Friday, January 21, 2011

✩Hexlord

Ryeain:
Hexlord, I bet some of you guys have already know him through DA. Yup, I've been following on his cosplay photography too waaaaay before I started cosplay. Have always been loving the way he capture close up potrait photos. Love how he always plays with lights and shadows to create a suitable atmospher for the character.

✩Hexlord✩
.deviantart . daportfolio . multiply.







Ryea: What type of camera do you use in capturing those awesome photos?


In the past I was using the Panasonic LC43, the FZ30 and the Nikon D80.

Currently I use the Nikon D300s, with a compliment of lenses ranging from an ultra-wide zoom lens (11-16mm f2.8 Tokina) to a telephoto lens (70-300mm Nikkor f4-5.6). I also use prime lenses, consisting of the 35mm, 50mm and 85mm for most of my works.


Ryea: What inspires you to start photography?

I started out in photography after attending some of the Singapore cosplay events back in 2003-2004. After being invited to some of the photoshoots during that period of time by friends, I decided that it is not too bad to pick up a camera and learn a few things. :)

Also, with the advent of amazing things produced by cosplayers, what better way to showcase their works other than photography?



Ryea: What makes you to continue in photography with passion?

The world of photography is very vast. There's a lot to learn, things to explore... the possibilities are endless.

It is like chess, easy to learn but hard to master. For cosplay, there are also new series to encounter.

And in the process of learning more about photography, I can make new friends, travel the world, and experience new things!



Ryea: Which is your most satisfied/favorite shot so far?

The Puppet IV - I quite like it because of her outfit, the background that I have chosen, as well as the umbrella that she used. Red is nice too.
Burst Angel Broken Wings
Nunnally Her Endless Dreams
Sandplay Miku
The Moon King II
The Lone Wolf II
The World is his Stage


Ryea: Which photo you've taken is the most challenging to you? why?

My most challenging shot so far would be this shot The Tale of Odin's Daughter because of the extreme lighting condition presented to me during that time. Also, because of the strong wind it is not that easy for my friend to keep still!


Ryea: What aspect do you think that you have improved a lot since you started photography?

In the past I tend to be 'trigger happy' in taking photos and love to spend a lot of time behind the computer to 'fix' up the shots. Nowadays, I try to get it right during the photo taking stage, doing a bit of touch up at the post-processing stage.

I also have a better understanding of how light works, both natural and artificial, as well as the equipments used to achieve the effects required.



Ryea: What's your goal achievement in photography?

To make memories, to make people laugh, to inspire others to do better. I also wish to present cosplay photography as a serious genre, not as something that is easily dismissed by the rest of the photography community.

Ryea: Who do you look up to or inspires you?

Here are some of the people that inspires me, which by no means exhaustive.

Ryea: Any advise to those are new starter or interested in photography?

Never to be intimidated, to always learn from mistakes, and to practice often. There's really no special magic to it, everybody can learn and improve in their own photography!


Ryea: In your opinion, what defines a photo as an average photo and an awesome photo?

An average photo, is a photo that can be well taken in every technical aspect. It can even have a momentary wow factor, an instant gratifiying feeling.

But an awesome photo, to me, is something people can remember for years to come. Such a photo, defines the photographer who takes it, and goes beyond the mainstream. It can be unique, it can even be a shot that is not techically perfect. In short, a photo that can tell a thousand words (or tales).



Ryea: Lastly, what do you think about Let's Cosplay this site?

It is a nice site that showcases some of the most amazing cosplays around, with balanced coverage featuring the photographers too. I hope to see the site grow from strength to strength in the near future.


Thanks a lot, Hexlord !!~
READ MORE - ✩Hexlord

holic cosplay

Despite her annoyance with Konata's constant references to her otaku interests, Kagami is quite knowledgeable with anime and games, preferring light novels over manga. She tends to fret about her weight even though she has no willpower in controlling her eating habits. Although she and Konata are often seen arguing, Kagami has a strong attachment to Konata and is almost always willing do favors for her.

Cosplayer Kanda Midori makes a great Kagamin! This Miko outfit really suits her character as well. I don’t remember an episode from the series showing Kagami as a shrine maiden though, do you? Thanks to Wendy for suggesting this!

lucky star cosplay - hiiragi kagami 02 by kanda midori
READ MORE - holic cosplay

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Vocaloid 2: Megurine Luka 02

vocaloid 2 cosplay - megurine luka 02Unlike Hatsune Miku and Kagamine Rin and Len, Megurine Luka's costume is not based on a school uniform. This is probably because Luka has a "moody yet husky female voice" with a "cool, somewhat mysterious" character. One of the first few songs produced, "RIP=RELEASE" took the number one spot on the 70th Weekly Vocaloid Ranking. The song earned 843,233 points during its first week, the highest one-week score ever recorded.

Beautiful MoeHaku Luka! I didn't even know this was her official costume until I received this contribution. Thanks, Wikia!

Technorati tags: cosplay, cosplayer, holic, role, play, roleplay, costume, anime, manga, game, moe, haku, moehaku, 2010, vocaloid, 2, megurine, luka, hatsune, miku, kagamine, rin, len, school, uniform, moody, husky, female, voice, cool, mysterious, character, first, song, produce, rip, release, spot, 70, weekly, ranking, point, record, beautiful, contribution, wikia, email, コスプレ, コスプレイ, 巡音, ルカ, 初音, ミク, 鏡音, リン, レン
READ MORE - Vocaloid 2: Megurine Luka 02

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Sunday, January 2, 2011

✩Pu Kwong

Ryeain:
Always creates the best atmosphere for his photos with the angles, colours and composition.
TTGL: Nia x Simon, real love that he uses blue as the back light as it brings the whole soft yet strong atmosphere.
Yuna_2, I'm moved by this photo, the scene is exactly touching. The colour, the photo coordination is just perfect ! *lovelove
Can't deny that his still life photography is equally fascinating, you guys should check them out!



✩Pu Kwong✩



Ryea: What type of camera do you use in capturing those awesome photos?

Early(Mid 2007) I was using canon 350D, which is my sister camera, start off with 50mm f1.8 and 18-55mm kitlens and lately bought 85mm f1.8. Used it until 2009(June), return back to my sister, and saved enough money for my 1st own DSLR camera which is nikon D90. Now it pair with 35mm f1.8 , 18-105mm and 50mm f1.4D.


Ryea: What inspires you to start photography?

During college years, I have photography class for Basic of what is photography. And I was amazed by Lecturer photography, it can capture beyond human eyes limit, is like an art to me. So, I started to get interested in photography ( Mid 2007 ). During End of 2007 year, 1 of my friend is cosplayer ( Roxanne ), she brought me to explore the cosplay event at Taylor College 2007, and where everything related to cosplay passion started there !!


Ryea: What makes you to continue in photography with passion?

From the beginning, I was amazed by cosplay photography, as the beauty of the costume itself simply draws my attention to it 0.o~!!!! Later, I found deviantart, where I started to explore more on photography and art of course, thus it bring my passion towards photography even further until end of 2009. My sister saw my Deviantart photos and she said I should give a try still life photography, as a result, she showed me a lot of still life photography from flickr. I was totally stunned and amazed by those photography because they can just simply frame a interesting object of each shot, they art sense is simply awesome. Now my passion photography is more into still life photography while the second is cosplay photography.


Ryea: Which are your satisfied shots so far?

Digital Lomo - http://heroinekpk.deviantart.com/art/Evening-LOMO-84424097

P4 - http://album.blog.yam.com/show.php?a=lomomo&f=6553753&i=11103269&p=1

Ciel - http://heroinekpk.deviantart.com/art/Ciel-107112859
(Featured in Otacool2, thanks to Hoshi for visiting our CF event)

Yuna - http://heroinekpk.deviantart.com/art/Yuna-153049420

Setsuna - http://heroinekpk.deviantart.com/art/G-00-Setsuna-146789815

Gantz - http://heroinekpk.deviantart.com/art/Gantz-190477172


Ryea: Which photo you've taken is the most challenging to you? why?

Every shoot has it own challenge, it's always a challenge to find the right angle and feeling from the heart through the image.


Ryea: What aspect do you think that you have improved a lot since you started photography?

Photography observation, is the only main thing I keep want to improve on, combining with my current passions (still life and cosplay), both side helped me improve greatly.


Ryea: What's your goal achievement in photography?

To achieve greatest photography observation, to find out my own style, sit back and let the pictures tell the stories.


Ryea: Who do you look up to or inspires you?

Mayu - ttp://www.flickr.com/photos/mayu_/

Lefty - http://www.flickr.com/photos/12142152@N04/

ditteisager - http://www.ditteisager.dk/

miki - http://www.flickr.com/photos/rocamiki/

others are behance.net and deviantart.com


Ryea: Any advise to those are new starter or interested in photography?

If you like take pictures, it is good to understand the basic of photography(operate your camera, art sense, aperture, shutter, and other...). Without understanding well on basic things, you may not able to enjoy your photography. Every master out there will sure tell the same, master your basic photography. Everything is about the person behind the camera, not the gears. Unless you found out there is limitation on your gears for yours shooting...then only invest on the gears.


Ryea: In you opinion, an artistic eye or the camera equipments and gadgets, which is much more needed in creating a wonderful shot?

Camera equipments and gadgets do help to creating a wonderful shots in certain situation, example like night photography, fireworks and wild life. But, the one will create wonderful shot still the person behind the gears, because that person control everything to create that very moment wonderful shot.


** Question from Zeratul :
Cosplay photography is not main stream photography, what actually makes you truly think its worth your time and effort in doing it? What kind of returns are you looking at?


In photography world, there are many type of photography, each of it have it's own reward in return, like cosplay photography is one of the many type photography, I can't says is it 100% worth my time, but I will says it worth to shoot. I learnt many new things through cosplay shoot. Whether is it worth or not, the comparison between my earlier cosplay photgraphy and the currents ones, it tells the answer. Each cosplay shooting, I will set a goal for myself and I will take it as a challenge for myself to produce nice cosplay photos. In return, I gain much improvement on my photography observation, must feel gratitude to the one who bring me to cosplay world.


Lastly, what do you think about Let's Cosplay this blog?

Well, it is an interesting site to share a person feelings and thoughts. I'm sure many wish to know how others feelings and thoughts, good job site~~~.


Thank you so much PK!!~
READ MORE - ✩Pu Kwong

Friday, December 31, 2010

♥ Kazeki

Ryeain:
Kazeki, I've been 'stalking' her awesome cosplays way before I started cosplaying. I'm certainly impressed by her cosplays, always bringing it to a higher level. Her cosplay of Fatima from Five Star Story really did blew me away with the suit and even more epic headgear... and she did portray Fatima very well*lovelove



✩✩ INTERVIEW SECTION ✩✩

Ryea: What is COSPLAY to you?
Being able to bring a 2D character to the real world.


Ryea: When do you first started to cosplay?
2005


Ryea: How many characters have you cosplayed so far ?
-2005-
Komachi Mikumari - Samurai 7
Athrun Zala ; Zaft uniform - Gundam SEED *borrowed from Roxanne*
Soi Fong ; battle and taichou uniform - Bleach
Seth Nightlord ; ROM III novel cover - Trinity Blood

-2006-
Miranda Lott ; Exorcist uniform version - D.Gray-man
Dizzy ; battle form - Guilty Gear XX
Seth Nightlord (tea seller) - Trinity Blood
Athrun Zala; Akatsuki no Kuruma - Gundam SEED special OVA ending
Athrun Zala/Alex Dino - Gundam SEED Destiny *borrowed from Fenix*
Maya - Magna Carta Crimson Stigmata

-2007-
Soi Fong ;Captain version - BLEACH
Agito - Air Gear *borrowed from Sizer*
C.C. - Code Geass
Firi - Lamento ~Beyond the Void~
Ion Fortuna (Court Version) - Trinity Blood *borrowed from Skye*

-2008-
Dawn/Hikari from Pokemon : Diamond & Pearl
Shirayuri Hime - Zone 00
Sailor Star Healer - SailorMoon : Sailor Stars
Sharon Apple - Macross PLUS
Mercedes - Odin Sphere

-2009-
Sheryl Nome (Iteza gogo Kuji don't be late)
Kimihiro Watanuki - xxxHolic *costume borrowed from ElderG*
Kasumi - Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach
Chie Satonaka - Persona 4
C.C. (Mutuality artbook) - Code Geass
Meg - Bakuretsu Tenshi
Velvet - Odin Sphere
Gumi Megpoid - Vocaloid
Fatima Hugtrang - Five Star Stories

-2010-
Mita Makoto - Sweet Pool
Lady Gaga (Pokerface)
DEADMASTER - Black★Rock Shooter
Anti-Spiral Nia - Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Nia Teppelin (timeskip version) - Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Shimohira Reika - GANTZ
Beast - Kuroshitsuji



Ryea: Which is your favorite character that you've cosplayed?
Mercedes, Anti Spiral Nia, Fatima Hugtrang.


Ryea: Which is your first character?
Komachi from Samurai 7. Definitely too old for her now lol


Ryea: Which characters are in your future cosplay list?
More Magna Carta, I can't get over Hyung Tae Kim.


Ryea: Do you make your own costume & props ?
Costumes are usually tailored/modified but my props are made by Jarold and I.
I have awesome friends like Rain, Stick and Jac'kee that always help me out as well.



Ryea: What is your favorite part when cosplay?
Seeing a prop completed, wearing the full costume for the first time and I get very strange satisfaction when it comes to editing photos, I guess it's because I consider it the final touches of my cosplay.


Ryea: Any good/funny/memorable experience when you cosplay?
Persona 4 - waking up at 3am to get ready for a long road to Sekinchan.
C.C. Mutuality - Got to cosplay with the amazing Kanasaii and Lenneth pair. I felt like the luckiest C.C. ;_____;
Deadmaster - Shiroin, my photographer, sunk his leg into a giant pit of mud during the shoot!!!
Gumi/Miki - Vocaloids drowning in the swimming pool is quite a sight.



Ryea: How and what have you think you've improved from since you started cosplay?
Definitely improved in every aspect from prop making to make up and of course *~editing photos~* BEFORE & AFTER


Ryea: Do you salute/idolize any cosplayer?
Omi Gibson http://en.curecos.com/profile/?ch=168966
HRM http://en.curecos.com/profile/?ch=20651
-aira- http://ja.curecos.com/profile/?ch=72312
Kanasaii http://kanasaiii.deviantart.com/
LennethXVii http://lennethxvii.deviantart.com/
Cvy http://cvy.deviantart.com/


Ryea: Any tips to share ?
Study, research, work smart, enjoy!


Ryea: Do you think as a 'qualified' cosplayer, it's a must to do everything without the help from professionals ; costume props and others?
If that's the case, a lot of us wouldn't be "qualified" enough to cosplay.
Some people just have strengths on certain aspects while others don't.



and 3 random questions :

1) Which convention do you like most in Malaysia?
Comic Fiesta

2) How much money do you spend on Seth Nightroad.. the outfit is such AMAZING piece!!
Thank you! I spent about RM1.5k, it pales in comparism to the Trinity Blood team that debuted at CF2010 though, that team was AMAZING.

3) What do you do in events?
Meet old friends and new ones. I don't really have much stamina for events though.
I do better in photoshoots.



Thank you so much Kazeki !!~
READ MORE - ♥ Kazeki