Light tells the story.
Cinematic cosplay and character portraiture, from Nashville to conventions nationwide. Built with deliberate lighting, collaborative direction, and respect for the craft behind every costume.
Frames built around a subject and a single, deliberate light.
Every final image carries its story: the character, convention, the lighting it took, and the cosplayer who built it.
Built for people who took the character seriously.
Whether you spent months fabricating armor, refining a wig, sewing every seam, or building an original character from scratch, the session should reflect that work. I collaborate with cosplayers, makers, performers, and creative teams who want more than a quick convention hall shot.
Months of craft, worn for a weekend.
Cosplay is costume making as a craft: sewing, armor fabrication, 3D printing, wig styling, makeup, and prop work, all in service of a character from anime, games, comics, film, or someone's own original design. A single build can run hundreds of hours and many revisions. Accuracy is respected, but so are reinterpretations, genderbends, and mashups; the creativity is the whole point.
Conventions like Dragon Con and MegaCon are a few events where that community gathers to show the work, enter contests, meet the actors, and shoot with photographers. My job is to photograph the people who put in that time the way the craft deserves.
Where I'll be shooting next.
Convention sessions reserve a block of my time and a planned location. Get on a notify list and you'll hear the moment booking opens.
Cosplayers are collaborators, not props.
I plan around the character, the costume, your comfort, and what you want the finished images to communicate.
A shoot runs on communication and consent first. The costume took months and months, my job is to light it, frame it, and capture it in a manner that tells a story.
I've come back to him countless times. He takes the time to tell me how to reposition myself to get a better photo, or asks if he can adjust my wig. He's so respectful during and after the shoot, and gets photos back with a very quick turnaround. 10/10.Tabs G · Cosplayer
Collaboration over direction
You know your character. I plan poses with you and bring ideas to the table, not bark commands.
Consent and comfort
Clear boundaries up front, check-ins throughout the session and I welcome collab posts afterwards.
Credit, always
Cosplayer, maker, and any prop builders get named. The craft is the point.
Lighting that serves the character
Hard, soft, warm, cold...editing that is chosen to match the source material, not a one-size preset.
Latest frames, straight off the feed.
Fresh work and behind-the-scenes from @jeffjenkinsphotography.
Let's plan a shoot that does the costume justice.
Convention cosplay sessions, studio portraiture and headshots, weddings and engagements, and product photography. Tell me the character or the brief.
The Work
Cosplay, sorted by fandom type. Hover (or tap on mobile) over any frame to read its details: character, series, the cosplayer pictured, and the camera settings I shot it on.
Working together
Personal posting with credit is always appreciated, and collab posts are very welcome.
Conventions & Booking
Below are the handful of travel conventions each year that I attend and book sessions ahead of time for. A session reserves a block of my time and a planned location during the event. Spots are limited by event hours, so the notify lists below are the best way to catch booking the moment it opens.
See every con worth traveling for.
ConMap is my interactive map of major cosplay conventions worldwide. Filter by location, size, and timing to plan the year.
Find your next con on ConMap.
An interactive atlas of major cosplay conventions worldwide — filter by location, size, month, category, even “best for photography.” See where I’ll be, and plan where you want to go.
Catch me locally
I drop in on a few Nashville-area cons each year, mostly to see friends, shoot a couple of frames, and stay close to the local scene. Not full booking events, but say hello if you spot me.
How It Works
The short version of how sessions, travel, delivery, and usage work, so you know what you're booking before you book it.
How do I book a session?
What does a convention session actually reserve?
Do you travel? Where do you shoot?
How and when will I get my photos?
Can I use the photos commercially?
How do you work with cosplayers?
Do you only shoot cosplay?
How do I catch a booking window before it fills?
Let’s plan your shoot.
For creative portraits, cosplay and character sessions, headshots, weddings and engagements, or product work — in the Nashville area or on location. Tell me about it and I’ll get back to you by email.
Thanks — your inquiry is on its way.
I’ll get back to you by email at the address you gave. Talk soon. — Jeff
Lighting, and how to work with cosplayers.
Most photography teaching covers gear and lighting. Far less covers how to work with a cosplayer respectfully: consent, communication, credit. I teach both, because on a convention floor they're the same skill. For cosplayers learning to self-shoot at home, and for photographers who want to get better at this.
Convention panels & presentations
Live talks at conventions — including an AkaiCon session on the ethics of working with cosplayers, paired with practical lighting and a tethered live demo.
Private lighting instruction
One-on-one, hands-on training built around what you're stuck on — tethered demos, real setups, and direct feedback.
Small-group workshops
The same hands-on lighting and session training for a few people at once.
Portfolio critiques
A tethered, think-out-loud review of your work, with specific notes on light, posing, and the edit.
Photographer ethics & convention etiquette
The part most teaching skips: consent, communication, and credit on a busy convention floor.
Event organizer inquiries
Programming a con or organizing a group shoot? Invite me to speak, demo, or teach.
Interested in future group critiques and lighting breakdowns? Join the education list and I'll reach out as it comes together.
I'm Jeff. I light characters and shoot the people who build them.
I'm Jeff Jenkins, a Nashville-based photographer specializing in cosplay and creative portraiture. I'm also an Army veteran and a photography and lighting educator. I travel to conventions across the country creating dramatic, character-driven portraits with cosplayers, makers, and performers.
My work is built around controlled, deliberate off-camera lighting and a genuinely collaborative process. I talk through the character with you: costume details, movement limitations, posing, expression, and what you want the finished images to feel like. The goal is not simply to create a dramatic photograph. It is to make an image that feels true to the character and reflects the work you put into bringing them to life.
I also teach photography, lighting, posing, communication, and professional conduct through convention panels, workshops, and individual instruction. Cosplayers are collaborators, not props, and consent, comfort, proper credit, and respect are part of every session with me. I take pride in creating a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment for everyone I work with. Everyone deserves to feel safe, comfortable, and respected in front of my camera, and I take that responsibility seriously.
★ Veteran owned and operated
Cinematic portraiture, not convention documentation.
I treat cosplay photography as cinematic portraiture. Every frame should feel like a still from a film, not a snapshot grabbed on the show floor. Lighting is intentional and dramatic, built for depth, mood, and the sense that the character is really standing in front of you.
The aim is to show two things at once: the craftsmanship of the build and the person wearing it. And every session runs as a collaboration: communication, respect, and creative trust, from the first message to final delivery.