11/24/2025
As many of you know, one of the main areas that I like to do photoshoots for is around the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
However, as of late, convention center staff has been cracking down on photographers, setting up lights stands and backdrops, even when they are compliant with both the convention and convention center policy.
Limiting the ability for photographers to manipulate and control lighting and backgrounds hinders their ability to produce the high-quality photos they are being hired to take by their clients.
Photographers pay almost TWICE the normal price of a badge to be able to earn the access to do paid shoots at conventions like the ones held in Columbus and to treat them like they need to pay to be vendors cheats them both out of money and work. Especially those who are not able to do this full time, like yours truly.
If a photographer is spreading out and causing obstructions in the flow of traffic at convention centers, that’s one thing, but to intentionally shut down photoshoots mid session because they didn’t pay the convention center itself to shoot is truly appalling.
So if you are a photographer who is booking shoots at the GCCC, or if you are a cosplayer looking to hire a photographer, please share this so that other photographers and cosplayers are aware of these changes that are coming, so they can plan alternate locations in case they decide to crack down even further.
And if you feel like it, go over to their page and let them know in a respectable manner that you don’t think photographers should have to pay twice to be able to do their jobs. 
Slides from .studios on IG.