The Photography of Adam Howell: Nekocon 2011
Adam Howell is a photographer from North Carolina who loves the art of cosplay. While he takes photos of his friends around different anime conventions, Adam makes sure he takes the time to cosplay as well. Nerd Caliber was fortunate enough to talk to Mr. Howell about how he handles being both a cosplayer and a photographer and if one art form influences the other. Check out below the wonderful shots he took at NekoCon 2011!
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What were you like before you discovered anime/manga? How did you discover it?
Pretty much I was into video games before i got into anime and manga. I was into games like Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, Parasite Eve and Tekken. Mostly played Playstation One games. I was actually a very shy person! I guess most would say nerdy.
Describe how you were first acquainted with cosplay and photography?
In 2007, I attended my first anime convention, which was Anime Mid Atlantic. I had no clue what a convention was and what cosplay was back then. I just knew that I wanted to do it one day! So in 2009, I went to Animazement in Raleigh, North Carolina and I decided to cosplay as Rude. To my shock, people said I was the best Rude they had ever seen before! My photography also started at Animazement! I started off with a Kodak Easyshare which I used all year for other cons and then in 2010 I used a Canon Powershot and 2011 a Canon Rebel DSLR.
Why is cosplay more popular than ever?
Cosplay to me is a passion I enjoy doing. I enjoy meeting new people. Cosplay has given me the best memories. Cosplay takes time to make but the rewards are immense. Going to conventions and meeting other people that cosplay is still amazing to me as it was the first time. Knowing that I’m a part of a huge community like this is great.
What mistakes do photographers make generally in photographing cosplayers? What can they do to avoid them?
Mistakes in cosplay photography usually comes down to two things:
1) The lighting of the convention center. Most convention centers either have amazing light or very poor lighting. I usually walk around beforehand to scope out the best places to do photoshoots and general photos.
2) Blur really can mess up an amazing photo! Sadly, even if your hand is still, blur can still appear so I use a tripod for my photos to reduce blur intake.
3) Politeness. Cosplayers love our photos to be taken so please ask us and do not take a photo of us without our permission. That is very frustrating.
What exactly makes cosplay a work of art, in your opinion, from someone wearing a regular costume?
Cosplay is something someone spends a large amount of time on. It is art, talent and pride.
Does your experience as a cosplayer help you in your picture taking?
Yes, because it is easier for me to relate to the person I am taking the photo of. Plus, I make sure I get them to do many different poses without the same expression.
What were some of the challenges you’ve faced in your shoots? How did you overcome them?
In my experience of being in a shoot…wind… Wind can be evil. Wind can knock off your wig. This has not happened but it has bought down my spikes in certain shoots. Thankfully, I also have a friend that has Got 2 B hair spray with them. When taking pictures, the only challenges I usually run into is lighting or a late arrival but I still work through the challenges and get amazing results working with the cosplayer.
What camera do you use and why? What programs do you use to enhance to your photos?
Currently, I am back with using a “point and shoot” Nikon Coolpix. This camera is still powerful and I have taken some amazing photos off of it. I use Picasa software. Picasa is amazing because of the amounts of storage I am allowed to use.
What are some of the biggest challenges for you when it comes to costume-making?
Finding material can be the hardest, for example, with my Axel cosplay, I had to modify it from a tripp jacket into an organization jacket. I also had to modify my tripp pants. Prop construction is difficult to do for my Reno cosplay. I used a swifter duster and turned it into a mag rod 🙂
What current projects are you working on?
I am currently working on being Roxas from Kingdom hearts 2! Organization form of course. I am making a bond of flames key blade as well. I am going to also try to cosplay as Grahamn from Jet Set Radio Future.
Where can someone contact you if they are interested in working with you?
If anyone is interested in working with me, my email address is found here!
ADAM HOWELL’S TOP THREE PHOTOS
Number One
Located at https://www.facebook.com/
This is my number one because of the fact of what his badge said. Plus he is amazing cosplayer i know him personally and he is a pro at what he does by far the best Kakashi i have seen yet.
