Cosphotography refers to the videoing and photographing of a person participating in cosplay and can act as a way for the cosplayer to gain capital through promotion which allows recognition (). Paul Mountfort believes “photography pays a crucial role in contemporary cosplay,( Mountfort, 2020) as it “as long as it is not of the invasive variety can thus provide cosers not only with tokens pf private value but fan capital that circulates within wider, largely online networks of exchange operating in the cosphere,”(Mountfort, 2020). Meaning cosplaying through cosphotography creates a new space for the cosplayer not only space for expression but offers a chance for them to gain capital from the labour they have put into their costuming.
Of the three main genres of cosphotography as outlined by Paul Mountfort the most formal of the three would have to be the runway cosphotography. This is where cosplayers could be gathered usually in a competition event where preparations for these cosplayers are made before the photos and videos are taken (Geczy, & Peirson- Smith, 2018). It is here where cosplayers are directly rewarded for their hard work as often, they gain monetary capital for the creations of their cosplay. This type of cosphotography is narrated as occurring in 1941 we have photographs of these cosplay competitions creating the earliest moments of the formal runway cosphotography despite these cosplayers entering costumed competitions as early as 1910 when a young woman won first prize at a masquerade ball as she went in cosplay in a skyjack costume(Mountfort, 2020).
The less formal version of cosphotography compared to the other main genre of cosphotography would have to be hallway cosphotography. This refers to the photographs and videos which are taken of cosplayers in a more natural none planed space (Geczy, & Peirson- Smith, 2018). Oftentimes these photographs are done without the cosplayer’s consent (Mountfort, 2020) this type of cosphotography began to occur around the same time technology developed in a way allowing people to become cosphotographers, technology like the handheld camera (Mountfort, 2020). In doing this everyday people gained access to recording events as such cosplay can spread more easily and
The slightly less formal, when compared to runway cosphotography, is the studio portrait. This involves yet again planning and the complete consent of the cosplayer as time is put in for selecting lighting and backdrops and occurs in a private location (Geczy, & Peirson- Smith, 2018). They are in a sense taking steps to ensure that they are gaining capital by sharing and distributing these photographs. In 1969 we see one of the first examples of studio portrait through the image of Angelique Trouvere in cosplay as Vampirella (Mountfort, 2020). Studio portrait, in the end, can be described as a combination of the formal runway and informal hallway cosphotography ().
Looking at these main genres of cosphotography one will not that as they developed through history it does seem that the less formal hallway cosphotography has developed into a much larger medium of the three and one could attribute this to the development of technology such as the handheld cameras.
Reference
Geczy, A., Mountfort, P., Peirson- Smith, A. (2018). Planet cosplay. United Kingdom: Bristol, United States: Chicago. Interlect
Mountfort, P (Lec). (2020). [Lecture powerpoint]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_96250_1&content_id=_5273101_1&mode=reset
Mountfort, P (Lec). (2020). [Lecture recording]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_96250_1&content_id=_5273101_1&mode=reset
Pop Genres 2020 