DragonCon 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. What a spectacular show of subculture in our society. Every costume imaginable. Every size, shape, color, style… DragonCon had it all. {Scroll down for more images.}
There were two distinct thoughts I had as I watched the parade of costume-clad individuals walking down Peachtree Street:
1. Who are these people? Really, in real life, without the costumes and makeup, who are they? Is it my doctor or lawyer, someone I pass on the street in my car, a barista at Starbucks? I’m sure they come from all walks of life and that’s what fascinates me. What an amazing opportunity for everyday people like you and me to unleash their inner superhero.
2. Go bold or go home. Seriously. Some of the costumes were so magnificent you could tell that time, creativity, energy, and money went into them. Others were like the costume made up entirely of broken down Apple boxes taped together with gaffer tape. The costumes that were more elaborate seemed to transform the people wearing them. They were no longer Joe at the bookstore or Sally at the coffee shop. They became who they were pretending to be. And those were the images I tried to capture. Those were the people who delighted the crowd of onlookers and were stars of the show.
What I Learned
- I need to unleash my inner superhero and stop being afraid and lacking the courage to make things happen. Today there was more than one time when I saw a shot I wanted to take, but was too afraid to ask for it. So I left the scene of the shoot with regrets. I don’t want to do that anymore.
- Go bold or go home. I need to make that my mantra. If my images aren’t bold, don’t tell a unique story, or capture a fleeting moment, what’s the point? I don’t want to press the shutter just to grab another image, I want to create magnificent images that evoke emotion in myself and the viewer. Take a look at the gallery below and let me know how I did!
Manual: Easy one today with pg. 68—Camera Settings and Formatting Cards. Basic info, but still good reminder to keep me on track.
Images: Looked at some images by Chase Jarvis. Love, love, love his work and style. And he’s in my hometown, Seattle, WA. If you haven’t seen his stuff, you gotta visit his site. Pure genius.
Special thanks to Chase Gustafson from Chasing Photography for letting me tag along with him at DragonCon. Would never have thought of going if not for him. He coordinated the shoot with the X-Men too. Saw a preview of some photo shoots he’s been doing while at DragonCon. They’ll blow you away.
On Pinterest? 
