Megan Amis/Meggo Photography

So, you’re at comic con; lights, camera and ready for action. You and your cosplay model have set up in a corner – out of the way from the main crowd. The lighting is perfect, now you just have to frame your shot… but as soon as you take a step back, you bump into another photographer who is snapping the shot you have set up. They say, “Oh I just wanted to grab a quick shot” and see no problem with what they are doing, laughing it off when you ask if they can wait until you are finished.

You’ve just been sniped.

What is photo sniping?

Photo sniping is the act of taking a photograph of a model (cosplayer) while another photographer is already working with them. Photograph snipers are typically at a distance, so not to be spotted or in the way, but sometimes they will have no problem with standing right behind or even in front of you!

Why is it frowned upon by most photographers?

We all want to get the best shot, and there is always so much to see at a convention – many probably wonder how to even capture it all. While you may want to be taking quick snaps of every cosplay you see, because they’re awesome, many photographers will have taken the time to approach a cosplayer and ask if they can take a photo, even asking if they can come to one side so lighting can be set up. Both cosplayer and photographer are giving each other the time to create the best photograph they can, communicating between shots and exchanging details afterwards so they can share their work.

A sniper taking a quick photo causes several problems, first of all, its extremely distracting to the model as they may not know where to look or feel uncomfortable by this unknown person sneaking up without asking.

Another problem is that the cosplayer may not be able to find your photograph online as these images usually go without credit. A photographer who has asked the model if they can take their photograph, helped them pose and getting the light right is doing a lot of work to make sure it is the best it can be, someone passing by and snapping a photo over their shoulder ignores all the hard work the original photographer has put in. That’s disrespectful of the craft of both the photographer and the cosplayer.

I, too, have my faults…

I understand that comic cons are a very overwhelming place to be, and in my early days as a photographer I wanted to capture as much as I could and share it online. I was also painfully shy, even to the point of being unable to approach other people to ask if I could take their photo. So, when I was around the age of 15, I would take photos of people from a distance, typically when they were posing for another photographer.

At that time, I was happy with the photo I took, especially when I didn’t have to go through the stressful interaction of talking to people who I didn’t know and go on my merry way through the comic con to see what I could capture next.

The problem I found wasn’t until after the convention. I had no idea who the cosplayer was, or what they were cosplaying. If you’re a dedicated stalker you can still find my old photos on Deviantart captioned with something along the lines of “This was a really awesome costume!! Don’t know who this is though…”

It was effectively the same as a person reposting some art and captioning it as “credit to the artist” and creative folk know too well just how annoying that is!

When is it ok to “snipe” a photo?

So, is there ever a time when “sniping” a photograph is acceptable? Comic cons are full of larger than life people, and at times a cosplayer or a group may be asked by one person to stop and take a picture. This can typically attract other people who may want to grab a quick picture, normally encouraging a kid to go and pose with the group. Now suddenly the cosplayer is stuck with a group of people wanting to have their picture taken with you, but even then, the British public do quite well with the etiquette of waiting their turn with our faultless queuing system, and cosplayers are normally more than happy to let everyone have their turn. But remember if the cosplayer say no, you have to respect them and move away.

But I take CANDID (crowd) photos of cosplay!

At some point of reading this article, you may have said “this doesn’t apply to me because I take candid photos of cosplayers” – while this isn’t the same as sniping, as a photographer it is best to still ask permission before taking a candid shot or at least have the politeness to approach the cosplayer afterwards and share what you have done.

Where does photography sniping stand legally?

As comic cons are a public space, photographers are technically allowed to photograph the general public, which includes cosplayers attending the event. Most conventions highlight this in the small print of tickets. While this is the case legality wise, morally is more of a grey area – depending on who you ask. This falls under the idea of “honour amongst thieves”, well honour amongst photographers. We are all in the same field and should understand and respect each other. As I’ve said before it’s all about asking and then everyone is happy.

Photography etiquette

So how should you go about taking photos of cosplayers? In short, ask the cosplayer if you can take their photo! It really is that easy! If a photographer is already taking a photo of them, wait your turn – cosplayers truly love having their photograph taken, and knowing who they are talking to and where they can find the picture after the convention makes it all the better.

Cosplay isn’t consent, cosplayers need to be respected like everyone else – at the end of the day would you like it if someone wordlessly approached you, photographed you when you weren’t ready and walk off?

If you have reached this far and still don’t see the problem with photography sniping, check out this video by Week of Nerd: