NCP Photoshoot for A Cause 2016: A Photoshoot Event...with a Heart

It is not a secret that photography is my hobby and one of my favorite subjects to shoot are "cosplayers", so participating in photo shoots with some of them every once in a while has been a goal for me.  Having said that, I also look forward to participating in events that are for charitable causes.

Question: Can cosplay, photography, and charity go hand in hand in one event?

Conclusion:  Enter National Cosplayers of the Philippines (NCP) and their annual "Photoshoot for a Cause" event.

Now, what is that event, you ask?

First things first, the event is organized by The National Cosplayers of the Philippines, an organization founded in 2010 that has held many events (since their inception) that focus on raising funds for charity to help impoverished communities.  "Photoshoot for a Cause" is one of their events which aims to use cosplay and photography as means to raise funds for the group's charitable cause.  It is one of the group's successful and much-awaited annual events and it is now on its fifth year. 

The photo shoot works like this;  instead of monetary payment as entrance fee for the event, participants (cosplayers and photographers) were asked to bring school supplies (a uniform quantity of pencils, notebooks, eraser, sharpener and the like) which in turn will be donated and distributed to schoolchildren of a pre-selected school. Sounds good right? Fantastic! I might say!

This year's edition of the event was held at the University of Santo Tomas grounds in Manila and yours truly participated in it as an opportunity to do a location photo shoot with cosplayers and at the same time being able to help in a charitable event is something that I cannot pass up.

The day of the event falls on a Sunday and upon arriving at the UST grounds, I can say that the turnout was great as a good number of cosplayers and photographers were already there to take part of the occasion. At around 9:30 a.m., the organizers gathered all the participants for a very important briefing and after that, cosplayers and photographers alike were divided into groups and groups were paired and took turns for individual/group photo shoots in various locations that the grounds of the university has to offer (sans inside the buildings and other restricted areas, photo shoots can be done virtually anywhere within the campus premises.)

With the event being held on the 1st day of May, there is no doubt that "The Heat is On!" - the summer heat, that is!

Had the same sentiments as this cat right here, LOL!

Over the course of the day, the weather was arduous and the heat and humidity was a little bit too much to bear for anyone (I lost count of how many pet bottles of Gatorade I gulped and how many water refills I had on my canteen), but it didn't faze the dedicated cosplayers and photographers (including me), instead all persevered to get the best angles, the right locations, and the decisive moments to make sure they get the best photographs possible.

Here are some of the photos that I have taken in the event:

At the end of the day, all the participants had more than their fill of photos and stories to share from the event.  I can say that participating in this event is a good experience.  Not only did I get to meet wonderful and dedicated cosplayers, I also got to meet fellow photographers (hobbyists, amateurs, and pros alike) whom I share the same passion with.  Let us not forget that this unique experience is in the name of charity and the feeling of being able to do what you love and at the same time helping others is simply priceless.  All in all, this is truly a memorable and purposeful experience not only for me, but also for all of the participants.

The Good People of National Cosplayers of The Philippines

In behalf of this blog, I also would like to thank the National Cosplayers of the Philippines for doing a "great" job in organizing this photo shoot and giving cosplayers and photographers alike the chance to make a difference in someone else's life through this charity event.  I have to say, "Photoshoot for A Cause" is a Photoshoot Event....With A Heart.

Many others, especially me, will look forward to attending (and covering) future editions of this event in the future.

Until next time,



Ciao!