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Noticing zippers in a costume portrait

Follow a small fastening through three portraits, comparing its line, contrast and place within the whole outfit.

A blue zipper runs down the front of a pale jacket, linking the open collar to the lower hem. Colored sleeve stripes form separate lines beside it.
A blue zipper runs down the front of a pale jacket, linking the open collar to the lower hem. Colored sleeve stripes form separate lines beside it.
Katsucon 2016 Thursday photograph 0340 · Photograph: Yenra
Captured: 2016:02:11 19:05:09

Yenra Photography ·

A small fastening can give you a clear line to follow through a portrait. Begin with a short stretch of zipper, notice the clothing beside it, then let your attention return to the person and the complete frame. You can make a useful discovery without naming every costume detail.

These three Katsucon 2016 Thursday photographs offer different relationships between a zipper and its surroundings. One stands out through color, another sits among stronger patterns, and a third forms a bright line on a dark outfit. Compare what you can see before deciding which detail you enjoy most.

Follow a blue line down a pale jacket

The blue zipper runs down the pale jacket from the open collar toward the lower hem. Colored stripes on the sleeves offer other lines nearby. The fastening gives you a route through the middle of the outfit while those separate stripes lead elsewhere.

Follow a short section of the blue line, then look away from it. Where does your attention go next? Compare the collar, sleeves and complete portrait. A small detail can be a starting point for looking, with plenty left to discover around it.

Find the fastening among stronger contrasts

A narrow front zipper sits among the black-and-white shapes of the jacket. The bright red scarf and large white motifs give the smaller fastening other details to sit beside.
A narrow front zipper sits among the black-and-white shapes of the jacket. The bright red scarf and large white motifs give the smaller fastening other details to sit beside.
Ryuko Matoi, Kill la Kill · Photograph: Yenra · Credit: Slothtier Cosplay
Captured: 2016:02:11 18:50:19

In the portrait titled Ryuko Matoi, Kill la Kill, the narrow front fastening sits among large black-and-white shapes. A bright red scarf adds another strong area. The zipper is present, but you may notice the scarf or white motifs first.

Give yourself a moment to find the smaller line. Compare its direction with the surrounding shapes, then return to the face and whole outfit. A detail does not have to be the most prominent part of a photograph to be interesting. The supplied performer Credit, Slothtier Cosplay, remains with this example.

Look for a bright line on a dark costume

A bright zipper follows the center of the fitted dark costume. It remains visible between the larger prop shapes above and the belt below.
A bright zipper follows the center of the fitted dark costume. It remains visible between the larger prop shapes above and the belt below.
Katsucon 2016 Thursday photograph 0324 · Photograph: Yenra
Captured: 2016:02:11 19:02:58

A bright zipper follows the center of the dark costume, between the larger prop shapes above and the belt below. Its narrow line stands apart from the broad areas of clothing on either side. You can trace it without needing to identify the material or how the outfit was made.

Compare this fastening with the first two. Which is easiest to follow, and what beside it helps you see it? Finish with one observation about the entire portrait. Looking at an existing photograph is enough for this exercise; you can enjoy the shapes without recreating the props or pose.

Look back with curiosity.

  • Where is the fastening easiest to see?
  • Which larger shapes compete with or repeat its line?
  • What do you notice when you return to the whole portrait?

Keep exploring

Noticing buttons in a portrait · Noticing lacing and stitches in a photograph · Photographing the details that matter

Browse the complete Katsucon 2016 Thursday gallery. Follow a photograph into its original neighbors and see which small detail, familiar layer or color connection catches your attention next.