The cosplayers get all the acclaim and adoration. Ask any cosplayer, though, and he or she will tell you: Good photographers are key.
This is why some high profile Japanese cosplayers are reluctant to allow photographers that they don't usually work with to snap their photos. Cosplay photography is an art in its own way.
So let's look at a talented photographer who goes by the name Dappuru and, as he puts it, "is an improving cosplay photographer." His blog even expresses his desire to take cosplay into the realm of art.
The Kanagawa-based photographer is a regular at cosplay events, but what sets his work apart are his studio photographs. They're often in empty rooms and have a tinge of loneliness to them that you usually don't see in cosplay photographs—even when the photos are supposed to be light and airy.
If you like Dappuru's work, there are more photos in the link below.
Click the photo's lower corner to expand the image to full size.
コスプレ撮影日記ｂｙダップル [Official Site]
(All photos: ダップル)
You can contact Brian Ashcraft, the author of this post, at bashcraft@kotaku.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.