The Geek With A Camera - Jay Tablante

Renowned cosplay photographer Jay Tablante got into photography as a combination of a happy accident and as an evolution of his frustrated creative journey. Jay has loved comics since he was a kid, and he has always wanted to draw comic book characters. But alas, it just wasn’t written in the stars.

While he can’t do ‘magic’ with a pencil, Jay is a beast behind the camera. As one of the country’s top commercial photographers, he has shot for established brands, TV networks, print publications, and even international clients.

But it was his love for comics, anime, and anything geeky that drove him to go into cosplay photography. This pursuit allows him to interlace his profession and his passion into a single endeavor, and as a result, helped him and his work stand out from the pack.

Jay has spread the gospel of his craft through his books, vlog, and as an ambassador for Canon. And last month, for the second year in a row, he sat as a panelist at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) to talk about his passion.

How does one become a panelist for Comic-Con? What process did you have to go through?

It’s my second time to panel for SDCC [but] I’ve been a constant attendee for the past six years. One of my friends, Pat Loika, who attends with me thought of submitting a panel for SDCC’s consideration. I have always wanted to share my passion for cosplay photography on a bigger stage, and I feel SDCC is the pinnacle of cons to achieve. It was a long shot, but luckily the organizers approved of it and getting on-board was as simple as submitting our names and credentials.

That’s awesome! What’s your favorite or most memorable moment from all the SDCCs you’ve attended?