Dragon Con 2025
August 28th – September 1st, 2025
Atlanta, GA

Originally, I wanted to spend some time talking about how awesome this year’s Dragon Con was but I want to take a moment to reflect real quick.

10 years ago today, I was a week out from wrapping up my 5th Dragon Con. It was a special con because 10 years ago today, I was sifting through my FIRST ever set shots of cosplay as a street photographer.

I’ve learned a lot since then. I’ve grown immensely from the dude who was in his head and super nervous whenever it came time to walk up to a stranger and ask them if I could take their picture. I’ve come a long way since those days. The approach is a little bit more confident. The work is more refined and intentional. The familiar faces I see every year have grown exponentially.

I’ve learned how to discern friends from “fauxs”, collaborators from clients, and the vibrant from the volatile as I also learned how to navigate the myriad of personalities I collide with at any given event. I’ve not only taken some awesome pictures and encapsulated memories that define a culture, I’ve picked up plenty of life skills (some I learned via very difficult lessons) on the way and made some pretty awesome memories with experiences to match.

I’ve made friends for life.
I’ve severed bonds never to be reconnected.
I’ve made art.
I’ve made mistakes.
I’ve learned a ton about myself.
I’ve learned even more about others.
Oh and I made some money. Wasn’t planned but this evolved into a proper business.
But most of all I lived… In a way I saw fit, relatively unbothered by what others thought.

Most of all I learned the “power of friendship” isn’t just a trope you find in your favorite shonen/shojo story. It’s actual factual and I’m supremely grateful I met some awesome people on the way.

Here’s to another 10 years… shyeeeet another gotdayum 47 more years for the culture!

That said this year was epic. This was definitely in my top 3 of now 14 Dragon Cons (I kept getting the math wrong for this all weekend but I think I have it now lol). The programming was great. There were a ton of diverse panels this year. Cosplays were great. Parties were great. The hotel was great. The GVNG was great! I had a great time and honestly the images here only represent Saturday and Sunday afternoons. There’s a lot of con shenanigans that went on that didn’t make it here. Maybe next year I’ll be brave enough to bring my camera back out at night during shenanigans lol.

As always, if we met for the first time, DON’T BE A STRANGER! If you see me out and bout and recognize me, say wassup! I’ll do the same! Don’t hesitate to reach out on IG as well. It was a pleasure meeting you all.

Feel free to download and share but please credit @GXFTD as the photographer if you’re posting on IG (or @iamGXFTD on Twitter).

Right-Clicking and selecting ¨Open Image In New Tab¨ will allow you to see the larger version of the images (long press if you’re on mobile for the download option).

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