JEFF JENKINS.
Cosplay photography at MAGFest
I'm Jeff Jenkins, a Maryland-based cosplay and creative-portrait photographer. MAGFest is my January anchor for 2027: four days of gaming, chiptune, and cover bands at the Gaylord National, with a crowd that stays up far later than it should. It will be my first year shooting it, and I'm planning pre-booked sessions across the weekend for anyone who wants their build shot properly.
Four days of gaming, music, and very good costumes
MAGFest is short for the Music and Gaming Festival, and it earns both halves of the name: a 24-hour arcade, chiptune sets, video-game cover bands, a maker contingent, and a crowd that treats three in the morning as prime time. It is smaller than the big media cons, which is exactly why it works for photography. There is room to actually set up, and people have time to talk.
The Gaylord National helps too. The atrium glass, the balconies, and the quieter corridors off the main halls give me clean backdrops and usable light in the middle of January, so a session does not depend on the weather outside. I bring off-camera lighting and build each setup around the character rather than running everyone through the same preset.
A session is a reserved block of my time with a planned location. Spots are limited by event hours, so the notify list is the fastest way to catch booking when it opens.
Character portraits, convention floor to studio
A cross-section of recent sessions. These frames come from conventions across the country and from studio work, not all from this show.
How a MAGFest session works
Get on the list
Leave your email below. When the MAGFest calendar opens, the list hears first.
Plan the session
We lock a time, talk through the character and the shot list, and I pick a spot at the venue that suits the build.
Shoot and deliver
Edited images come back in a private gallery you can download in full resolution, typically within about 20 business days.
MAGFest sessions
Booking is not open yet. Leave your email and tell me who you are bringing to life, and you will hear the moment the calendar goes live.