Glasgow, Scotland based photographer Malimoria, creates stunning visuals that will transport you to another time and place. Listen in as she tells us about her journey into photography and cosplay. Be sure to follow her on Facebook and Instagram where you can message her to schedule a shoot.
I come from a very grounded family of engineers and mathematics. My distant family consists of opera singers and painters and all sorts of colourful personas but in the house in which I grew in, art was considered something you could do for entertainment – not something that’d pay your bills.
When I finished high school I listened to what I thought was the voice of reason and went on to study mathematics.
One day one of my classmates asked me if I wanted to earn some money filming weddings. Back then the cameras we used were huge. By the end of the day you’d be feeling absolutely exhausted from carrying all that weight around. Needless to say, when one of the photographers I’d worked with, called to ask if I wanted to become his assistant, I gladly accepted.
“Promise me one thing… Please come back.”
~ Garnet, Final Fantasy IX
Back then I didn’t know what a prime lens was and how exactly ISO, shutter speed and aperture were connected. I was given a camera and was told not to drop it because I wouldn’t be able to afford a replacement. The rest I figured out as I went.
I spent two summers assisting and taking photos at weddings, almost never took photos just for my own pleasure. After that I went into modeling for about ten years. I would only take occasional holiday photos, nothing special. However modeling was what really got me into editing with Photoshop.
A few years ago I finally began taking photos for fun. I’d accumulated an entire wardrobe of eccentric looking clothes and would lend them to friends so I could take cool shots of them. Last year after my big move from Vienna to Glasgow I decided to post in a cosplay group – and that’s how I suddenly found myself surrounded by a group of absolutely wonderful people, eager to socialize and create art together.
“This magic keeps me alive, but it’s making me crazy. And I need to save you, but who’s going to save me? Please forgive me for whatever I do when I don’t remember you.”
~ Marceleine, Adventure Time
“A monster lives inside my head
and my blood flows strong with lead.”
~ Uncivil Rest / Lurking Ghosts
Some cosplayers have incredible skills when it comes to sewing and prop making but not all great cosplayers make easy models to work with. Photography catches only a glimpse of a movement; so acting out a scene won’t necessarily produce good pictures. If you want to make sure to get good photos taken of you – whether that is privately or at a convention – you should try and find out which sides and angles work for you and your cosplay.
This is something you can easily figure out by setting your phone on timer and playing around with poses that suit your character. This way you will also become more aware of the positioning of armor pieces and props. Keep in mind the positioning of the phone, so you can later recreate the same setting with a photographer. I would definitely recommend this technique rather than practicing in front of the mirror.
One thing I absolutely love about cosplay photography is that it makes you part of a large group of people that all share a love for the same stories and characters. It is such a unifying experience.
Like many other people, I don’t necessarily find it easy to strike up a conversation with a stranger but when I am at a convention I will somehow always end up in a heated debate or friendly conversation with people I barely know. I wish the rest of the world were like this: Eager to find similarities, not differences.
Follow Malimoria on Facebook and Instagram to show support for her beautiful imagery.
You might also like Traci Hines and Nick Pitera’s Beauty and the Beast.
