Just the Two of Us is a series of portraits by Austrian photographer Klaus Pichler which provide a glimpse at cosplay enthusiasts in the intimacy of their own homes…in full regalia.

“Who hasn’t had the desire just to be someone else for awhile? Dressing up is a way of creating an alter ego and a second skin which one’s behaviour can be adjusted to. Regardless of the motivating factors which cause somebody to acquire a costume, the main principle remains the same: the civilian steps behind the mask and turns into somebody else . . .’Just the Two of Us’ deals with both: the costumes and the people behind them.” ¹

The subjects were recruited from various cosplay communities, including devotees of Carnival season—called Fasching in Austria—and live-action role-playing (LARP). According to Pichler, “all the costumes and traditions, they have one thing in common: there is some kind of public use of these costumes.” ²

Beyond the amusement implicit in seeing these fantastic characters in such domestic settings, we appreciate the questions of identity that Just the Two of Us raises—just who are these people and what compels them to embrace such other-wordly alter-egos?

View more from this series at Klaus Pichler’s website.

¹ Source: “Just the Two of Us,” Klaus Pichler
² Source: “Where the Wild Things Are (at Home),” NY Times

Via Colossal