EuroFurence - Conreport by FotoFurNL

The excitement already grew big when we got close to Berlin and upon seeing the Estrel Hotel again that I left about a year ago I could barely contain myself! I knew that I was in for a rollercoaster ride filled with fun, drinks, friends and most of all; photography.With over a 1000 costumes there a costume photographer always knows in advance he will go home with about a dozen or two of regrets… regrets in the form of beautiful costumes he didn’t get to shoot and has to wait at least another year for a second chance.

But hey, what are a few regrets compared to the tons of beautiful new photos I got to shoot and get to show to all of you in the coming weeks/months!?

The convention started as always; a day or two before the opening ceremony the hotel was already flooded with furries and the bar was full. Upon my arrival I instantly fell into the world I love and like so much, a world filled with fursuits and happy faces. I had promised myself not to take photos on my arrival day and take some time to sit down with friends for a good German dinner; Schnitzel, what else?

Of course the much need beer followed soon and I could officially say my convention had started!

Day 1

As a photographer the first thing I did was trying to arrange some photoshoots with friends who I promised to give some nice images of their suits. So I got my camera and new lens out of my suitcase and went to work with a lovely yellow banana fox (Yes, you read that right! Hahaha!) Just before I started the first photoshoot I tweeted a beautiful photo from last year’s convention and wrote “This could be your photoshoot for 35 euro’s! Commission me at the con!” with it. Not knowing the madness that would ensue after that, totally expecting that no one would want to pay for a photographer’s expertise at a convention where virtually everyone has a camera. 
I could NOT have been more wrong.

The adorable "bananafox" Fuzzer!

Now for me this year was going to be extra exciting as I had decided it was about time to join the EuroFurence ArtShow. For those who have no clue what that is, it is a showcasing of many artists’ their work where people can bid on the pieces they would like to buy. I had been telling myself for two years that I should enter my photography but I didn’t have the guts until now. I had chosen 4 different pieces of my work and had those printed on the most beautiful materials I could find. Two on Aluminium, one Acrylic and one on so called “Xpozer” foil. 
I was very, very, very, very (Read: Very) scared that I had made a crazy decision that would never work out as I hoped. I mean, who in their right mind would buy a photo of a fursuit that is not theirs? Was my work good enough to have some artistic value?
I was scared. But I already got so far, and I was going to sit this ride out!

After I put up my photos in the ArtShow I checked my phone and couldn’t believe my eyes… no less than three commission requests for my photoshoots were right there in front of me, including an amazing Rocket Raccoon fursuit. And it didn’t end there, as I finished some images from my first, second and third shoot and tweeted those; more commissions for photoshoots came in. A couple of Dutch Angel Dragons, a lovely white wolf costume, two adorable Husky fursuits… And there I was thinking that no one would want to commission a photoshoot because photographers are, in my humble opinion, undervalued and taken for granted in the furry fandom. Boy was I wrong!

My EuroFurence 21 ArtShow panel showing 4 of my prints for sale!

Day 2

Today the ArtShow would open and I had my work already put up the day before so today I was very nervous and barely could get my breakfast down my throat. Making up for the lack of food with an inhuman amount of coffee I contacted my 12:00 commissioners and went shooting two adorable mixbreed husky fursuits. A photographer doesn’t work on peppermints, so by the time I finished my first shoot it was definitely time for lunch. And lunch was had in the form of barely 20 minutes time to sit down with a good friend and eat, drink and chat some. During my lunch I received a call from my roommate who wanted to tell me something:

“You received bids on two of your pieces!! Your prints are selling!”

I couldn’t believe it… I had been so afraid that I almost decided to quit Fursuit Photography all together and go do something else with my photography because there wouldn’t be any real interest in the things I do apart from a few nice compliments on my work on the internet… But there I stood, tears in my eyes and the realization that people definitely DO appreciate good photography, even in the Furry Fandom. Boy did I feel immensely happy and stupid at the same time for thinking that furries took photographers for granted.

Day 3

With things finally settling down, my prints selling and my photoshoots stacking like madness I took it a little slower this day and went to visit the Dealers Den after my roommate had informed me that my favorite artpiece ever was available as a print for only 5 euro’s! Two years ago at EuroFurence 19 I had visited the ArtShow and saw the most beautiful piece of art I have ever witnessed: “Ophelia” by BloodhoundOmega  I stood there for 5… 10… 15 minutes, but it could have easily been hours on end. Silenced.

The piece sold for an amazing amount of money and was totally worth it, but I didn’t have what it took to buy it. So I went home without it and now, two years later I managed to get a (alas, much, much smaller sized) print of the piece I adore so much. It’s in my room in a lovely frame and it makes me smile in silence, every time I look at it. I couldn’t be happier!

Ophelia, by BloodHoundOmega

After another few photoshoots it was time for the most exciting thing of the entire con. I had heard all my prints had bids on them, so they were all sold. Again, with tears in my eyes of thankfulness and happiness I went to have a look at the closing of the artshow. One by one each panel was closed with people swarming around it to quickly "snipe" a last bid on the pieces they really, really wanted to win. When my panel closed my day ended and at the bar I treated myself to an 11 euro cocktail to celebrate! (My only drink that expensive the entire con, hahahaha! But it was delicious and it felt deserved!)
To those people who took my photos home; Thank you, you have no idea how much it meant to me to see the appreciation for my work first hand. You all really made my day brighter!

Day 4

A photographer is only as good as his selection, his creativity and/or his different perspective on things. I had a hard time this year finding new images that I hadn’t yet shot last year during this convention. However, during little moments of clarity I climbed the piece of Berlin wall, a tree and moved some garden furniture so I could take photos of fursuiters lying down on the grass fields. These are moments I thoroughly enjoyed because it brought forth lovely images, but also made a lot of people laugh. I mean, “who is that crazy guy climbing a tree for a photo!? Who does that!?”

Finding new photoshoot locations is not always easy. But sometimes you have to cross the line and simply try to reach for something seemingly impossible. Every year I do the EuroFurence group photo for Fursuiting.com Nick&Lacy costumes. Last year I had arranged a lovely bar and Estrel employee outfits for the fursuiters to wear, and it looked just precious! But this year the fursuit maker had requested if I could do the group photo outside, for variety. I agreed and first thing I did when I got to the hotel was contacting the Estrel Convention Manager and ask her if the hotel, in fact, had a roof. With slight disbelief she uttered: "Well, yes... of course we have a roof!"

I aimed for something I thought they would never allow me to do. And after two days of negotiating with security, ConOps and the Hotel management I got permission to visit the roof with 20 fursuiters and do a group photo there. When I arrived on top of the 17th floor the view was breathtaking and I literally screamed of excitement and happiness! YEAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!11!1!!!!!eleven!!! And there we went, shooting my craziest group photo to this day, the results… I, for one, love them to bits!:


Costumes all created by Fursuiting.com Nick&Lacy Costumes!

Creativity comes and goes and any day I am out, I have friends around me who seem to never run out of crazy ideas. Pegla is one of those people. He has a lovely Meerkat fursuit with adorable round glasses and of course there have been prototypes of the frame for said glasses. Now on the internet there’s a lot of fun things you can order, like googly eyes.

Big.
Googly.
Eyes.

Using some tape, tiewraps and glue we mounted together an old prototype frame for his fursuit glasses but added two giant 17,5cm wide googly eyes on them and had any fursuiters we could find wear them! It looked HILARIOUS! These photo’s will be online very soon and trust me when I say, you will laugh hysterically when you see them, guaranteed!
But here’s a sneak peek of course  

CRAZY!? ME!? *Chainsaw revs*

Last, but most certainly not least I got to showcase my brand spanking new fursuit “Kuva Click” at this convention! Kuva is the new face of FotoFur and his name mean “Photo” in the Finnish language. Kuva is designed to be a semi realistic adorable snow leopard that will mostly visit children hospitals at the disco events I organize. But of course you will also see him running around at several conventions! I had the greatest of fun being a snowmew in between my photoshoots and the much needed cocktails and beers. However, my fursuiting highlite must have been the Big Blue Dance where I have been shaking my tail on stage to the beats brought by BigBlueFox

This EuroFurence is one for the books, one I will never forget and one I look back upon with warm feelings. Now I only have to wait another year to have that delicious bacon breakfast again they serve at the Estrel Hotel.

Until we meet again, my dear EuroFurence…

Love,
Reinout,