The World of Gwendana

[ EVA UNIT 01 ]

Evangelion cosplay with (IG)
Cosplay photography by The World of Gwendana

[ A MERE TEN YEAR JOURNEY ]

With Yaya Han as Frieren from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

[ THE WAY OF MANDALORE ]

With Lego Master Cole and in this Mandalorian cosplay photoshoot!

[ FINAL DECISION ]

With M Blackburn as Asuka from Evangelion
Photography by The World of Gwendana

[ COME AS YOU ARE ]

With Bukkit Brown as Trafalgar Law

[ A NEW JOURNEY ]

With Yaya Han as Frieren from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.

[ TRAFALGAR LAW ]

With the incredible Bukkit Brown as Trafalgar Law from One Piece!

This photoshoot is the perfect example of “make the most of your time.”

The wind was BRUTAL. Usually the wind at Katsucon can be pretty unpleasant at least one day, but this year, it was on another level. Cold and windy is not a fun place to be, so it was very important to get the pics and move on. In short, make the most of our time.

In photoshoots, there will be cases where things don’t quite line up perfectly and you gotta work with what you have. It might be environmental or it might be simply timing. But in most cases, it’s out of your control. It’s frustrating for sure, but one can’t spend a lot of time wallowing in that frustration.

The same can be said about life. Sometimes things go haywire or not according to plan. We get in a groove then proceed to get derailed. Even when our plans get a little wonky, it’s far more important to adjust while making the most of what we have. I am actively working on developing this mindset for time spent in that “zone” of worry or frustration is time lost when it comes to pursuing our passions, building a better future for ourselves, and most importantly, spending time with the people we love. In effect, we lose twice. Once, when the obstacle arises and again when we get lost in the sadness and frustration associated with that challenge. It can be extremely challenging to work through, but keep doing your best so you can live as the better version of yourself!

[ YOU’RE MY ]

With as Spider-Gwen. Lyrics from “You’re My” by Sticks & Stonez ft. Liv East.

My music selection for photosets vary based off the design of the costume, the character’s personality and the vibe I am feeling when I look at the photos. Sometimes, the vibe will be the greatest factor when picking a song. There was something soft and warm with these pics so I felt that a song with happy, hopeful, and cozy undertones would pair well with this particular story.

Back when I did fashion/lifestyle photography, I would scour YouTube for channels that highlighted Indie music. Many of these channels would also highlight a photographer as their thumbnail and display picture, with the highlighted image matching the vibe of the song. It was a fun intersection of music and photography that gave me a deeper connection to the song while inspiring me to become a better photographer. That inspiration sticks with me to this day, as I find new ways to explore that intersection in my own work!

[ W I L L O F I R O N ]

With and in some incredible armor in our Dragon Con 2023 Iron-man cosplay photoshoot! One thing that keeps me going in the cosplay world is that I have an opportunity to celebrate human creativity. I recently saw a video where the point was made that the modern social media landscape can be inherently dehumanizing. Where, beautiful and complex human experiences are reduced to “0’s” and “1’s” as well as “likes” and “follows.” Our moments in time become a fixation on numbers on a screen. And what we create are simply vehicles to appease some uncaring computer whose focus is soaking up as much attention as possible.

That’s why it is increasingly important for us to celebrate the humanity in our lives and our art. Where we can build things with our own hands with pride. Where we can look at those things, created by other humans, with awe and not jealousy. The true wonder is in taking our experiences, our love, and knowledge in making something meaningful. The true light is in taking the time to embrace that which inspires us. The beauty comes in connecting eith our fellow humans who support us as much as we support them.

For 2024, I encourage us to celebrate our fellow humans and not arbitrary numbers on a screen.

[ GO GO BASEBALL RANGERS ]

The mighty morphin’ baseball rangers. Yeah, so check out this awesome Mighty Morphin Power Ranger baseball team. This was definitely one of the more unique mashups I have worked with and the results speak for themselves. I also loved the enthusiasm and energy .exe and .c0m brought to the photoshoot. Atlanta is one of the greatest cities of cosplay talent and enthusiasm. There is nothing like it here.

[ EKKO LOCATION ]

With as Ekko.

When it comes to personal growth as a photographer, I find it so important to explore works and media outside of my “wheelhouse.” Aka, branching outside of cosplay and fantasy photography and exploring the areas of street, lifestyle, or editorial photography. Branching further, one can even look at cinema, digital art, and other artistic mediums to not only find inspiration, but to redefine what’s possible in your mind. I follow lots of artists on Insta and as more and more creative types use Threads, there is an almost inexhaustible supply of creativity to take part of. The fun part is that as you see this creativity in action, it becomes much easier to notice opportunities for your own creative expression in the day to day. Through a combination of 1 part exploration and 2 parts practice, things like composition, lighting scenarios and posing become second nature. You can define, refine, and redefine your voice as a storyteller. Heck, you can even develop a better understanding of your fellow human in how they express themselves and how they see the world.

[ COSPLAY CINEMATICS ]

A cinematic cosplay photography set featuring:

as Spidey
as Ochacoraven as Toga
as Deadpool
as Zelda
as Daredevil
and as Chu Wanning and Mo Ran
as Luke Cage
as Star Lord
as Super Girl

[ T H E L I G H T D R A G O N ]

With in her Princess Zelda cosplay from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Taken during our brief cosplay photoshoot at Dragoncon 2023! Lyrics from “Queen of Peace” by Florence + The Machine.

I was super excited to work with . We had long been talking about collaborating, but things hadn’t quite lined up. Fortunately we ran into each other at Dragoncon and were able to grab a few pics of her Light Dragon Zelda look. If you haven’t followed yet, I definitely encourage you too. Her feed is a plethora of stunning fantasy concepts as well as cosplay, and it is always a treat to see what she and her talented friends come up with!

[ L O V I N I T ]

With Asta Darling in this McDonalds / Magical Girl mashup design by . Those are words I never thought I would put together but you know what… it’s Dragon Con and any mashup you can think of is fair game. One year I saw “fast food restaurants as Avengers” so this is par for the course. I am just kicking myself because I didn’t get enough detail pics of the Cheeseburger shoes 😅

[ FORGOTTEN HEROES ]

With Lego Master Cole as Commander Bly in this Star Wars: The Clone Wars set! The Star Wars cosplay kick will continue for the foreseeable future 😂

The other day, I ran into a thread about “having something to say” with what we create. In a day and age where “going viral,” is king, we can find ourselves driven by “engagement” and “performance.” And when that happens, it’s very easy for our art to be driven by metrics and not necessarily out of love. Virality and trends dictate what and when we create. Don’t get me wrong, hoping on that trend and getting that banger post with banger numbers can be a blast. But what happens when all we do is chase trend after trend in hopes for perpetually banger engagement?

What happens when our existence and creativity is no longer tied to “what we create,” but instead dictated by the metrics of the picture or video of our creation on our feeds? Is there any substance to our creations? Are we saying anything meaningful with what we put out there? Is there value being provided to ourselves, let alone our audiences when we seek virality above all? Are we happy?

I am not looking for every photo i create to be some profound statement on humanity. Personally, my work can be about sharing knowledge, telling a story, experimentation on new techniques or sharing my thoughts on a subject. It can be as simple as saying “hey, look at this cool thing we did.” In either event, I want to seek that personal fulfillment while constantly pushing myself to grow. And that’s where I find joy in photography.

[ VEXED AND GLORIOUS ]

I wake up late
Blame you for fate
Vexed and Glorious
As ever
I want you here
Blame you my dear
Vexed as glorious
As ever

With as Vex from . I have to say, this quick lil Critical Role cosplay photoshoot went pretty hard. And of course, working with is always a pleasure. I love how we are able to work together so often, despite being on opposite sides of the country!

Lyrics from “Vexed and Glorious” by Kenna.

[ EVERY OTHER UNIVERSE ]

With as Spider-Gwen in this incredible Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse set.

Even if you are photographing someone dressed as a superhero, one can still capture emotions, drama and feelings of longing. With this cosplay set, we wanted to convey Gwen Stacy at a very vulnerable state. Where she has recently arrived in Nueva York, feeling lost while experiencing loss. The loss of her oldest friend, loss of her home, and loss of her relationship with her father. All while knowing that Miles is completely out of reach. Gwen is isolated, and I wanted to create that scene.

And that’s the fun of cosplay and cosplay photography. We as artists have the ability to explore themes in ways not necessarily captured in the source material. We can find ideas that resonate with us, and dig into theme more deeply. And in doing so, it helps us further connect with that which inspires us.

[ M A K E A C H O I C E ]

With Scott in this absolutely incredible Anakin Skywalker cosplay!

Yesterday’s episode of Ahsoka was definitely a reminder of why we love Star Wars. Yes, there are some low points. Even during the era when we just had novels to keep us going, some of the Legends books were… not great. But when you get to the highs, it just feels good.

Definitely excited to do more Star Wars photoshoots, build Star Wars Lego sets and watch more Ahoska in the coming weeks 😎

[ LET’S DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY]

With M Blackburn as Spider-Gwen. The way these pics came out, it was simply magical. I was a little worried as the weather turned cloudy by the time we started this photoshoot. The first few pics were definitely usuable and good, but the overcast really made the costume and background a tad bit flat in terms of color. Things took a turn about a third of the way through the photoshoot when the sun broke free from the clouds and the golden hour sunset gave us some darn good tones. With Across the Spiderverse’s emphasis on color, having the sun bring the setting to life was so important. It also helped that the location gave off some of the Nueva York aesthetic that we saw in the film. Obviously not a 1 for 1, but the architecture of three of the mid to high rise buildings does provide a bit more of a futuristic and clean aesthetic found at the Spider-Society. This worked especially well as had the Multiverse Watch so you can imagine the photoshoot being set in a time after Gwen meeting Jessica Drew and Spider-Man 2099 and arriving at Nueva York, but before reuniting with Miles. That said, the majority of this set was photographed in a nearby parking garage because the light hit real well and you know how I roll haha.

[ T H E C H O S E N O N E ]

With as Anakin Skywalker. Also in his first cosplay photoshoot. Summer cosplay photoshoots are a special type of brutal. The words “hot” and “humid” come to mind, even if you are trying to do a photoshoot in the morning. Heck, even if you attempt to do a shoot in the evening here in Georgia, you run the risk of thunderstorms. This was definitely the case for this shoot. Our original plan was for an evening shoot, where things would cool off instead of warm up. But the weather had other plans as a torrential downpour unloaded on Atlanta. Fortunately we were flexible and were able to try again the next day. And while it was humid as all heck, we made it work. With all the layers for the cosplay, I knew it would get uncomfortable real fast, so I was sure to bring a little USB powered fan to keep things a little cooler so the photoshoot could keep moving right along!

[ A R K H A M K N I G H T ]

With in this epic Batman themed set! One thing I love about cinematic, and more specifically cosplay cinematic photos, is that the possibilities are opened up with regards to backgrounds and locations. In on location portrait and fashion photography, greater care is taken with regards to clean, aesthetically pleasing backdrops. Many times, things have to look pretty or fit a certain vibe. And while there is a lot of that in cosplay (depending on the character), sometimes you can go full on grungy and really embrace the decay of a parking garage. You can even use a bit of it to your advantage. That’s something you can’t get away with for an engagement photoshoot 😂. In other settings, it’s even part of the story for a character to be full of grime, dirt and sweat but again, that depends on the narrative you are trying to tell.

End of the day, the possibilities do open up a bit, though I do recommend that all photogs be mindful and respectful of their locations and of others utilizing the space. Failure to do so will eventually result in you, and others, not being able to utilize that space in the future. Furthermore, be mindful of safety. The safety of the cosplayer and your safety as well!

[ R E Z E ]

Some favorite pics of as Reze from . Taken at Katsucon 2023. Conventions are crowded, and Katsucon is especially so. As beautiful as the location is, photography there is hard. So with this year, my strategy was “go where there aren’t people.” And of course, a dark parking garage was perfect for the isolation we needed, while serving as a great backdrop.

And of course, Luximity was so wonderful to work with. We got plenty of awesomeness that day!

[ T H E F I N A L A C T ]

Photography by The World of Gwendana

With Jessica Nigri as Blaidd the Half Wolf from . Y’all already know how much I love photographing big powerful armors.

Let’s talk about finding inspiration. For me, I am inspired by photography and have been since the day I picked up my first camera 14 years ago. In the early days, I found inspiration when searching Flickr and thinking “wow, what if I could make that.” Eventually that gave way to the old days of finding community in the old pages which eventually gave way to Instagram. And now? Well if we are being honest, there is a lot of noise out there. It’s very easy to get lost in the never ending shuffle of “content,” whether you are trying to find something to be inspired by or share something in order to be seen and heard. There is just a lot of friction that makes it hard to get started, let alone continue on a path.

Personally, inspiration is also about mindfulness. Mindfully looking for that which makes me appreciate creation while encouraging me to create my own thing. Finding that imagery and art that stops me in my tracks and think “wow.” This can be found by searching Instagram for the work that inspires. It has also been through YouTube where I can see those videos by photographers who put out great work. And recently I have gone a bit more analog, looking through old fashion editorials that encourage me to see differently, think differently, and photograph differently. It’s through a more mindful act of consuming that I have found some rejuvenation in my own craft!

Wayfaring Stranger

With Ashe's Cosplay as Ellie from The Last of Us. Photography by The World of Gwendana

Instagram.com/worldofgwendana

| C I V I L W A R R I O R |

With @/captain_britt in this awesome Captain America fit from Wondercon 2023. Definitely missing the Cali crew right about now. Also, can we just take a moment to appreciate the work @/captain_britt put in for this cosplay? As a fellow Cap cosplayer, I was in awe with how nicely it came out. So many hours of printing, priming, sanding and painting and wow. Simply superb work on a superb concept!

| Triforce |

A staggeringly great Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess photoshoot with as Zelda, Kyle as Link and Jose as Ganondorf. With Zelda and Link made by and Ganondorf made by her sister ! This was a fantastic shoot with two real-life couples teaming up to create some amazing cosplays for Dragoncon last year. We had been planning this photoshoot for a while, but had to wait for nice, cooler spring weather.

and are very talented friends of mine and their husbands were excellent sports in wearing these elaborate and heavy costumes. Props to Jose who apparently did. A 100 mile bike ride earlier that day, only to then get into heavy makeup and costume for the shoot. Also a fun fact, I previously worked with and Jose on a “Targaryen conqueror” photoshoot which went very viral, reaching the 2 spot on the Reddit homepage 😂. Be sure to swipe for the full photos and memes!

A Certain Point of View

With as Commander Bly in our awesome Clone Wars shoot from earlier this year!

While I love the big epic stories of big dang heroes from the Star Wars universe, i find that as I grow older, I am more fascinated by the unseen tales. I am intrigued by the perspectives of the small, everyday folk who are being shaped by events outside of their control. The stories of the everyday clone “just following orders during the Clone Wars. The story of a clone survivor who is trying to make a life for himself 15-20 years after said war. Heck, even the stories about those who lost everything when Alderaan was destroyed or the stories of the rebels who joined the fight against oppression. For me, not everything has to be a big battle for the fate of the universe. Rather, it’s the everyday struggles that are just as intriguing.

| Iron and Chrome |

With Emily The Engineer!
Photography by The World of Gwendana

| The Devil you Know |

With @/calebweekss (IG) in this outstanding Daredevil cosplay! This set was a banger and let me tell ya, the suit photographed so well in the parking deck. Sure, we were all running on fumes after 3 days of convention activity, but we made it work 😎