We are long-term members of the Crocker Art Museum, but have never managed to make CrockerCon. This year was different, and with minor modifications, here is the brief blurb I wrote with photos that appeared in Outword Magazine in September 2023.
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The ninth edition of CrockerCon was a lighthearted evening to schmooze with Stormtroopers and congregate with caped cuties. Held each September at Sacramento’s Crocker Museum, the event explores the influences that comics and cartooning have on art and storytelling. This year’s cosplay event featured booths full of sci-fi literature, local comic book, Lego and fantasy artists, and a lifesize Barbie jeep. Inside the auditorium, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonists Darrin Bell and Jack Ohman discussed the state of freedom of expression, while across the way, the League of Heroes Inspired shared the therapeutic work their nonprofit organization does with children, including many queer ones. “We make heroism accessible,” said founder Mitch Darnell (aka Batman), “and help kids find the hero inside themselves!”
Equipment
- Nikon D750 and 780 bodies
- Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 zoom
- Nikkor 16mm, f/2.8 fisheye
- Nikkor 85mm, f/1.8 prime
- Nikon SB700 flash
- On-camera Magmod Magsphere diffuser
My challenges for this event were the tightness inside with using flash photography. You can see the shadows against the walls behind folks. Also, the room with the League of Heroes was fairly dark AND they were stacked as a group. I used f/7.1 to get them all in focus with my 85mm, but my 50mm would have kept them all sharper. Outside it was getting darker, so I tried to balance wanting nice ambient light effects with not going too grainy. Topaz DeNoise software is a lifesaver!
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All photos are copyright Chris Allan and cannot be used without my written permission. Please contact me for usage rights. Thank you for reading my blog post “Holy Cosplay, Batman! CrockerCon was a big blast! ” To learn more about me and my work, please see my About page.