Customer Reviews

Elena Dorfman: Fandomania

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

As many before me have stated, the reason for the "dull" looking models is because they were told to behave that way. This is a quote from someone photographed by Dorfman at the con in which this book features photography from:

"My picture is not in the book, but I was photographed by Elena Dorfman at Yaoi-con in 2005. She spent about ten to fifteen minutes photographing my costume. She was not interested in emotion- I got a lot of "relax your face." I expect a lot of people got the same thing. She was clearly pushing an agenda to show cosplayers as sad and lonely people, obsessed with escaping reality. If you emoted, your picture wouldn't be chosen for the book. (Oh, unless your expression was creepy and child-molestery. That was GOLD.) If you were with a group, you got separated, because god forbid you look like you had friends. If your costume wasn't great, that was excellent. Bad posture made it even better!"

She was "selecting" bad subjects to showcase in this book, and from the previews available on her site, it's obvious to anyone who wants to look. For a real look at the cosplay culture, get yourself to a anime/comic/sci-fi convention, as this book shows nothing but that bad about it.

This no-smiles, no-retouching approach to documentary photography works well with serious people and subjects. As in, "let me show you this Important Person or Thing in its completely natural state unlike all those other photographers who tart it up". It's for making something that usually looks pretty and impressive look homely and unremarkable for contrast.

Why Dorfman thought she needed to make a bunch of normal people in badly handmade clothes look MORE homely and unremarkable...I have no idea. Honestly that seems unnecessarily cruel.

She didn't even photograph them looking like they're having FUN, which is the whole point. It's doubly the point for people who are new to the hobby, and judging by the level of skill represented here, a truly disproportionate number of the photos are of the rankest of rank beginners. If photographed realistically, most of these people would be running around screaming and hugging people and freaking out with joy at the chance to eat overpriced Japanese snacks with their friends. Instead...they all look like they need an antidepressant and a few kind words. Most cosplayers do not look like this. None of them look this miserable.

If Dorfman had honestly wanted to find examples of people -enjoying- their costumes at all levels of skill on people of all shapes and sizes, she could have done so with no trouble at the same places she found these. Instead, she chose to make these people look ugly, weird, and sad. Deliberately. This is poor documentary and bad photography.

Ultimately it boils down to just another "look at the freaks!" gallery. A thin veneer of artsiness fails to conceal Dorfman's stale perspective.

As an avid cosplayer, I find this book highly offensive. It seems as though the photographer choose highly mediocre costumes, had them look as dull as possible, and took a few photos that would be considered amateur at best. And this is what she used to represent the cosplay community? If I didn't know any better, I would say she was just making fun of the whole cosplay scene by publishing a few average looking pictures in hopes that someone, not knowing anything about cosplay, might be interested. Save your $35 for a tank of gas or something, because this book definitely isn't worth the cover price.

The cover photo seems like a good representation of the excitement within. It's as if all the cosplayers were told their dog died before their pictures were taken. It's all so depressing! Were these photoshoots all done on the evening of September 11, 2001? It comes off looking more sad and depressing than dramatic. Aside from the sadness, the photographs look good...but are good enough to reveal the weak points of some of the costumes (like random threads hanging down) or certain features of some the cosplayers themselves that probably should have been covered up, cropped out, or otherwise not in view of the camera lens.

Unfortunately, I can't recommend this book and can't help but feel that those that praise it are friends of the author, people in the book, or people who would praise anything cosplay-related just because it's cosplay-related.

I really don't have much to say on this book. However I will say that it portrays cosplayers/costume makers and convention attendees very poorly. If anything cosplayers are quite outgoing and friendly people, just go to a convention and see for yourself.

Unlike some of the other reviewers, I found the sobriety of the subjects (and by and large, they are VERY deadpan) a nice contrast to the elaborateness of the costumes. I'm not involved in the cosplay scene, so I can't comment (as some have done) to whether the costumes were "good" and "accurate" or not. One reviewer in particular sounds like they have a bad case of sour grapes not to have been included. A photographer will take probably thousands of photos for a book like this, and they can't use them all.

I enjoyed the photos, but I think Dorfman concentrated too strongly on Japanese-oriented costumers - those who are specifically tied to anime, manga and games in that style. I know there's plenty of WoW and Star Wars/Trek cosplayers, and tons of Steampunk fans, yet there were none represented. Generic "schoolgirls" and a catgirl, but not one Tauren, Stormtrooper, or zeppelin pilot. OK, maybe none of those photos were good enough for inclusion, I'm willing to cut her a little slack there. However...

Carlo McCormick's 5-page introduction is snarky, condescending and at times, nasty - though I'm sure in his infinite superiority over those pictured, he doesn't see it that way. "[T]his has got to be the nerdiest collection of hopeless geeks ever assembled," he says, and then backpedals a little with "they're also way cool." Whenever he offers some compliment, there's a slap next to it. He's an ART CRITIC, and knows nothing about cosplay, yet he comments as though these are all just silly and confused kids, experimenting with fashion. If you buy the book, I sincerely suggest you look only at the photos, because reading his intro will sour the experience for you. Perhaps you could use those five long pages of pedantic condescension as a place to paste in photos of YOUR costumed personae.

Recommendation: Get it used.

Until I saw this book in Shutterbug Magazine I had no idea what Cosplay was. I get it now and I enjoyed the book both from a entertainment and photographic standpoint. One reviewer mentioned the subjects all looked quite somber and that something I noticed as well. Once that initial feeling moved away it was replaced by the curiosity of why something so fun can make them look this way? I still think this is worth a look to give you a visual idea of what Cosplay is all about.

This book continues Dorfman's explorations of identity through portraiture -- this time exploring the space between fantasy and reality in cosplay.

Dramatic costumes presented in a simple layout. The book is gorgeously printed and the hard cover version has a special soft touch thick cover.

The negative reviews here seem to be from cosplay insiders. But this book is all about an outsider looking in.

Elena Dorfman's Fandomania is a striking glimpse into the world of cosplay: a subculture of roleplayers wearing the costumes of characters from anime, manga, video games, and even television and movie productions. Cosplay has its origins in Japan, and the characters emulated are most often or Japanese origin, but Dorfman's book showcases a decidedly American facet of the lifestyle.

Her subjects are photographed against a stark, glossy black background, resulting in an ethereal glow for the costumes and make-up. The models (and the objects of their roleplay) are unidentified in the book, which consists solely of large illustrations and a brief introductory essay. Comic and fictional characters often exhibit exteme, non-human body proportions (incredibly long legs, small waists, huge muscles, etc.), which presents a challenge for the average American cosplayer. Dorfman's material spans all body types and sizes, and all shine, regardless of their adherence to strict anime or manga body proportions. In several cases, gender barriers between cosplayer and subject are blurred.

Those interested in picking up this title can get a sneak peak at some of the illustrations on the author's website. However, the book, with its large format and stunning coloration, is the only way to truly do these images justice.