I like cosplayers. They have a gumption that I won’t find anywhere else, because they’re not themselves—they can send their ego to a mental lounge while inhibiting a superhero, elf, robot, or organic Lego nightmare fuel. When a camera’s added, the result tends to be some inspired, whimsical photography with a wider range of creative options. A standard model has to create their own persona—a far more demanding process.
Alissa Sallah is a cosplayer. She’s also an old friend who, like me, made their way from Columbus, Ohio to Portland. She dressed up like Gearless Joe from the Megalo Box anime and I took pictures of her on the Portland waterfront of the Willamette River.
