Everyday Superheros
I was recently asked to photograph at The Superheros Convention in London's Excel centre, a popular photographers safari, with many pop-up studios situated around the event itself.
Everyone I approached was more than happy to pose for me and tell me in detail about their CosPlay (costume play) character and how they made their outfits. It's clearly an opportunity for people to step out of their everyday lives and become their fantasy, playing with gender and power and transforming into Superheroes of their own making.
Jimmy Mann, as apocalyptic superman
What struck me was the amount of work that went into making the outfits, with great improvisation - garden hoses, dustbin lids, body paint, and fantastic attention to detail. Beyond the costumes, the Cosplayers also made sure that they were posing as their characters would, so that they could fully disappear into the role.
There were many princesses from 'Frozen' but there was no princessy behaviour, only admiration and camaraderie that they were also into that character.
I photographed the visitors using the Excel conference centre as the background and allowing them to magically transform it from its brutally dull warehouse box into a fantastical world. I also chose couples as I found that there was an interesting dynamic in their relationships.
This last shot is of the queue of Cosplay finalist waiting to perform before the Judges and a large audience. Caught in a moment - off duty.
Cosplay finalist waiting to get on stage at the Superhero convention.