Cosplay Mania 2025 (day 3)

First time I got to use my DIY flash projector at a con in SMX.

The location wasn't ideal, but I did learn a couple of lessons about controlling light spill. 

Cosplay Mania 2025 (day 2)

Social media's great and all, but meeting people again IRL is nice too.

[retro: 2025-05-18] FanFes 2025 (day 2)

[retro: 2025-05-17] FanFes 2025 (day 1)

Tested my old signature technique (i.e. monopod + flash), but with twist: power zoom since this was done with a compact camera (Canon PowerShot V1) instead of the usual mirrorless camera which required 2 hands to change the focal length of the zoom lens.

[retro: 2025-03-23] Cosplay Carnival 2025 (day 2)

Stoked a little more than usual since I spotted another photographer using my older signature technique of sorts (flash + monopod).

[retro: 2025-03-22] Cosplay Carnival 2025 (day 1)

Not my best setup, but I had a blast on this day because of the less orthodox camera angles that I got to shoot again.

[retro: 2025-03-02] Geek+Pop Alpha 2025 (day 3)

[retro: 2025-03-01] Geek+Pop Alpha 2025 (day 2)

Dual auto stands with XL Rogue FlashBenders is now my favorite convention lighting setup.

Dual light stands allow me to set down 2 lights and shoot unencumbered (unlike my previous flash + monopod combo which felt like shooting on a leash). On top of that, the auto stands allow me to quickly pick up my lights and weave through the crowds.

Basically, it's freedom to move around while shooting and while not shooting. 

[retro: 2025-02-28] Geek+Pop Alpha 2025 (day 1)

I think this is the first time I've ever attended a convention on a Friday.

Unsurprisingly, there weren't a lot of attendees, but Jay Tablante's workshop on gravure photography was quite educational.

[retro: 2024-10-05] Cosplay Mania 2024 (day 2)

[retro: 2024-08-31] Otaku Expo Tanabata Festival 2024 (day 1)

This event marked the con debut of my DIY flash projector, a personal project that I had been working on intermittently for almost a decade.

It took a while to brainstorm, patch together, and refine, but the clunky contraption had several advantages over the commercially-available solutions (specif. the Light Blaster from 2015), namely

• The gobo / film slide is not confined to the traditional dimensions of of film (24mm x 36mm rectangle), so I could take full advantage of the entire image circle of the attached lens.
• Using a metal lens adapter as the mounting point allows me to securely mount much heavier zoom lenses for the projector.

[retro: 2024-07-21] Otaku Expo Pre-Tanabata Festival 2024 (day 2)

[retro: 2024-06-16] Toycon 2024 (day 3)

[retro: 2024-03-24] Cosplay Carnival 2024 (day 2)

[retro: 2024-03-23] Cosplay Carnival 2024 (day 1)

[retro: 2024-02-25] Sakura Festival: Ayala Malls Feliz (day 2)

[retro: 2023-11-04] ESGS 2023 (day 2)

Another challenging event to shoot at given that they didn't allow even monopods, let alone light stands.

[retro: 2023-10-29] CosMeet 2023 (day 2)

Flash wasn't permitted for this event, so it was a golden opportunity to try out something different with my less orthodox lenses.