Dinner & a photo shoot with the cosplay guild ladies.

While the four ladies you met earlier finish doing their thing, you visit the cosplay guildhouse to the other members of the guild. That's where the lovely Japanese woman, Azuka, and the French Canadian cosplayer, Morgan, give you a couple of deep hugs. Some people, of course, find it strange to see you walking alongside Azuka in her particular Sailor Moon costume, and Morgan in her "Ballroom Belle" cosplay, hiking up her long, yellow skirt to help her walk at a smooth pace, from time to time. Then again, some people find it interesting to see you surrounded by 6 hot, lovely cosplayers from the guild, taking one of the large-party tables at the diner, near the Walk of Fame.

Trinity & Jessie take your immediate flank, with Azuka & Morgan next, then Catherine & Nicole on the edge. While they wait for their ordered dinner to be served, you pull out your iPad tablet, and start sharing some of the cosplay photos you've taken since the last time you worked with the guild.

"Hey, isn't that your secretary, Alex?" Catherine asks you, as she looks at the cosplay photo you did with Shannon.

"Yep, that is Shannon." You tell Catherine. "You can say that Mia helped her get started."

"Oh, the awesome Mia Rocha." Jessie tells you, giggling. "Oh, how I want to do a photo shoot with her, one day."

"As do I!" Trinity tells you, with the other cosplayers saying the same thing, before they let out a good laugh.

"Someday, the guild leaders need to let more of you go from doing what you normally do here in Hollywood," you tell them, "and let you do some comic con appearances. Maybe I'll see if I can with your managers, and get a guild booth set up for the next major convention here in So Cal."

"The Long Beach Comic Expo in February, right?" Catherine asks you.

"Yes, that one." You tell her. "It doesn't cost that much to have a booth set up with the people that do both Long Beach comic events. It's the people that run the other big L.A. area comic cons that charge the higher rates. Besides, since I've expanded the company to have a crew of photographers & support staff, we're thinking about setting up our own booth at that particular event, as an experiment."

"An experiment on what, hmmm?" Azuka asks you.

"To work with some of the cosplayers." You tell her, then speak in general to the cosplayers. "This is an idea that I've been working with, once I had the opportunity to hire a crew, to expand the company. We set up the photography booth in an area surrounded by cosplayers. For a standard fee consistent with buying a cosplay print, and tips to the cosplayer for photo ops, me and my crew can do a photo shoot of cosplay fans, with a given cosplayer or two, print out a high-quality, high-definition, 8x10 photo, and the cosplayer can then sign it for that particular fan, should they desire it."

"Ooo, I like that idea." Morgan tells you. "How would you distribute the money generated from it?"

"Half goes to the cosplayer," you tell her, "the other half helps cover the cost of materials, and other operating expenses."

"Very interesting, Alex." Nicole tells you. "I've seen other photography companies try it at comic cons, but not all of them succeed. Is there anything that you have in mind that can make it more appealing for cosplay fans to purchase such a service?"

"Aside from using a green screen, to create a background image based on the cosplayer's costume," you tell her, "I use the big names or rising stars in cosplay, for a time, of course. Fans who purchase a photo op can also have the photo e-mailed to them, so that they can share it on social media. It gives them something to share, it helps give the cosplayer more exposure, and it does the same for the company."

"Interesting." Catherine tells you. "Now I know you're here in Hollywood this weekend, to do the photo shoot with Trinity & Jessie tomorrow, then the photo shoot back at the guildhouse on Sunday. What I want to know, is this: if we get the managers' permission to let you do some photo shoots of us later tonight, to make cosplay prints for us to sell in the near future, would you do it?"

"With the right rates that can be negotiated with the guild managers," you tell her, "my crew and I can do that, even if we may not be able to do that until early in the new year."

"That is fine, Alex." Trinity tells you. "After all, you do have a strong working partnership with the cosplay guild. (A group of waiters come with their food.) Well, then, shall we eat? I'm starving!"

You enjoy the food with the ladies, and plenty of water to wash it all down. Then you pay your share of the tab, and walk with the ladies back to the guildhouse. This is where their large, two-story building come in handy. With some help, you set up a white portrait screen, and borrow a couple of their external flash devices, with umbrellas to spread out the lights. With those cosplayers you've met this night still in costume, you start to take photos of them, starting with the individual photos first. You start with Catherine first, then Trinity, Jessie, Nicole, Azuka, and then Morgan. Then the six ladies come together, and pose for you. Morgan does a ballroom bow in one edge of the grouping, while Azuka takes up her Sailor Moon wand, and does a signature character pose on the other edge. Catherine goes into a prowling stance in her Catwoman costume, while Nicole does the same in her Black Cat costume. Trinity & Jessie move in behind Catherine & Nicole, and strike a pose for you. You take a handful of photos, then give the "all done" signal. They come over, reviewing those photos you've taken, and smile, giving you a hug.

"I think you can do that with the rest of the guild members." Catherine tells you. "Everyone should be present tomorrow night, after you do the field work with Trinity & Jessie. With that being said, I hope you have fun tonight, Alex, and I hope to see you later this weekend."

"As to you, Catherine." You tell her.

You proceed with putting you camera gear away, and put the things you've borrowed from the guild in their proper place. By now, Catherine has reasonably gone off to change into her normal street clothes, so that she can return home, and be with her family. The other ladies, meanwhile, are still in their costumes, watching you clean up, before they come over to you.

"You know how we can thank you for working with us in good graces, Alex?" Trinity asks you, giving you a good wink.

"How?" You ask her.

"By doing this..." Trinity tells you, and plants a soft, lingering kiss to your lips. The other four ladies soon follow, then they lead you to the newly expanded cosplayers' lounge. Aside from all the things they need for some good old R&R, they have some repair stations there. But what stands out now, are the few empty, uncovered beds on the far end. All they just have to do, is bring their own covers, pillow, & blankets, and keep them in their lockers, when they're not using it. Trinity had already lay out a few covers over one of the beds, as well as a pillow, and the cosplayers let you sit down on the bed, giving you that look, like they're going to beg for something. Besides, it has been a few months since you worked with them last time, and it's clear that the ladies, especially Azuka & Morgan, haven't forgotten the....good times.