So I have written about some tips before regarding general cosplay tips for a convention but I'll be adding some additional tips. These are specific to showing off your cosplay at a convention and the contest specific stuff can be found here. Here's the "too long, didn't read":
Practice your poses ahead of time
Don't block the flow of traffic
Take breaks/Don't push yourself too hard
(Generally) The best photos, don't come from "the floor"
Do what you want to do (have fun)
- #1 Practice Your Poses -
I know this seems like a really simple "tip" but I want to explain a little further. So, on a convention floor, you have about 2 seconds between when someone asks for a photo and when they take the photo. Some people don't even ask, but there's not much you can do about that. Ideally have 3+ poses planned that you can get into quickly for "convention floor" photos.
Lightning from FFXIII (Ikkicon 2009)
Example of two poses that I could get into really quickly. This is a perfect example of the type of poses that make great candidates for a convention floor. I don't take up a bunch of space, I can get into it quickly, and it's easily to hit just right every time.
To further upon this, if you are doing a group cosplay with friends, this is even more important. Make sure your group has several poses that can be easy to get into and doesn't take up a bunch of space. As you can see from the background here, there is not too much room without starting to block foot traffic. Speaking of that...
- #2 Don't Block/Obstruct Traffic -
Ok, so this both for safety and sanity. For the safety bit, it's both for the safety of the convention itself and for your cosplay. If you block traffic, other people are more likely to bump into you and your cosplay. This is how a lot of damage can happen on the con floor if you aren't careful.
If you are in a wide hallway type of space, pull off to the side against the wall or find an empty type of space. If you are in a big cosplay, honestly, just find a pretty empty or traffic free space. This also helps keep other con goers from walking in front of you when you're getting your picture taken.
Many convention centers are required by law to keep emergency exits clear in case of an emergency. Don't be the cosplayer who is just standing in front of an emergency exit or you will be "asked" to move.
Quick story time: When I was at Otakon back in 2010, someone thought it would be "funny" to pull the fire alarm. This meant that EVERYONE had to evacuate the convention center until it was cleared by the fire department. That's about 28,000 people who had to get out quickly and orderly. Luckily for me in my bulky Samus cosplay, I was already out of the convention eating across the street. So don't block emergency exits! Some people panic when they hear an alarm and might push to get past you.
- #3 Take Breaks! -
Cosplay is actually pretty tiring to be in all day, but you don't have to be in cosplay all day. I know several cosplayers who will just be in cosplay for a few hours before going back to their hotel and changing. Personally, I prefer to be in cosplay all day but I take tons of breaks through the day. Many conventions now have "quiet spaces" or general rest areas and they have been great for me in the past. Take a look at your con's map that comes with your registration badge to see if there's any spots like that. If there isn't a dedicated space, I will usually show up in cosplay around mid-morning and use my lunch as my "break" time.
Speaking of food, make sure to eat something while you are at the convention. Some conventions do not allow outside food in the convention hall. If that's the case, you can grab something to eat at the con (usually very expensive) or at one of the places in walking distance (crowded with other con goers). If you choose to eat outside the convention center, just know that anything within walking distance will be busy during peak hours, so plan ahead. Alternatively, you can go back to your hotel room and eat something there (most comfortable). Eating in your room also allows you to get out of cosplay for a little bit which feels nice and allows you to make any touch ups you need before going back out. Some conventions allow small snacks, like protein bars, inside the convention center. READ THE RULES! It's standard to do bag checks upon entry, and anything not allowed will either be confiscated or you'll be told to get rid of it before you can go inside.
- #4 How to Get the Best Photos -
Ok, so this is more of a generalization. However, generally the "best" looking photos don't come from the convention floor, but come from either a) private photoshoots with photographers or b) somewhere outside that has the best light (where all the cosplayers and photographers normally are).
Samus from the con floor Samus from photoshoot
So here's a perfect example of the difference getting a photoshoot scheduled with a photographer. If it's private, you may have to pay to schedule but you get a lot out of it (tons of photos, some light editing done for you, etc). On the con floor, you can't control if someone takes a blurry photo or uses flash (makes everyone look terrible), also the background is usually very busy.
Vi from outside shot w/ photographer Vi from convention floor
You will only have to pay for a photographer if there's a full private photoshoot. For my Vi, I found the area that the photographers were hanging out at (generally outside for the best light) and a photographer took this awesome shot (left). He gave me his business card and I contacted him after for the photo after he did some light editing. Didn't cost me a thing and they will usually ask for your social media handles so they can tag you. The picture on the right is that same convention, on the con floor. Convention lighting is pretty terrible for photos and since I'm so short, most normal people take photos from too high up (which makes me look shorter) and kind of kills the photo for me.
- #5 Do What You Want to Do (aka Have Fun) -
Just because you are cosplaying doesn't mean you can't also enjoy the convention itself! I always look at the panel schedule ahead of time to plan out if there's anything I want to actually go see. This way, I know where I need to be and when to get in line so I can get into the panel.
If you're in something bulky, you should ask if there's some standing room in the back that you can use.
Please don't take up 6 seats if you can avoid it. That's 5 other people who didn't get to see the panel because your cosplay took their seat. Now, some people may be asking to take your photo while you are in a hurry to get to your panel (or something else) in time. I hate to do it, but I normally just tell people "I'm sorry but I'm running late to get to (panel, contest judging, meetup, any other thing). I'll be back (in an hour, after the panel, etc) and I'd love for you to take my picture then." Some people never approach me again, others get upset, but most say thanks and go about their day. Don't feel like you have to let someone take your photo if it means missing out on what you want to do.
- That's All for Now -
I hope this was helpful in giving an idea about how you can show off your cosplay at a convention. This is just some of my observations that's I've noticed over the years and if you think I missed something, either drop a comment or you can send me an email at hnebadger_cosplay@gmail.com. Thanks for checking this out and I hope to have more soon.
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