ShiroCo Chemnitz 2025: Cosplay Photography, Artist Booths & Community Highlights

A Third Year at ShiroCo

With ShiroCo 2025, I attended the convention for the third time in a row — and just like in the previous years, I had my own artist booth there.

For me, this makes the experience quite different from simply visiting as a photographer. Having a booth means being able to present my photography work directly, including my artbooks, prints, and some of my other creative projects such as my Daruma coin series.

It’s always interesting to see how people react to the work in person. Conversations at conventions often lead to unexpected encounters — sometimes with collectors, sometimes with cosplayers interested in collaborations, and sometimes simply with curious visitors who stop by because a particular photo caught their attention.

ShiroCo has therefore become an important event in my annual convention schedule.

How I First Discovered ShiroCo

Interestingly, I first heard about ShiroCo during AniMC 2023. Both conventions share the same organizer — which explains the similar atmosphere and strong community focus.

After learning about ShiroCo at AniMC, I decided to visit later that same year.

That first visit in 2023 immediately convinced me to come back.

Since then, I have attended every year, always with a booth presenting my photography projects.

From Power Plant to Large Convention

While AniMC takes place in the Kraftwerk Chemnitz, ShiroCo is the organizer’s larger and more ambitious convention.

The event has grown steadily and now attracts a much broader audience of fans interested in:

• anime

• manga

• cosplay

• gaming

• Japanese pop culture

Compared to smaller local meetups, ShiroCo feels more like a full convention experience, with multiple program areas, stage events, and a wide range of exhibitors.

Artist booths and merchandise stands fill the halls, while various activities run throughout the day.

One particularly popular program element are the autograph sessions with voice actors. In previous editions, visitors had the chance to meet German voice actors from the anime One Piece and other well-known series. Even though those guest appearances are a highlight for many visitors, my own focus during the convention is usually somewhere else.

Cosplay Photography Remains the Main Attraction

As much as I enjoy presenting my photography work at the booth, the main reason I attend conventions like ShiroCo remains the same:

Cosplay photography.

Conventions bring together a wide range of creative costumes and passionate fans, which creates endless opportunities for interesting portraits and collaborations.

Between managing the booth and exploring the convention floor, I usually try to squeeze in as many cosplay shoots as possible. Even quick spontaneous portrait sessions can lead to surprisingly strong results.

Over the years ShiroCo has introduced me to many new cosplayers, some of whom I later worked with again on other projects.

The Artist Booth Experience

Running an artist booth during a convention adds an entirely different layer to the event.

Instead of simply walking around with a camera, the booth becomes a small exhibition space where visitors can discover my work in a curated form.

This includes:

• photography artbooks featuring cosplay portraits

• Japan artbooks with many of my stories from Hokkaido to Okinawa

• selected photo prints

• and special projects like the Daruma coin series

The coins, inspired by the traditional Japanese Daruma symbol of perseverance and goal-setting, often attract curiosity because they stand out among the more typical convention merchandise.

Many visitors are surprised to see such a combination of photography, artbooks, and collectible coins at a convention booth.

But that mixture of creative projects is exactly what makes presenting them at events like ShiroCo so enjoyable.

A Look Back: ShiroCo 2023–2025

This section is perfect for showcasing some of the most memorable cosplay portraits from the past three years. Comparing the images also highlights how both the convention and the cosplay scene around it have continued to grow.

Community, Creativity, and Continuity

One of the most appealing aspects of ShiroCo is the community atmosphere.

Despite its growth, the convention still retains a welcoming and approachable vibe. Many visitors return every year, which means you often meet familiar faces again.

For photographers and cosplayers alike, this continuity makes it easier to build long-term creative relationships.

Each year brings new costumes, new projects, and new opportunities for collaboration.

Looking Ahead

After three consecutive years, ShiroCo has firmly established itself as a reliable highlight in my convention calendar.

The combination of:

• a friendly community

• interesting guests

• creative cosplay

• and the opportunity to present my own work through an artist booth

makes the event particularly rewarding.

If the past three years are any indication, I will almost certainly be back again next year — camera ready and booth prepared.

JACKT Cosplay Ball Chemnitz: Anime Music, Ballroom Dance, and a Different Convention Experience

Anime, Elegance, and an Unusual Convention Format

Among the many cosplay and anime events throughout Germany, the JACKT Cosplay Ball in Chemnitz offers something slightly different. Instead of focusing primarily on stage programs, panels, or exhibitor halls, the event centers around a much more classic social activity: dancing.

Hosted at the Kraftwerk Chemnitz, the same industrial venue that also houses other events by the organizer JACKT, the Cosplay Ball combines anime fandom, cosplay culture, and ballroom dancing in a relaxed evening atmosphere.

While conventions often revolve around photography, shopping, or stage shows, this event transforms the venue into something closer to a formal dance evening with an otaku twist.

My Personal Connection to Dance

For me personally, dancing has always held a special place.

Music has been a constant companion for as long as I can remember, but dance became a real passion during my school years. Starting in 9th grade, I began practicing ballroom and partner dancing, eventually continuing long enough to earn the Gold Dance Badge of the ADTV (Allgemeiner Deutscher Tanzlehrerverband).

Over the years, dance became not just a hobby but also a way of connecting with people and experiencing music in a more physical, expressive way.

Because of that background, the idea of combining cosplay culture with ballroom dancing feels like a particularly natural fit.

A Regional Alternative to the DoKomi Ball

Within Germany’s anime convention landscape, cosplay balls are still relatively rare. The most prominent example is the DoKomi Ball in Düsseldorf, which has become a well-known highlight for many attendees.

The JACKT Cosplay Ball in Chemnitz offers a similar experience on a smaller and more regional scale.

Visitors arrive in elegant outfits or elaborate cosplay costumes, gathering on the dance floor for an evening of music that mixes anime openings with classic ballroom rhythms.

The result is a surprisingly charming combination of fandom and traditional dance culture.

Dancing to Anime Music

Throughout the evening, the dance floor fills with couples moving to a wide variety of styles.

Depending on the song, the music lends itself to dances such as:

• Discofox

• Slow Waltz

• Cha-Cha-Cha

• and occasionally even Viennese Waltz

What makes the experience unique is the way familiar anime openings and pop culture soundtracks are adapted into a ballroom context.

Hearing songs normally associated with anime series suddenly transformed into dance tracks creates a playful and sometimes slightly surreal atmosphere.

Balancing Photography and Participation

At most conventions my primary focus is cosplay portrait photography.

Events like this, however, shift that balance slightly.

While I still bring my camera and capture a number of images throughout the evening, the Cosplay Ball is one of the few occasions where participation becomes just as important as documentation.

Dancing, socializing, and simply enjoying the atmosphere often take priority over constantly searching for the next photo opportunity.

It becomes less about producing images and more about experiencing the event itself.

Meeting Friends and Familiar Faces

Like many conventions, the Cosplay Ball also serves as a meeting point for friends and acquaintances from the cosplay community.

Events throughout the year often feel fast-paced and crowded, leaving little time for extended conversations. The relaxed setting of a dance evening allows for something different: longer conversations, shared dances, and a slower rhythm overall.

In that sense, the ball feels less like a convention program item and more like a social gathering within the community.

A Few Thoughts on the Music Selection

While the overall concept works well, the music selection is perhaps the one aspect that could still evolve.

Many anime openings are energetic and catchy, but not all of them translate easily into partner dance rhythms. Some tracks simply lack the structure or tempo needed for traditional ballroom dances.

Personally, I could imagine some alternative choices working particularly well on the dance floor.

For example:

• “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” by Harry Belafonte, famously featured in Beetlejuice, would likely make a very entertaining Cha-Cha-Cha.

• Songs like “Let’s Get Loud” could also create great high-energy dance moments.

• Even something like “Hijo de la Luna” might work beautifully as a Viennese Waltz.

Perhaps future editions of the event will experiment a bit more with musical variety.

A Different Kind of Convention Experience

Despite minor details like the playlist, the JACKT Cosplay Ball remains a refreshing addition to the regional convention calendar.

It combines several elements rarely found together:

• cosplay culture

• ballroom dancing

• anime music

• and a relaxed social atmosphere

Instead of rushing between panels, photo spots, and crowded exhibitor halls, the focus shifts to something simpler: music, movement, and community.

A Small Selection of Photos

Of course, even if photography was not my main priority during the evening, I still captured a few moments from the event.

Below is a small selection of images that reflect the atmosphere of the JACKT Cosplay Ball in Chemnitz—an evening where anime fandom met the elegance of the dance floor.

Comic Park Erfurt 2025: Cosplay Photography in the Green Heart of the EGA Park

Cosplay Photography in the Green Heart of the EGA Park

The Comic Park in Erfurt’s EGA Park has quietly become one of my favorite conventions in Germany. What started as a rather spontaneous visit a few years ago has now turned into an event I genuinely look forward to every year.

After missing the 2024 edition due to my 84-day trip to Japan, I was especially excited to finally return for Comic Park 2025.

Ironically, my very first visit in 2023 almost didn’t happen at all.

First Impressions – And a Wrong Assumption

When I first heard about Comic Park Erfurt, I was actually a bit skeptical. The word “Comic” in the title initially gave me the impression that the event might focus more on traditional comic culture, collectors, and general nerd fandom rather than cosplay.

In other words: I assumed it might be more of a comic convention than a cosplay-focused event.

Luckily, I was completely wrong.

Friends convinced me to come along in 2023, and the experience turned out to be far better than expected. The event was full of cosplayers, photographers, artists, and fans from many corners of pop culture.

Since then, Comic Park has firmly secured a spot in my annual convention calendar.

What Exactly Is Comic Park?

The EGA Park (Erfurter Garten- und Ausstellungspark) hosts various events throughout the year, ranging from garden festivals to cultural exhibitions. Among these events, Comic Park has developed into a unique gathering for fans of:

• anime

• manga

• cosplay

• gaming

• comics

• fantasy and pop culture

Rather than taking place inside convention halls, the event unfolds across the entire park landscape, which makes it feel completely different from typical indoor conventions.

And that difference is exactly what makes it so special.

Why the EGA Park Is Perfect for Cosplay Photography

As a photographer, my focus has always been portrait photography with a strong artistic approach. When shooting cosplayers, the goal is usually simple: the cosplayer should be the clear subject of the image.

Ideally, no other people should appear in the frame.

I jokingly call unwanted background visitors “human image contamination.”

At crowded indoor conventions this is almost impossible to avoid. But the EGA Park offers something that most convention venues simply cannot: space.

The park is incredibly spacious and diverse, which means it’s always possible to find a quiet corner for a photo shoot.

Even better, the environment itself becomes part of the storytelling.

Nature as the Perfect Backdrop

The EGA Park feels almost like a giant outdoor film set.

Lush green vegetation surrounds the pathways, creating a vivid natural backdrop for photos. Different themed areas throughout the park add even more variety.

Within a short walking distance you can find:

• wide meadows perfect for relaxed portrait shots

• a wooden pavilion that works beautifully for staged scenes

• a small artificial waterfall

• forest areas with Japanese maple trees that evoke subtle Asian garden aesthetics

All of these locations function like natural accessories for photography. Instead of building artificial sets, the environment itself provides the stage for visual storytelling.

For photographers who enjoy experimenting with composition and perspective, it’s almost a dream location.

Perfect Playground for Camera Gear

The wide open spaces of the park are also perfect for some of my favorite photography equipment.

One lens in particular shines here: my more than 20-year-old Canon EF 300mm f/2.8, mounted on my Canon R5.

In tight indoor convention spaces this lens is often impractical, but in the EGA Park it can truly perform at its best. The long focal length allows for incredibly clean backgrounds and dramatic subject isolation.

Beyond that, the park encourages creative experimentation with different techniques:

• Tilt-shift photography for surreal perspective effects

• GoPro fisheye shots for exaggerated compositions

• classic portrait photography with the Samyang RF 85mm f/1.4

Every part of the park feels like a new opportunity to try something different.

Community and Collaboration

Another reason Comic Park has become so meaningful to me are the people.

Over the years I’ve met many new cosplayers here, and some of those encounters eventually turned into long-term collaborations across different projects.

One particularly memorable highlight has been the presence of last year's Monster Hunter cosplayers. The armor-heavy designs from the series look absolutely fantastic in natural environments, which makes the EGA Park an almost perfect stage for them.

At one point there was even a dedicated Monster Hunter group with its own stand, bringing together fans and cosplayers of the franchise.

Seeing those detailed costumes among the park’s greenery felt almost like watching characters walk straight out of the game world.

A Perfect Day… Until the Rain Arrived

For most of the day, the weather was absolutely ideal.

Bright sunshine, warm temperatures, and a relaxed atmosphere made the event feel almost like a summer festival.

But toward the evening, the mood shifted dramatically.

Out of nowhere, a heavy summer rainstorm rolled in, turning the clear sky into something that almost resembled a tropical monsoon. The sudden downpour ended the carefree atmosphere rather abruptly, sending visitors searching for shelter.

Still, by that point most of the photography had already been completed.

And the results were more than satisfying.

A Look Back at Comic Park 2023

This section is a perfect place to revisit some of my favorite images from my first visit in 2023. Many of those photos played a role in shaping how I approach outdoor cosplay photography today, especially with all of my different lenses.

Looking Ahead

Despite the sudden rainstorm, Comic Park Erfurt 2025 once again confirmed why this event has become such a highlight for me.

It combines everything that makes cosplay photography enjoyable:

• creative costumes

• relaxed community vibes

• an incredible outdoor location

• and endless opportunities for artistic experimentation

With each year bringing new cosplayers, new costumes, and new creative ideas, it’s impossible not to feel excited about what the next Comic Park might bring.

One thing is certain: I’ll definitely be back.