Scottish Witcher Cosplay Photoshoot in Glasgow
Now that restrictions have eased, I am available for Cosplay shoots once again. Head on over to my Fantasy and Cosplay page to learn more, and fill out my contact form.
”After a large part of the year crafting armour and weaponry, I passed the Trial Of Grasses and with the help of some absolutely magical photography by Alasdair I can finally say I'm a fully fledged Witcher ⚔️”
- Stef, aka @Piggehwoo
Stef is a huge Witcher fan, and over lockdown she designed and created this female Geralt costume from scratch. And I really mean from scratch - every link in that chainmail she joined by hand, every piece of fabric was cut and sewn. While the rest of us were baking banana bread and binging Netflix, Stef was slaving over every buckle and stitch (though I’m pretty sure Netflix was on in the background too. Might also have been some Banana Bread).
Stef is a skilled prop maker, with Geralt’s swords and other props built with foam & polymer clay, and really beautifully finished & weathered. The only items not hand made were the wolf medallion (official merch!), and her boots. She styled the wig herself, and did her own makeup for the shoot.
What Stef and I have come to call her “Murder Strut”.
Such incredible work really deserves to be shown off in the most spectacular way possible, so when Stef contacted me about a shoot, I knew we had to pick a stunning location and really do her work justice. The tricky part however, was remaining within the Greater Glasgow NHS district, in order to keep in line with government Covid guidelines. Fortunately, Greater Glasgow is a treasure trove of stunning photoshoot locations, and I pride myself on knowing or finding all the best nooks and crannies for shoots.
I took us up to Mugdock to take advantage of the castle, where Geralt could brood and skulk around. Hmmm. Stef bravely scaled the walls for a couple of shots, and all the architectural details were perfect for the Witcher theme.
We also set out for a boggy area in the Country Park, which would be perfect for Geralt to find and investigate some entrails - one of his favourite activities in the videogame I’m told! Stef has many wonderful collections, and animal bones just happens to be one of them! Some theatrical blood, and a bit of Photoshop, and we had the remains of…. something.
“The location just has always had a magical feel for me, and once I had played the Witcher 3 game I knew it would just go so well”
- Stef.
Stef had already picked out a lochside location just up the road, with Dumgoyne looming in the distance. The area is full of gorgeous long grass, cliffs, and forest areas. I knew we wanted to be up there for sunset, so we timed our photos in Mugdock with that in mind. The light we enjoyed between the locations was just gorgeous, and I’m so proud of how the images turned out.
Some subtle off-camera flash adds drama to the scene and helps pick out details.
This is also where we created most of the action filled shots. Giving Stef directions is always great fun, as she Cosplays characters who she really loves, so is able to slip in and out of character as I ask her to recreate motions and draw out the characters emotions.
Stef’s partner Richard didn’t miss out on the fun here, as he donned a cloak, gripped a sword, and stood in as a baddie for Stef/Geralt to interrogate and ultimately slay. Poor Rich…
“You had so many great ideas and directions for the shoot, many of the framing/location options I would have never had thought of but look so great”
- Stef.
After the shoot, it was time to give my photos some attention in Photoshop. As well as accentuating the light and colour, recreating the look and feel of a fantasy landscape, I also took some images and turned Autumn into Winter. Summer too, transforming the seasons like a Witcher casting Signs. turning a sunny day into a snowy one is one of my favourite editing tricks.
I also put a lot of time into recreating Geralt’s magical powers. You don’t really get to see the business end of sign casting in the games, so I was able to get creative and find ways to incorporate the signs into all the magical sparks and flames. This is work I really love, and can easily get lost in for hours at a time as I paint and illuminate these special effects.
Using off-camera coloured flash during the shoot was essential in preparing the scene for these special effects in post-processing.
“I dunno bout you but I love a behind the scenes shot! Reminds me of what a fun day we had”
- Stef
Here is a little gallery with some more images from the shoot. If you enjoy them, check out the rest of my Cosplay photography over on my Fantasy and Cosplay page, and if you’re interested in booking me for a shoot, fill out my contact form and we’ll start planning something epic :D
