About Skywing Knights
Skywing Knights is a Cosplayer, Photographer, and Writer. (And just a bit of a Japan Travel Enthusiast).
Through these three art forms and her passion for travel, Skywing aspires to bring joy to those around her and help others realize their dreams, whether they be creative in nature or involve seeing all of the beauty that the world has to offer.
View Artistry Backgrounds:
Awards and Recognitions
- Art Needlework Division Grand Champion and First Premium Blue Ribbon, 2018 (Local County Fair)
- Winning Entry: Elizabeth Von Wettin Ballgown from Sound Horizon’s “Marchen”
- Featured Calendar Contest Winner selected for the month of August 2014 (Risembool Rangers)
- Winning Entry: “I Can Steal Everything” Shot of Dark Mousy Cosplay (Artbook Rendition) from “D.N. Angel”
- Art Needlework Division, Costume Section First Place and Second Place Premium Ribbon, 2013 (Local County Fair)
- Winning Entry: Princess Ouka Cosplay Ballgown from “07 Ghost”
- Judge’s Choice at AnimeNEXT, 2013
- Winning Entry: Princess Ouka Cosplay from “07 Ghost”
- Best Atmosphere Cosplay Contest Winner (with Lostdreamz82), March 2012 (Risembool Rangers)
- Winning Entry: “The Luckiest Girl” Shot of Edward Elric and Winry Rockbell Wedding Rendition Cosplays from “Fullmetal Alchemist” (featuring Lostdreamz82’s Winry Rockbell)
- Best Edward Elric Cosplay, 2012 (Risembool Rangers)
- Winning Entry: “Storms Ahead” Shot of Edward Elric Cosplay
Travel Experience
Skywing is an avid world traveler and loves to explore the beautiful world that we live in. Not to mention, she loves to connect with people around the world through attending pop culture events! To learn more about where Skywing has traveled to, where she has lived overseas, her experience with foreign languages, and Skywing's attendance of pop culture events, check out her Travel FAQ below!
Did you ever live in Japan? If so, where?
Yes! I lived in Japan for two wonderful years. They were the best years of my life, hands down. I lived in Saitama, Japan, which is about a 30 min train ride north of Tokyo.
Where have you traveled to within Japan?
Within Japan, I have traveled to Chiba, Hiroshima, Hyogo, Itsukushima (Miyajima Island or “The Shrine Island”), Kyoto, Matsumoto (Nagano Prefecture), Mt. Fuji, Nara, Nikko (in Tochigi), Okayama, Okunoshima (Usagishima or “the Bunny Island”), Osaka, Sapporo (and other areas in Hokkaido), Tokyo, and Yamanishi. I’ve also had the pleasure of passing through several other prefectures in Japan, including Kobe and Nagoya… though much to my dismay, I’ve yet to have Kobe beef in Kobe or be able to go to the Toyota Museum in Nagoya. XD 😉
Do you speak Japanese or any other languages?
I speak Japanese on a conversational level. I took Spanish in middle and high school… but I was awful at it. Rather than attempt to struggle through Spanish again, I took Japanese in college and minored in it. During that time, I passed the JLPT N5. My Japanese improved since then during my time over in Japan and continues to improve whenever I am back over in the land of the rising sun. 🙂
Where else have you traveled in the world?
I’ve traveled to Bermuda, Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, South Korea, Switzerland, and a fair amount across the United States. My hope is to go to Belfast next (in between my trips to Japan)! 😀
If you won a trip to go anywhere in the world, where would you want to go?
I’d love to explore the ocean depths. Ideally, as a mermaid, but since that’s not an option, exploring it as a scuba diver or in a sub would work too. But on land? I’d love to go to London or Rome! ^^;
What Events/Entertainment Conventions have you attended?
Thus far, I’ve attended AnimeNEXT, Anime USA, Colossal Con East, Comiket, Grand Rapids Comic Con, Katsucon, New York Comic Con, Otakon, San Diego Comic Con, Youmacon, and various Sakura Matsuri Festivals along the East Coast of the United States.
How often do you attend Events/Entertainment Conventions?
I attend based on my schedule’s availability… as well as my wallet’s. ^^;
Where have you hosted panels?
I have had the pleasure of hosting panels thus far at Anime USA, Katsucon, and Otakon – all wonderful events! I would love to bring my panels to other conventions in the future as well.
Why do you like to travel so much?
One of my favorite things to do is to get on a plane and jet off around the world (despite hating the first 7 seconds during takeoff). I get so much joy by exploring the beautiful world we live in and seeing the intricate beauty of the earth – it takes my breath away. I believe the beauty in the world is a testament of God’s love for us and of the creativity and ingenuity of the human spirit!
Additionally, I also love meeting people and learning about cultures, histories, and places – it is so enriching! To me, travel especially is about making connections with other people. I believe we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father and it brings me such happiness to meet my fellow brothers and sisters, no matter where they are in the world, where they come from, or their backgrounds. We all have so much we can learn from and give to one another. And so each and every connection I can make is precious to me, whether I make them overseas in Japan, in my home in the USA, or in another land entirely!
In short, I love to travel because the experiences it brings me are some of my most cherished blessings.
Events and Activities
Past Events:
- Katsucon 2023
- Travel to Japan on YOUR Budget (Panel)
- The Ultimate Japan Bucket List (Panel)
- Tokyo for the Anime Fan (Panel)
- Katsucon Japan Anime Goodie Giveaway!
- My Villain Academia Photoshoot
- Otakon 2023
- Colossal Con East 2023
- Saturday Only – Was a Surprise Trip! O.O
- Carolina Renaissance Festival 2023
- Katsucon 2022
- Travel to Japan on YOUR Budget (Panel)
- DC Sakura Matsuri 2022
- AwesomeCon 2022
- Teen Titans Cosplay Meetup (Photoshoot)
- Otakon 2022
- DC Comics Cosplay Meetup (Photoshoot)
- Tokyo for the Anime Fan (Panel)
- The Ultimate Japan Bucket List (Panel)
- Anime USA 2022
- Tokyo for the Anime Fan (Panel)
- Maryland Renaissance Festival 2022
- Katsucon 2020
- Bleach Meetup (Photoshoot)
- Black Butler Meetup (Photoshoot)
- Uta no Prince Sama Meetup (Photoshoot)
- Otakon 2021 (Saturday)
- Maryland Renaissance Festival 2021
- Katsucon 2019
- DC Sakura Matsuri 2019
- Maryland Renaissance Festival 2019
- Baltimore Comic Con 2019
- Anime USA 2019
- Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) 2018 (Saturday)
- Fairfax Comic Con 2018
- Michigan Renaissance Festival 2017
- Grand Rapids Comic Con 2017
- Youmacon 2017
- Katsucon 2016
- DC Sakura Matsuri 2016
- Michigan Renaissance Festival 2016
- Hacostadium – Feb. 2015
- Hacostadium – March 2015
- Cosset Ikebukuro – Sept. 2015
- Hacostadium – Sept 2015
- Cosset Ikebukuro – Aug. 2014
- Comiket Summer 2014
- Katsucon 2013
- DC Sakura Matsuri 2013
- Brooklyn Sakura Matsuri 2013
- AnimeNEXT 2013
- Won Judge’s Choice for Princess Ouka Cosplay
- Braddockon 2013
- Otakon 2013
- Anime USA 2013 (Sunday)
- Katsucon 2012
- DC Sakura Matsuri 2012
- Brooklyn Sakura Matsuri 2012
- Otakon 2012
- New York Comic Con 2012
- Katsucon 2011
- Brooklyn Sakura Matsuri 2011
- Otakon 2011
- Katsucon 2010
- Brooklyn Sakura Matsuri 2010
- Otakon 2010
- New York Comic Con 2010
- Anime USA 2010
- Anime USA 2008 (Saturday)
- Katsucon 2009
- Otakon 2009
- San Diego Comic Con 2009
- Anime USA 2009
Next Event:
Katsucon 2024!
FAQs / Inquires:
What is SkywingKnights.com?
It seemed like every other year, there was a new site that everyone “just had” to have an account on. While I enjoyed these sites (and still do), not a lot of them had everything I wanted. Not to mention, not all were always user friendly. And after a while, having all those sites became much too time consuming. Updating one photo to five websites? (Cue the OTL). So instead, I originally devised “SkywingKnights.com” to be a collection of all of my work and passions, as well as a way that I could assist others with my knowledge of cosplay, photography, writing, and of course, traveling! (That said, I do have a few particular social medias that I still love to use and you can still find me there as well.) 😉
For me, SkywingKnights.com is ultimately a way that I try to inspire others to create, live life to the fullest, and to share knowledge and happiness.
Where can I see photos of a particular cosplay of yours?
My favorite photos of my cosplays are visible in my Cosplay Gallery page. If you do not see a specific photo you are looking for, you may find it by opening up the slideshow gallery for the particular series from which that cosplay is based off of/from. To do this, simply find a photo of the cosplay or of a cosplay from the same series, hover over the image and click the icon displaying a ‘photo’ (not the magnifying glass). This will take you to the slideshow gallery where you can see all of the photos I have taken of cosplays from TV Show/Genre/Medium/Comic/Manga etc. 🙂
Do you have a full list of your social media accounts?
Meta
Facebook (SkywingKnights)
- Teen Titans Deep Dive (Admin)
- X4 International Fans Official Facebook Page (Admin)
- Vampire Knight Cosplay Group (Admin)
- Debatable Cosplay (Cosplay Team)
- Teen Titans Fans’ Deep Dive (Admin)
Instagram (SkywingKnights)
- My Sweetie Sadie (for Skywing’s adorable Golden Doodle puppy!)
- Teen Titans Deep Dive (Admin)
You didn't respond to me on a social media platform. Why?
I get numerous messages on various social media platforms and am unable to answer all of them (even if it says I have ‘read’ them). I do my best, but there’s only 24 hours in a day.
In particular, I do my best to prioritize replying to messages regarding inquiries related to my expertise in Cosplay Creation, Japan Travel, Photography Work, and Writing. If your messages are related to that, but you have not received a response, the best way to reach out to me is via my contact page as I place those messages at the top of my priorities list.
Additionally, before you reach out to me via my contact page, please check this page to see if I have maybe already answered your question here. If that’s the case, you may receive your answer faster than waiting for a response from me.
Finally, please note that I do not tolerate harassment of any kind and if I receive multiple messages that I feel are harassing or upsetting to me, I will block you. If I do, please understand that I have no ill will towards you. I truly hope that you will find your own happiness. I just don’t believe I the right person to help you find it.
Can I request you join a social media platform?
You may, but it does not guarantee I will join. You can request this by reaching out to me via my contact page.
Can I support you somehow? Are you on Patreon?
I am not on Patreon or on any other platforms in which those who enjoy my work can support me financially as a creator. The best support you can give me is to follow me is to:
- Subscribe to my blog.
- Follow me on social media.
- Share my work.
- Come to any panels I host or talks I give at events.
- Request your favorite events to have me come to speak.
Do you do cosplay costume / wig commissions?
No, I do not as my schedule doesn’t allow me to do so. 🙁 However, I am always happy to recommend some excellent costumers who do take commissions. I also have highlighted some of my favorite commissioners in my blog who would be delighted to receive your commission requests!
Do you do photography photoshoots? If so, do you charge?
Sometimes I do photoshoots, but this varies greatly depending on the event and I do them on a case by case basis. Typically though, I do not do them as I am primarily a hobbyist photographer.
If I am open for photoshoots and give you a quote, regardless of if my schedule becomes busy though, your quoted price will not change. Quoted prices are subject to change prior to any confirmation though.
All that said, if you are looking for a photographer, I highly recommend you check out photographers I have highlighted and recommended in my blog – they are all wonderful and are more likely to be available than I! ?
Where can I find photos you took at a particular event?
All photos that I have processed are up on my website and can be found in Photography Gallery pages. To request specific copies of photos, please reach out to my via this website’s contact page. Please be as specific as possible with your inquiries.
Can I use any of your photos?
I do not permit the use of my photography work or cosplay photos without my permission. To request to use a particular photo of mine, please reach out to me via my contact page and be as specific as possible with your request. Please note a fee may be attached for the use of any of my images.
Can I hire you out to appear as a character for a party?
I have not done this in the past, but I am open to doing this, provided it is for events for children and the character is appropriate for the children demographics. I will NOT appear at adult themed parties. If this is something you are interested in, please reach out to me via my contact page.
Do you take cosplay or photography requests?
You can always request something, but I often already have multiple things in the pipeline, so it’s unlikely I can oblige requests unless they are already on my project list.
Do you do travel consultations (particularly regarding traveling to Japan)? If so, what do you charge?
Presently I do not offer any ‘services’ per-say, but this may change in the future. For the time being though, you are always more than welcome to reach out to me with any questions you may have about traveling to Japan via my contact page. I love sharing that knowledge that I have locked up in my brain! 🙂
What kinds of events do you speak at or host panels at?
In the past, I have primarily hosted panels and spoken at anime-centered conventions, but I don’t limit myself to just these events/locales. I will speak, teach, or host panels at most events provided that they focus on similar topics of interest.
I/My company/organization would like to request that you speak at an event/host a class for us. How can we make that happen?
I love to speak, teach, and host panels/classes at events. Please reach out to me via my contact page with your request and allow for one business week for a response. The more information you can provide me with in your request, the quicker I can respond and we can then further discuss your proposal.
You often make recommendations in your blog for brands, companies/businesses, products, photographers, and cosplay commissioners. How do you select these? Are you sponsored?
I make these recommendations based on my own experience with these brands, products, photographers, commissioners, etc. However, I am open to write sponsored blog posts. So, if I am approached by a brand/photographer/commissioner and I like their work/services/products, then I am glad to share these on my blog as well. That said, any sponsored posts will be clearly marked and labeled as such because full transparency is important to me.
Additionally, I do not write sponsored pieces for companies/individuals whose work, services, or products I find to be sub-standard in quality. I make it a point to always have the integrity to write to provide my readers with quality insights based on my own experience with companies, products, and services. And lying about those experiences isn’t worth a sponsorship to me. In short – my loyalty is to my readers and followers.
Do you have any requirements for commissioners you recommend?
Yes. Standards all commissioners must:
- Have an online portfolio of work including at least 10 different commissions with clients.
- Have been in the cosplay commissioner business for at least 3 years.
- Have 3 client recommendations, which are each contacted by SkywingKnights.com for authenticity and verification.
- Be above the age of 18.
We'd like to work with you / do a collaboration with you. How should we go about doing that?
Please reach out to me via the contact page on my website and allow for one business week for a response at which point in time we can discuss specifics.
Can I get recommended as a photographer or commissioner on your website? How and is there a charge?
Yes, you can, if you meet the above stated requirements. There is no charge unless you wish for an ‘immediate’ blog post promotion. First reach out to me via my contact page and I will respond to you within one business week with additional questions and requests to verify your identity and work history.
Do you work with any charities or organizations as SkywingKnights?
Presently, the opportunity for me to use my skills as SkywingKnights to work with charities and various organizations has not arisen for me yet. However, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be open to it!
Do you have any charities you are particularly interested in working with / supporting via your work as SkywingKnights?
Whenever it comes to charity work, my primary concern and focus has always been in assisting those with medical ailments or hardships. In particular, I am extremely open to using my skills in any way to support Autism Research, Tourette’s Research, Cancer Research, and those suffering with such afflictions.
We’d like to work with you to support our charity. How can we make that happen?
Please reach out to me via my contact page and allow one business week for response time.
Please note before you message me though that with all due respect, I do not work with organizations / movements that can be considered aligned with any political movements or ideologies as politics is not an area of expertise for me. (There are far better versed individuals than I that can drive change in these arenas.) 🙁
That said, I respect the drive and conviction of all who dedicate their time and efforts to making their communities better places with their volunteer work to promote positive movements or ideologies they believe in and wish anyone involved with these organizations all the best in their endeavors to make the world a better place.
Do you personally have any charitable organizations you support personally?
Two charities I support in particular are the Autism Research Institute and the Tourette Association of America. These two hold a special place in my heart as they are ways I can support my brother Spencer who struggles with both ailments as well as thousands of others and their families also desperately searching for cures and therapies to ease their afflictions.
When looking for ways to serve others, I often go to my local ward/branch/stake of my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Latter Day Saint Charities) or I search for local opportunities using JustServe.org. If you are looking for ways to serve, both of these resources will provide you with a multitude of service opportunities available in your area.
What are some of your upcoming projects?
…. hmmmm it’s a secret. 😉
Well sort of. I always have projects in the works, but I like to wait to share them until they are complete. But rest assured, I can absolutely guarantee that there’s always something I’m working on. For the latest updates from me on projects, follow me on my social media or subscribe to the blog for hints at what I’m up to!
Do you have any favorite things you're willing to divulge?
I do! Every year, I write a blog on things that have been up there on my ‘favorite lists’ that year. You can find 2023’s here!
Do you have any thoughts you'd currently like to share?
My current favorite quote is from President Russel M. Nelson:
“Contention drives away the Spirit—every time. Contention reinforces the false notion that confrontation is the way to resolve differences; but it never is. Contention is a choice. Peacemaking is a choice. You have your agency to choose contention or reconciliation. I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.” (Peacemakers Needed; April 2023)
It is always easier to choose contention over peacemaking, nevertheless, I believe that by following these words of wisdom, we can make the world a better place. And when we fail to do so, we must know that we can ALWAYS pick ourselves back up and try again.
Finally, please know that I know that you are amazing. I may not know you personally, but I truly believe you are a child of God. And because of that, I know you have intrinsically divine value and potential within you and that you are loved infinitely more than you can imagine. Please work to see that worth inside of yourself and see that you are worthy of that love, even if that is a challenge. Life can be hard, bu you have made it through 100% of your hard days thus far. I absolutely believe in you and know that you can make it through the next difficult stretch that comes your way.
Thank you for stopping by!! ^_^
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