Replace James' Stolen Camera Gear
Donation protected
You’re in a hurry, you’re getting into your car... when you notice that something is a bit... off. “Did I leave that there?” you wonder. And then you see it. Or rather, you don’t see it. The one thing you wish you’d brought inside last night. The one thing you need for your livelihood, that one thing it will cost not only a fortune to replace, but the thing that would have enabled you to make that money.
It can happen to anyone, and we hope it will never happens to you. But it happened today to one of our own, and we’re not going to stand idly by. Today, we’re going to work together and be one artist’s real-life superheroes.
Cosplay is a lot of fun. We dress up in costumes, share our love of fandom, make friends, and share that experience with an audience that reaches farther than we can know. Cosplay is an art, it is also a community. We support one another in creating art which most cosplayers take a financial loss on. We do it out of love, and we support one another out of love of both fandom and one another.
Very few cosplayers create their art without collaboration or assistance. If you don’t sew, you lean on your friends for support with costume creation. If you create every piece of a costume, you might still need help with photography. Most cosplayers take advantage of free photography offered by incredibly talented and generous photographers.
Our community is not just composed of the people wearing the costumes; the wig makers, seamstresses, prop-makers, and photographers who support cosplay elevate this fun hobby to the level of art. If you’ve cosplayed or enjoyed a cosplay, you’ve likely enjoyed work that was made collaboratively.
James Donnelly (@happytriggerLA) doesn’t charge the community for his photography skills (despite being a professional photographer who could easily make a profit for his fine work). Jim supports his friends by shooting stunning photos. In doing this, he donates his time and multitude of skills to help us share our hard work with the world. He spends his free time traveling to remote locations to photograph cosplayers, then the rest of his spare time editing those photos so we can share them quickly. He does all of this with positivity and tremendous affection for his collaborators.
This weekend, Jim’s photography gear was stolen. This is not only his hobby, but his livelihood. This year, we’ve seen the cosplay community’s strength when we stand together. Today is a day to support one of our own. Helping Jim pay for a replacement doesn’t just help him personally; his work is part of the community. Replacing his gear means helping countless cosplayers and artists continue to document and share their work.
The smallest amounts can help. If you don’t have money to spare but want to help, share this post. Help get word out to those who can.
It can happen to anyone, and we hope it will never happens to you. But it happened today to one of our own, and we’re not going to stand idly by. Today, we’re going to work together and be one artist’s real-life superheroes.
Cosplay is a lot of fun. We dress up in costumes, share our love of fandom, make friends, and share that experience with an audience that reaches farther than we can know. Cosplay is an art, it is also a community. We support one another in creating art which most cosplayers take a financial loss on. We do it out of love, and we support one another out of love of both fandom and one another.
Very few cosplayers create their art without collaboration or assistance. If you don’t sew, you lean on your friends for support with costume creation. If you create every piece of a costume, you might still need help with photography. Most cosplayers take advantage of free photography offered by incredibly talented and generous photographers.
Our community is not just composed of the people wearing the costumes; the wig makers, seamstresses, prop-makers, and photographers who support cosplay elevate this fun hobby to the level of art. If you’ve cosplayed or enjoyed a cosplay, you’ve likely enjoyed work that was made collaboratively.
James Donnelly (@happytriggerLA) doesn’t charge the community for his photography skills (despite being a professional photographer who could easily make a profit for his fine work). Jim supports his friends by shooting stunning photos. In doing this, he donates his time and multitude of skills to help us share our hard work with the world. He spends his free time traveling to remote locations to photograph cosplayers, then the rest of his spare time editing those photos so we can share them quickly. He does all of this with positivity and tremendous affection for his collaborators.
This weekend, Jim’s photography gear was stolen. This is not only his hobby, but his livelihood. This year, we’ve seen the cosplay community’s strength when we stand together. Today is a day to support one of our own. Helping Jim pay for a replacement doesn’t just help him personally; his work is part of the community. Replacing his gear means helping countless cosplayers and artists continue to document and share their work.
The smallest amounts can help. If you don’t have money to spare but want to help, share this post. Help get word out to those who can.
Organizer and beneficiary
Alex Wiltse
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
James Donnelly
Beneficiary
