This year I attended Anime Magic 2024 on Saturday. I'll be going over my experience there, the photography aspect and interacting with people. Usually, I talk about the technical aspects of photography first, but I wanted to switch things up.
Check out the related YouTube video for a lot more photos and such.
Nikon Z5 Digital Camera:
Nikon NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2 Lens:- B&H: https://bhpho.to/44vC6lK
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Anime Magic: A Growing Convention with a Unique Vibe
Anime Magic is a relatively new convention, and while it's growing, it still maintains a smaller convention atmosphere. I've found that it fills a void left by larger conventions like Anime Central (ACEN), which have moved away from certain features. For example, Anime Magic still includes Itasha car displays, a feature ACEN no longer offers. At least I can't remember the last time they had cars on display at ACEN.
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| A look at some of the Itasha cars on display at Anime Magic 2024. |
Anime Magic also brings some unique elements, like including tattoo booths. I also appreciated that the food options were more aligned with the convention's genre, offering Japanese snacks and ramen, something I haven't seen much of at ACEN lately.
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| Multiple tattoo booths present. |
Overall, I feel Anime Magic has a nicer, more welcoming vibe compared to some larger conventions.
Cosplay Photography: Interactions and Observations
This year at Anime Magic, I experienced a mix of interactions. Most were incredibly positive. I had great conversations with people, took photos, and enjoyed mostly pleasant interactions.
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| A cosplayer posing in a hallway at Anime Magic. |
However, there were a few interactions that weren't as great. It's hard to pinpoint the exact reason, but with the sheer number of people with cameras, it's possible there was an oversaturation so maybe some cosplayers got a bit irritated from being asked too often. Making it a bit awkward asking for photos because I was contributing to the amount of people doing so.
The Joys of Conventions: Friends, Subculture, and Documentation
Despite any occasional awkwardness, the major draw of conventions, for me, is spending time with friends. Over the years, I've met many people, cosplayers and photographers alike, and conventions are a chance to reconnect. Seeing friends I don't see often is always a highlight.
I'm also passionate about documentary-style photography, and conventions provide a perfect opportunity to do that. They're generally very open to photography and videography, allowing me to document this unique subculture. Preserving this visual record of society is important to me.
My Photography Equipment
My current go-to setup for convention photography includes:
- Camera: Nikon Z5
- Lens: Nikon Z 40mm f/2
- Video: GoPro Hero 9 Black with the Max Lens Mod (2.7K, 4:3 aspect ratio)
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| A first person view of the Nikon Z5 and 40mm f/2 lens. |
The 40mm f/2 lens has become my favorite for conventions. It offers a versatile field of view and a wide aperture range. The working distance is manageable, and it performs well in the often crowded and busy convention environment. Though 40mm can be a bit too tight depending on how a given convention is laid out.
Camera Settings and Techniques
This time, I adjusted my settings slightly from previous conventions:
- Minimum Shutter Speed: 1/160th of a second (up from 1/125th) to better freeze motion.
- Autofocus Mode: AF-C with face and eye detection priority.
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| Mangoe Cosplay and her friend posing for a photo. |
Increasing the minimum shutter speed definitely helped in capturing sharper images, especially with moving subjects and my own camera movement. The Z5, combined with the 40mm lens and updated settings, feels pretty reliable at this point.
Convention Environment and Lighting
One of the advantages of Anime Magic is the availability of good photography locations. In the Hyatt Hotel, there's a fantastic area with a large skylight that's usually blocked off at Anime Central. This year at Anime Magic, it was open, which was a huge plus, as it's always been a favorite spot of mine.
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| Looking up at the massive skylight. |
The natural light from the skylight provides great lighting making it ideal for photography, depending on the time of day of course.
Cosplay Photography: Variety and Approach
Most of my photography at conventions falls under what I'd call "hallway cosplay" photography. I walk around, ask people for photos, and take quick snapshots. It's a straightforward approach that works well.
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| Example of a hallway cosplay photo. |
Sometimes, these quick interactions turn into longer, more involved photo sessions. I had a great experience with an Orochimaru cosplayer who even took the time to adjust their contact lenses for the photo. This attention to details really makes a difference!
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| Close up view of the Orochimaru cosplayer. |
I always aim to photograph a diverse range of cosplayers. It's important to be mindful of the situation and avoid interrupting people if they're eating, in conversation, or rushing to another location.
I also enjoy photographing cosplayer friends, both in casual settings and at their booths in the dealers' area. It's a great way to utilize different locations, like the skylight area, and capture the overall atmosphere of the convention.
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| Myuumarie posing for a photo at her booth. |
Challenges and Tips for Convention Photography
Convention photography presents unique challenges, particularly with lighting. You'll encounter a mix of lighting conditions, often with harsh or unflattering light. You can deal with it in editing, which is what I usually do, or use external lighting equipment. However, I prefer to keep my camera gear pretty minimal these days. I haven't owned a strobe flash in years (though I'm open to getting back into it at some point...).
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| A cosplayer in the dealers hall, which usually has really bad lighting. Though, Anime Magic puts it in a better area than Anime Central has it. |
Here are a few techniques I use:
- Mindful Movement: I've been focusing on minimizing my own movement before pressing the shutter button while taking photos to reduce blur.
- Variety of Shots: I typically take a full-body shot and a close-up one, usually vertical, but also some horizontal shots depending on the situation. The landscape orientation photos are especially good for two or more cosplayers.
- Communication: When working with another photographer, it's important to direct the cosplayer's gaze to avoid them looking in different directions. Especially important for groups of cosplayers when there is more than one person taking a photo.
- Open to Suggestions: Be receptive to suggestions! A staff member offered posing and framing suggestions that produced some nice photos.
- Group Photos: Use smaller apertures when photographing groups to ensure everyone is in focus.
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| I usually use Acdsee Photo Studio Ultimate to cull photos. |
The Editing Process
Editing convention photos take a lot of time. I go through the photos in multiple stages:
- First Cull: Remove technically bad photos (out of focus, blurry, etc.).
- Second Cull: Eliminate duplicates and select the best images for the final set.
- I usually apply a universal or group based setting adjustment to the RAW files.
- I edit the remaining photos individually for crop and further adjustments.
- I export with a small watermark and then look over the photos with a basic photo viewer. Sometimes I need to go back to adjust white balance or other settings for some photos and then re-export them.
For this convention, I removed a total of 436 photos (167 in the first cull and 269 in the second), leaving me with 371 photos from the Z5 for my public gallery. I also took a few photos with my phone and I added to the gallery.
Final Thoughts on Anime Magic 2024
Overall, Anime Magic 2024 was a fun and successful convention from a photography standpoint. I'm pleased with the photos I captured. More importantly I enjoyed connecting with cosplayer friends and fellow photographers.
I've refined my technique and feel confident with my current camera and lens combination. While newer cameras like the Nikon Zf might offer advantages like better autofocus, I can't justify the expense. So it's nice to get a decent number of quality photos for cosplayers and myself with I have available.