Photography: Klaus Pichler goes deep into the strange world of Cosplay

Klaus Pichler has it pretty good as far as I can tell. The Austrian photographer spends his days working away on series’ of images whose sole intention is to bring smiles to faces. He’s previously gifted us with these extraordinary shots of taxidermic exhibits running riot through the Vienna Museum of Natural History, and some beautiful images of septuagenarians living out their retirements in idyllic bliss – you can’t deny the charm of an old fella hanging out in a Speedo as he waters his lawn.

His latest series, Just The Two of Us, applies that same level of narrative and wit to the world of cosplay, capturing curiously costumed characters relaxing in their homes, decked out in their extraordinarily detailed outfits. I can’t work out if it’s the imbalance between fantasy and reality in these images that makes them so endearing or the fact that all these sci-fi characters look completely anachronistic sat in bedrooms fitted with IKEA wardrobes. I’m pretty sure the Death Star didn’t have wardrobes, although it may have had a canteen.