Photo by No Robots Photography
Photo by JWai Design
Photo by Cantera Image
Photo by Ryuu Lavitz
Photo by Ryuu Lavitz
Photo by Ryuu Lavitz
Photo by Ryuu Lavitz
Photo by Rob Logan Media
Frequently Asked Questions
How did you get into Cosplay?
As stated in my "About Me" section, I've been dabbling in, and have been taking classes for photography for the last 6 years. I always loved doing self portraits but using my every day clothes was getting stale for me. I started sewing and creating props for more interesting photos, using my favorite characters as inspiration. Soon enough, the internet dubbed me a cosplayer. Now, even though I was aware that people made costumes for Anime Boston, I had no idea that there was more than just AB out there for conventions, and I didn't even know what I was doing was called cosplay. I just wanted to lump all my hobbies together to make more interesting photos.
How long have you been cosplaying for?
This is a tricky question, seeing that I didn't knowingly just pick up cosplaying as a hobby, it just sort of happened. My first few sets of character inspired photos came out starting with Lara Croft in January 2013, followed by Pikachu and Gender Bent InuYasha in April 2013. I just spiraled out of control from there, creating as many characters as I could think of fitting the look of. My first BIG costume was created the following year, when I created Infested Kerrigan (from Starcraft, one of my favorite games) in April 2014. I then started guesting at cons for the first time starting in May of 2014.
I'm new to cosplay, how do I get into it, and do you have any tips / advice?
Cosplay is a labor of love, that reqires lots of patience, with lots of trial and error. You are going to make mistakes, you are going to run into issues. Sometimes, you'll have a malfunction or something will break right before a convention. The best thing I can reccomend is to be forgiving with yourself. You can't learn without making some mistakes first. So, don't be afraid to pick a character that you enjoy, and just dive in. Second bigger piece of advice is plan, plan, plan. Cosplaying can get pricey, especially if you don't plan it out properly, mess up and need to buy more materials. I always draw out all my plans before I do them. I also make sure to measure myself every time I make something new because as humans, our bodies are constantly changing. Nothing is worse than making something ever so slightly too small, and having to start all over. I've been there, and it sucks. But hey, that's a part of the learning curve.
Do you think I could pull off [this] character? Tell me who I should cosplay as!
Nobody can tell you who to cosplay as but you. Cosplay characters that you know and love. That's what makes the best cosplays. When you love a character and put heart into the creation, it shows.
I really want to see you cosplay as [this] character.
Will you do it?
I typically do not take requests, as I do not have unlimited money / income. I do the characters I like, or could imagine myself as. If you requested something, and I did it, it's most likely because I had that on my list of things I wanted to do. If you want to commission me to do a specific character, that's a different story. If you pay for the material and time cost to make / shoot for the character, I'll probably do whatever character you want (within reason; no lingerie, no nudity, or implied nudity).
How can I directly suppport your work so I can see you make more cosplays?
There's many ways you can support my work! If you'd like to support in general, you can head on over to my Facebook and hit that like button. Of course following on any other social media helps as well. You could buy prints in my print shop. You could hop in and chat during my live streams on TwitchTV. You could snag something off my wishlist, as most things on there are for cosplaying, streaming or providing some sort of entertainment. You could also donate via Paypal or sign up to be my supporter on Patreon.
Will you come to [this] convention? How can I get you to a convention near me?
Traveling is expensive! I can't just pack up and go to any and every con! If you'd like to see me make an appearance at a con near you, contact your convention directors and tell them you'd like to see me as a guest. In fact, there's power in numbers. Have your friends request for me as well! From there, if they're interested and they end up getting enough people asking for it, they will contact me and we will work out the details from there! Getting in touch with your local con directors could be as simple as tweeting at them on Twitter, shooting the official con page a message on Facebook or looking up a contact email on their website! I have yet to decline an invite, so you can be sure that if they ask me to be there, I WILL!
When do you stream on Twitch TV? What games do you stream? What software are you using to stream?
I typically stream later at night as I work during the day. I use OBS, an AfterGlow Wireless headset and a Logitech webcam. I stream a wide variety of games such as (but is not limited to); Starcraft, Don't Starve, Terraria, Castle Crashers, Rogue Legacy, Borderlands, Slenderman, Depth, FarSky, Need 4 Speed, BloodSport, Black Ice, Left 4 Dead 2, Mortal Kombat and Final Fantasy. I also stream retro games using a Nintendo Simulator such as Battle Toads, Super Mario / Super Mario RPG, Legend of Zelda, Mega Man, Super Metroid, Mystic Quest, etc.
I'm always looking to buy new games, so my list is ever growing. However, No, I do NOT play DotA or LoL.
How do you fund your cosplays?
Along with working a regular day job (my paychecks mostly go towards rent, food, bills and pet/medical expenses), a lot of my funding somes from the amazing supporters I have online who donate and buy prints.
Is cosplaying expensive? How can I make it more afforable?
Cosplaying can be very expensive. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy an entire costume than it is to purchase materials for one. Sometimes it's the opposite. It all depends on the costume, really. If you're looking to cut corners on expenses, recycle old clothing or pick up cheap clothing at thrift shops / the Salvation Army / Savers and modify the item to fit your needs. Save random doo-dads that you would normally throw away and use those things to make something new. The spools in my hair for Chii, for example; are merely spools from my empty threads that I've painted. Even poster tubes / boxes / packaging materials in the mail, I'll keep. I save EVERYTHING if it seems like it could be used for something else.
I want to commission you for a custom, "sexy" photoshoot. Will you do it?
No. I do not do custom photosets for lingerie, bikini, nude or implied nudity. If you're looking for this sort of commission, do not contact me about it. I will turn you down. If I do any sort of bikini photoshoot, it will be on my own terms- not just because someone wants to pay me to do it.
If you want to commission me for cosplay or fashion shoot, you can feel free to contact me about it. There are no set rates as it depends on if I already have the costume, or if it's a character that I would have to make a costume for. If I need to make the costume, (as it wouldn't be something I would originally do), the cost of the materials is to be paid by the person requesting the commission.
Will you add me on [this] gaming platform / social media?
Unless I know you personally, I will not add you on Facebook, Steam, Battle Net, etc. I only add my real-life friends and close internet friends to my social medias and gaming platforms. The reason for this is because even though I'm a social butterfly, I enjoy my privacy. When I want to play a few games, I just want to play a few games with my personal friends, not get 16 requests from random strangers or get a bunch of "hi / sup" messages.
Can I talk to you as I'd talk to one of the characters you portray? Will you roleplay with me?
Yeah, please don't do that. I get it, you think my Harley is good, or whatever the case may be. But don't go calling yourself my Mister J, or expect me to call you puddin'. It's just weird for me. Talk to me as if I was your sister, or daughter, or co worker. Don't talk to me like I'm some cybering or roleplaying partner. Anything too disrespectful (or if it legitimately makes me cringe reading what you wrote), ends up getting you banned.
Will you go on a date with me? / Will you marry me?
No. Regardless of my relationship status, I do not date random people, nor do I attempt long distance relationships.
I messaged you on Facebook and you never responded, what gives?
Here's the thing, as you can imagine, I get MANY messages on Facebook every day. I used to be able to keep up with them all, but seeing that my fan base has grown to be so large, it's incredibly difficult to keep up with every day life, crafting AND responding to all these messages. I will not have random small talk. As much as I love every one who enjoys my work, I just do not have the time to answer. I try to open and respond to what I can but please understand that I am merely one person running my page. Many big name cosplayers have other people open their messages and respond for them. I like to keep it personal. At least you can have the peace of mind knowing if you get a response, it's actually from me and not someone I've hired to moderate my inbox.
If you have something important to discuss such as business / commission questions, print shop related inquiries, etc. please contact me at my current-listed email on my Facebook. Emailing me is for business ONLY. Please do not try chatting me up via emails.
What do you do to keep in shape? Do you diet or have an exercise routine that I can try?
Contrary to belief, I do not actually work out nor have I ever dieted. I have a gluten intolorance issue, which causes my body to not actually absorb all the nutrience that it should from anything with gluten in it. Does this stop me from eating delicious foods? Of course not. Gluten-free food is gross. It's tolerable in moderation, I guess.
Will you do a Share for Share (s4s) / Feature Friday / Like for Like (L4L) /Shout out / make me a fan sign / advertise my website?
Did you know that doing S4S does nothing but kill your page? Sure, you may get a couple hundred likes in a day, but that will kill your page reach in the long run. ESPECIALLY if you share with pages that spam s4s. it's nothing but click bait for like farms that get pennies for clicking that like button. So the answer to that is no.
I also do not have time to sit around and make fan signs. Isn't the point of a fan sign... well... to have a fan make it for you? I don't even understand why people are so obsessed with fan signs.
And will I advertise your website? That depends. It depends on the website / the content of your website and whether or not I would be proud / ashamed to be associated with it. My page is my page alone, not a billboard for the public. If there was something to benefit me from it, I'd consider it.
What kind of camera and editing programs do you use?
I use a Canon Rebel T3, and I use Photoshop CS6.
Can I interview you for my website / blog?
Most likely not. I get requests to do interviews so often, and they're always the same basic questions. You can feel free to send me your interview questions via email, and I may answer them, but PLEASE be more creative. Nobody wants to answer (or read) the same answers over and over again.
My friends and family don't support me / tease me for my cosplaying hobbies. How do I get past this?
If someone is actually giving you a hard time for doing something you want to do, I say, forget that person. If someone claims they care about you, but won't support something as harmless as costume making, they're not meant to be in your life. Because there's a lot worse things that you could be doing instead. If you want to be an adult playing dress up, be an adult playing dress up. Because there are hundreds of thousands of us, and that number is growing every day. You will make new friends. Hopefully ones that support your desires.
How do you deal with online bullies / haters?
Haters will be haters. They're nothing to yme. What do I care if some random people don't like me? If people can spend their time being negative about someone, whos problem is it really, besides their own? It doesn't affect my life. It can ONLY affect my life if I let it by thinking about it, worrying about it, or trying to combat it. Just report it, block it, delete it and move on. If someone wants to live under a storm cloud, let them. They'll get bored and move on, eventually, as well.
Who does your photography?
I do all my own photography. If I do work with a photographer, I always credit. So if you don't see a "Photographer credit", it's because I've taken and edited the photo on my own.