check out John Jiao’s work on his Facebook page.
I also had the opportunity to interview “Convention-Attending” Nate (an awesome and insightful con-hopper who volunteers at conventions on the east coast). Nate attends Metro Con (Florida), Dragon Con (Georgia), Anime USA (DC) and Katuscon (Virginia). He described how each and every convention has its own flavor. He usually works in technology operations at the conventions and he remarked how the DC circuit is always looking for volunteers (so if any of you readers are interested, make sure to check that out!).
We also discussed some changes we noticed at conventions; some good, some bad and some are neither. There is a fundamental disconnect between how it’s (conventions) run and how and why people go for it, Nate said. If you ever attend any kind of convention, especially an anime or comic convention, please take the time to really engage with the people around you. Trust me, it’s worth it because of the amazing conversations and laughs you’ll experience.
All in all, Anime USA was an incredibly interesting and different experience for me. I am glad I attended and I am so grateful for being given the opportunity to be a press member. Make sure to check out all the awesome people I got to interview there!