Why do you photograph cosplayers?
Just doing what I’ve always done. We use to do very similar things in high school and college. Only we weren’t nearly as good and there weren’t any cons. I feel like I’m doing something positive and helping people express themselves.

Prior to discovering cosplay photography, cons felt kind of empty, just paying to get in to buy stuff, occasionally running into an old friend, then going home. Now, with the photography, I’m meeting people and have a greater sense of community

Why don’t you pose for photos?
The cosplayers are the stars. I’m content being behind the camera and have no desire to share the spotlight (and nobody can acuse me of craving the spotlight). It’s more fun for me to meet new cosplayers on equal terms, without them knowing who I am. Enjoy the mystery of guessing what I look like, it’s a lot better than reality.

What got you into this hobby?
It was really an accident. I went to an anime con out of boredom one weekend. I actually drove home an got camera.

How many years have you been involved with this hobby?
Since 2000.

What other subjects do you shoot?
I have three wonderful little nieces that I try to photograph. Occasionally I photograph high end home theater systems. I use to photograph my rockets, but that hobby has been on hold for a while.

Why do you choose to focus your projects around cosplayers?
I had attended science fiction conventions when I was in high school and college, but became disillusioned with them. It eventually felt like I was just paying admission to be a consumer. As a cosplay photographer, I can make a contribution to the community. I appreciate and identify with what the cosplayers do. Over the years I've gained their acceptance and respect. It re-enforces all of our interest in the hobby. I believe it is what I am suppose to be doing.

Do you travel a lot for this hobby?
As much as I can afford to and as much as my job will allow. I actually have a little bit of anxiety about traveling, regardless of the mode of transportation. I’d prefer to be in one place or the other and bypass the journey.

How does this hobby effect your life financially?
Photography is an extraordinarily expensive hobby. Combined with the travel and accommodations, it gets very expensive. My average monthly cosplay photography expenses are more than my car payment.

Have you ever cosplayed?
Anime conventions and the term cosplayer didn't exist when I was younger, but we had our own forms of costuming that was inspired by Monty Python, Saturday Night Live and Andy Kaufman. Some of the characters I portrayed were aliens, a walking wrigley's spearmint gum package, Mr. Gumby and the Bishop from Monty Python, Quint from Jaws, a third world military dictator and several more. I'm convinced there's just something about that age range where you have an abundance of energy, have no limits and need to express yourself in a larger than life manner.

I actually cosplayed as "El Santo", a very famous Mexican wrestler at A-Kon 12 and 13. What I recall most was having to stop and put everything down every few feet to pose for photos. I also felt unprepared for my 'role' as there were El Santo fans at the cons, that knew a lot more about him than I did. I kept thinking I wasn't living up to their expectations.

What do you do for a living?
Web related work, primarily online publications.

Where do you see your future taking you?
I’d like to see more conventions have photographers as guests. Not for the purpose of celebrity status, rather as recognition of a valued service or attraction that the conventions can market, and to offset the photographers’ expenses.

How involved with conventions are you?
I support conventions through my photos and web site. The best way I can serve the conventions is by taking photos, so I consider myself an unsolicited full-time volunteer. I try to be as low maintenance as possible and let the organizers decide how much communication is needed.

How has your hobby evolved over the years?
There's been a lot of changes. When I originally started taking cosplay photos, I was taking them for myself. Around 2004, I began taking photos for the cosplayers.

Photographically, the biggest change has been transitioning from passively pressing the the shutter release on a camera and accepting what the camera gave me, to learning everything I can about photography and actively telling the camera what I want.

The cosplayers became ‘real people’ with lives.

What are your other hobbies?
High Power Rocketry and music. Both hobbies are on hiatus.

How would you explain what you do to an outsider or newcomer to the hobby?
Cosplay is where fans of Japanese animation, dress up as their favorite characters in costumes they've made themselves. Actors have their opportunity to be seen and photographed on the red carpet at various premiers. The cons are the cosplayers’ equivalent. I’m their press. It is their time to display their latest efforts. My job is to capture them at their best to make them and the cons look good.

What are some things you like about the hobby?
You've got a great group of young people who are putting their energy into something positive, expressing themselves through artistry, creativity, ingenuity and other crafts. Rather than being introverted, they're being a part of something.

When I meet cosplayers for the first time, I really enjoy it when cosplayers actually cosplay. Meaning staying in character forcing me to interact with the character and concealing their own personalities as long as possible. It's kind of become a lost art.

What are some things you don’t like?
When I fail to take a good photo of some one or when I miss them altogether. It's a long time between conventions. I think my biggest worry is that the conventions are going to become victims of their own success as the transition more from fan driven events to full-time businesses. The age difference.

Teenaged fan girls running around and bumping into expensive camera equipment.

I've seen a trend of people trying to be con photographers thinking it's fast track to some sort of celebrity status. This seems like a very self-serving motive. I'm certainly not the first con photographer and I'm not doing anything original. I took con photos for four years without ever putting them online. No real interest in being popular, but I do value people trusting me and my work, which is a slow process, that occurs over several cons, not over night.