UPDATE:
This shoot has gotten SO MUCH press I can't even believe it! None of us quite expected it. It's been featured by Cosmopolitan, ABC News, Kotaku, BuzzFeed, Good Morning America, PetaPixel, Daily Mail, Yahoo, Fashionably Geek, and SO MANY MORE! It was obviously awesome to be praised by the likes of Cosmo and other big outlets. But some of my favorite press was by DigitalRev & SLR Lounge. They are both fantastic communities for photographers, so it was very humbling to be heralded by their editorial staff run by some of the top pro photographers in the world! And now back to the article...
Let me introduce you to Finn and Rey! No, not the ones from the latest Star Wars movie. The actual REAL Finn and Rey! They are a super geeky (awesome) couple engaged to be married this May. And they're cosplayers.
For this shoot, we went all the way to the desert planet of Jakku, which is located about an hour and a half South of Salt Lake City, Utah. Their cosplay is legit! Not only because they look the part in their hand-made costumes, but they've also got a real live BB-8 (baby-8)!
The little astromech droid was such a trooper. There was wind, sun, and sand in the eyes, but she loved every minute of it! Planet Jakku wasn't an easy trip for what turned out to be an all-day photoshoot. Off-roading (in sedans) and severely misleading GPS systems left us feeling at times like Captain Solo without hyperdrive. But we made it, it was worth it, and we've got stories to tell. Oh yeah, and if you're looking for planet Jakku, it's actually located at the Little Sahara in central Utah.
Seriously though, how awesome is this little family? I met "Finn and Rey" earlier this year and did their engagement session and a sweet mommy-daughter shoot (stay tuned for that). As Star Wars' biggest fan myself, I was super thrilled to discover that they were doing this cosplay! They were a huge hit at this year's Salt Lake FanXperience, and have been getting loads of international press. I'm looking forward to shooting their wedding in May! Word has it that some of these cosplay photos will make it into their wedding display. RAD! |
Rey's staff makes an obvious selfie stick.
And now—what we've all been waiting for... It's crossed everyone's minds, right? Finn and Rey getting together? THEY NEED TO! Well if you are like me, and are dying to see how (or if) it all goes down, then scroll down and receive your fix!
And now—what we've all been waiting for... It's crossed everyone's minds, right? Finn and Rey getting together? THEY NEED TO! Well if you are like me, and are dying to see how (or if) it all goes down, then scroll down and receive your fix!
Hey thanks for reading, everyone! I've timed this shoot and post with the DVD/BluRay release of Star Wars Episode 7. May you all have happy watching parties, and live long and prosper! —▙
(EDIT: Yes, that was a joke.)
(EDIT: Yes, that was a joke.)