And Now For A Very Different Kind Of Cosplay Gallery

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

We post galleries from major cosplay shows all the time, and they’re always excellent, but for the recent New York Comic-Con one photographer wanted to do things a little differently.

Wanting to try something beyond just taking nice photos, veteran photographer Andrew Boyle (disclaimer: I wrote the foreword for his book) thought that for this year’s show he’d try and make the cosplayer “the sole focus” of his work.

Read more

“After my cosplay photo book ‘Heroes & Villains’ came out in 2017, I thought I’d relax it up a bit with the subject matter, but it kept pulling me back; the effort, the enthusiasm and the sense of community amongst the costumed fans”, Boyle tells Kotaku. “I shoot in a uniform style inspired by the portraits of Richard Avedon, so that the sole focus is the subject without background distraction.”

“I also work in collage pieces and motion I wanted to integrate a unique hand made feel for each selected subject. For some, I used cut out pieces that referred to the character, others were repetition of shapes, or color blocking with paper and textures. It was a way to differentiate from other cosplay photography, all of which has it’s own approach, and take a different feel to celebrate all the effort and energy the NYCC crowd brings. Plus I love reading the reactions people have to seeing themselves portrayed in such a way.”

The result is this heavily-stylised gallery which, by removing the usual convention background, really lets each cosplayer, their outfit and their performance shine.

Everything, Everywhere, All At Once

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Cosplayer: alexinthecupboard as Jobu Tupaki

Scream

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Cosplayers: Madge and Drew as Drew Barrymore and Ghostface

Marvel

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Cosplayer: Jason as Galactus in traditional Hindu wedding coat

DC

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Jamal as Lex Luthor

Handmaid’s Tale

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Oneida as Pearl

Stranger Things

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Elijah as Eddie Munson

Star Wars

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Meghan, Steven and Mel as Sith Princess Leia & Red Guards

The Little Mermaid

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Ru as Ursula and Vanessa

Power Rangers x TMNT

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Amir as Green Power Ranger Shredder

Marvel

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Casey as Eternity

Garbage Pail Kids

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Sam as Adam Bomb

DC

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Justin as Lobo

Fartman

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Clark as Fartman aka Howard Stern

Disney

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Able as a Disney Carousel

Halloween x Austin Powers

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Scotty as Micheal Myers & Mike Myers

Kiki’s Delivery Service

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Rachel as Kiki

Street Fighter

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Aiesha as Cammy

Hocus Pocus

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Joshua, Tom and Philip as The Sanderson Sisters

DC

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Mic as Mister Freeze

DC

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Alex as Peacemaker

Marvel

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Ariel as Doctor Strange

The Sandman

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Adam as Dream

Marvel

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Erin as Chainmail Iron Man

Marvel

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

James as Daredevil

Masters Of The Universe

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Matt and Randy as Battle Armor Skeletor and He-Man

Marvel

Photo:  Andrew Boyle
Photo: Andrew Boyle

Will as Doctor Doom