EP 17 - 2025 Round Up & MCM London and Birmingham Thoughts

🎙️ LAST EPISODE OF 2025 — and we’re going out with a proper year-end roundup.

In this episode of Cosplay, Togs & All Things Nerdy, we’re joined by cosplayer Dan Kaermorhen and photographer Tom Clicks 83 to break down what 2025 looked like for the cosplay + convention scene — the good, the chaotic, and the “why is this suddenly so expensive?!”.

We dive into how MCM has changed over the years (layout, flow, vibe), why the gaming side feels like it’s fading into the background, and the real-world headache photographers deal with when security and rules change depending on who’s working that day. If you’ve ever had a “you can’t shoot here” moment… yeah, we talk about that.

Then we get into the BIG one: cost. Hotels, travel, tickets — everything is climbing, and it’s changing how people choose events. We chat about why smaller cons and alternative events are becoming more appealing, and why, for most of us, the social side is still the main reason we keep showing up.

We also get real about burnout. The pressure to attend everything. The pressure to create nonstop. The pressure to say yes to every shoot. We talk about why it’s okay to say no, why quality beats quantity, and why dedicated “out of con” shoots can be way more satisfying than rushing around a con floor.

To wrap it up, we look ahead to 2026 — what we’re planning, what we’re skipping, and how we’re trying to bring the fun back into creativity.

👇 Drop a comment:

What was YOUR best con moment of 2025 — and what do you want from cons in 2026?

Guests:

• Dan Kaermorhen (Cosplayer) — Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaermorhen.cos/

• Tom Clicks 83 (Photographer) — Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clicks__83/

Hosts:

• Darren — iPhotoUK — Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iphotouk/

• Tom — Switch Photography — Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/switch_8.9/

Podcast Socials:

• LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/CosplayTogsAndAllThingsNerdy?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

📺 More episodes: youtube.com/@CosplayTogsAndAllThingsNerdy

🎧 Audio on Spotify: search “Cosplay, Togs & All Things Nerdy”