Rules

Don't be intimidated, please message us if you need any clarification!

1. Who can attend?

Attendance is limited ONLY to those who are members of Western PA Cosplay Shoots, or who are otherwise approved by our moderator team.

Please have any cosplayers or photographers who would like to participate send a join request (AND answer the questions or they'll end up in limbo!), or speak to a moderator if they do not have access to Facebook.

You are always permitted to bring a non-cosplaying/photographer companion or family member. We only need to know who is with our group, so please message a moderator letting us know who they are before the event, or make sure they are in our introduction circle.

Minors under 16 years old must have an adult chaperone.

These shoots are community events designed to strengthen connections between cosplayers and photographers in our local area. As such, all attendees MUST introduce themselves (this is as simple as saying your name during our circle of introduction). If you have any concerns, please speak to one of the moderators. We understand social anxiety and will do what we can to make you feel comfortable!

2. What can I wear?

As most events are in public areas, cosplays must be appropriate for these areas. No extreme gore/NSFW/otherwise "shocking" costumes are permitted. If there are any questions about a costumes' appropriateness, ask an admin.

Some events will require moderate hiking, so it's recommended to have a change of shoes.

3. Who is included?

Every attendee must be included in terms of photography within reason. Intentionally and obviously excluding people based on any factor (such as race, appearance, gender, or skill level) will not be tolerated. If you wish to take photos only of a certain type of cosplayer, or work with only one specific photographer, please schedule a private shoot on your own time.

4. How must attendees behave?

All of our attendees, our moderators, passer-bys, and locations must be treated respectfully. Littering, or ANY kind of vandalism or behavior that could damage a location, or harassment towards ANYONE (whether a part of our group or not) will result in a ban from our community's Facebook group and all future events. Knowingly bringing a banned attendee to an event will also result in a ban. There may or may not be an initial warning or discussion based on the severity of the behavior.

Harassment is unwanted behavior of any sort defined by the target of that behavior. Examples include (but are not limited to) attempting to pressure a person into a photo/pose they already said no to, or to leave to a secondary location, unwanted touching, "sniping" or upskirt photography, or explicit sexual comments, slurs, or intentional misgendering. This list does not cover all harassing behavior. If you are uncomfortable for any reason, even if it is not listed here, please find or message a moderator as soon as you feel safe to. If you have concerns about a moderator's behavior, please message a different one privately-- we have five.

To foster a safe and welcoming community, this extends to harassing behavior that takes place outside of our events which could make a person feel unsafe attending, such as stalking, open bigotry, or online bullying.

When contacted by a harassment target, WPACS admins/hosts will determine if the behavior determines a warning towards the perpetrator, or an outright ban from attendance/removal from the event.

5. What can be done with photos taken at the event?

Images created at this events must be released free of charge and are for noncommercial, personal use only (such as sharing on a website, Instagram, or Facebook) unless otherwise arranged with each photographer or cosplayer. Photographers are permitted to share tip locations (such as Ko-fi or Buy Me a Coffee) and to sell prints or commercial distribution rights to the featured cosplayer (such as selling a gallery as a download, or using for sites like Patreon).

The mugshot board asks if a person is okay with being tagged on Facebook. If it is checked or unmarked, do not add their tag to your photo. People have a variety of privacy concerns (work, unsupportive family members) that must be respected. We highly recommend that people with those concerns turn on Timeline Review, which will not display a post on their profile until they approve it.

Please contact any one of the page admins if you have any questions or concerns.