Tyler Schirado 🦖

Praise be to the mighty 40-foot long #Sharkzilla as part of @Discovery ’s @SharkWeek celebration outside San Diego #ComicCon 2019! 🙏🏻🦈 (Swipe ⏪ through for more) It’s also #SharkAwarnessDay (for another 15 minutes) and also #SharkWeek on @Discovery all week long! So here are some #shark facts for you: There are over 500 species of shark: 143 of these are under threat, listed by @IUCN_Congress (International Union for Conservation of Nature) from vulnerable to critically endangered. – @WWF Up to 100 million #sharks disappear every year, due to destructive fishing by humans and the impact of #ClimateChnage. – @greenpeaceusa Healthy shark populations are linked to thriving marine ecosystems. Losing sharks deprives coastal communities in many countries of livelihoods, food, and tourism opportunities. – WWF Sharks have been around for over 400 million years - long before dinosaurs. Because their skeletons are made of cartilage (like our noses) instead of bones, they don’t leave fossils like other animals – but fossilized shark teeth have been found. – WWF Many sharks are accidentally caught in fishing gear, as well as caught deliberately for their fins, which are a delicacy in Asia. Their ocean home is also in danger. From climate change warming the water - affecting both habitats, prey and shark population shifts - to plastic pollution, which could cause entanglement or be ingested, especially by filter feeders. – WWF Humans are not food for sharks. The sharks involved in incidents with humans are often hunting for similar-sized prey to humans, such as seals or dolphins. The majority of shark species actually eat fish or invertebrates, such as squid or clams. – WWF A Great White’s mouth contains over three hundred teeth arranged in seven rows. – Discovery There were only five shark-related human deaths in 2018 compared to tens of millions of sharks killed annually by people. Sharks are in all the world’s oceans, but shark attacks are extremely rare. In fact, you are more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a shark. – WWF #SharkLove #SharkLife #SharksOfInstagram #SaveSharks #SharksDaily #SharkSquad #GreatWhiteSharks #Sharkstagram

Hope y’all are enjoying the nice long weekend. Nothing controversial about that statement, right? Not like anyone could ever take that dramatically out of context and claim it’s disrespectful in any way, especially when said on a Friday that isn’t even a holiday and not allowing someone the chance to actually plan a real Happy Memorial Day statement on the actual holiday itself to honor those who have fallen in war. Nope, nothing wrong at all. Who would do such a thing? I mean, it’s not like a someone who wished people to enjoy their long weekend called those in the armed forces “losers” and “suckers” like some people 👀 But anyways… who loved The Falcon and the Winter Soldier? Has anyone read the limited series Truth: Red, White & Black after they introduced Isaiah Bradley into the MCU? Are you excited about all the pieces they’re setting up for a potential Young Avengers story? Could Marvel be aiming to do Thunderbolts with Zemo? Is Sharon a Skrull? Is HYDRA coming back? I have so many questions and much excitement over how they’re telling these stories. I rather enjoyed TFATWS (except for that reveal at the very end) and I appreciate that @MarvelStudios is trying to tell bolder stories with their characters rather than churning out generic popcorn flicks. Being able to have bigger conversations over mental health and what it means to be Black in America through WandaVision and TFATWS, respectively, gives more depth to resonate with this universe and its characters while also challenging perspectives on complex moral issues. I only hope they continue to use their immense platform to further discussions like these moving forward. Swipe through ⏪ to see the Before and After edit along with some silliness. Captain America - @pernelllanghorne Photo by @TyRawrrnosaurus Event: @DisneyD23 Expo 2019 Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Aperture: f/2 Speed: 1/400 ISO: 100 #CaptainAmerica #CaptainAmericaCosplay #CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger #CaptainAmericaAndTheWinterSoldier #FalcanAndTheWinterSoldier #MarvelCosplay #Marvel #MarvelStudios #MarvelComics #Avengers #TheAvengers #AvengersCosplay #AvengersEndgame #AvengersInfinityWar

Ever since I had my first tamago sando in Japan from their various, amazing konbini – @familymart.japan , @seven_eleven_japan , @akiko_lawson  – I’ve been craving to go back and get them again. But we’re in a pandemic, so I decided to make them for my first time last fall, with @KewpieUSA and Japanese milk bread of course, and thought they turned out OK! I definitely need to perfect my soft-boiled egg skills. These turned out a little more cooked than I would have liked, but they weren’t too bad. Making the sandwiches was really messy too when cutting off the crusts. I definitely thought they tasted best if left to cool in the fridge for a day so they could combine and settle. I’m pretty sure the ramen is just standard instant beef flavored @Maruchen_inc , but I added some green onions, garlic, and ground sausage. My little fox friend is from the Miyagi Zaō Fox Village in Shiroishi, Japan from when I went too. Swipe ⏪ through for a “making of” video Camera: iPhone 11 Pro #TamagoSando #卵サンド #卵 #サンド #EggSaladSandwich #EggSalad #KewpieMayo #キユーピー #Maruchan #MaruchanRamen #RamenNoodles #RamenLover #JapaneseFood #HomeCookedMeals #HomeMadeFood #HomeCooked #Itadakimasu #いただきます #JapaneseCuisine #JapaneseFoods #ご馳走様でした #ご馳走様 #oishii #InstaEats

“You may consider us statistically insignificantly now, but one more fact that has no alternative is that we are the fastest growing racial demographic in the country. We are 23 million strong. We are united. And we are waking up.” - @DanielDaeKim speaking to the House Judiciary committee on March 18, 2021 two days after the Atlanta spa shootings. These words have not left me since they first aired. And while action against anti-Asian American violence has progressed, hate crimes have only persisted, rising to 169% this quarter compared to this time last year according to the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism as reported by @KimmyThePooh of @NBCnews . As mentioned, congresswoman @Grace4NY introduced a simple piece of legislation in Sept. 2020 asking for no money or resources, only a condemnation of anti-Asian sentiments related to COVID-19 and 164 House Republicans voted against it. In April, the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, introduced by Sen. @MazieHirono (D-HI), cleared the Senate in a historic 94-1 bipartisan vote with Josh Hawley (R-MS) as the holdout. However, this was only a week after Senators Cruz (R-TX), Cotton (R-AR), Paul (R-KY), Tuberville (R-AL), Marshall (R-KS), and also Hawley voted against proceeding it to debate in a 92-6 vote. It now heads to the House where if passed will expedite the Justice Department's review of hate crimes and task them to work with law enforcement and communities to facilitate and raise awareness to hate-crime reporting among other essential actions. While progress, the fact remains that reps for the people believed anti-racist action against Asian American hate crimes is not beneficial to their constituents. Do they truly have the best interest in those who they serve or only their own bigoted agenda? Because we are not going anywhere. Though Asian Americans only represent 7% of the population now, that number is expected to double by 2060. We are not your model minority myth and will not be made to feel like foreigners in our own country. For more AAPI resources, follow: @StopAAPIHate @AAPIWomenLead @AdvancingJustice_AAJC @GoldHouseCO @DearAsianYouth @AsianMentalHealthCollective Video Source: @HarryShumJr v

🎸🤘🏻 ♫ Ain't got time for messing around ♫ 🤘🏻 🎸 Swipe through ⏪ to see the Before and After edit along with some some silliness Punk Tiana - @TiffieStarChild Photo by @TyRawrrnosaurus Event: @disneyd23 Expo 2019 Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Aperture: f/2 Speed: 1/200 ISO: 100 #ThePrincessAndTheFrog #PrincessAndTheFrog #PrincessAndTheFrogCosplay #Tiana #TianaCosplay #PrincessTiana #PrincssTianaCosplay #TianaDisney #DisneyTiana #DisneyCosplay #DisneyCosplayer #BlackCosplay #BlackCosplayer #DisneyLife #WaltDisney #WaltDisneyAnimation #DisneyGram #WaltDisneyStudios #DisneyStyle #DisneyLove #DisneyFan #DisneyMagic #DisneyAddict #DisneyMovie #DisneyCharacter #D23expo #D23Expo2019 #DisneyBound #DisneyBounding

I can’t exactly remember how @Pokemon came into my life, but I can still feel the initial emotions of joy the franchise brought me all those years and how it still does today. My guess is I saw a promo for Red and Blue in either a #Nintendo Power Mag or on TV. I believe I pre-ordered one version at FuncoLand, eventually owning both, trading #PocketMonsters between myself on my Game Boy mini and color. I also loved #PokemonSnap on the N64 and am really excited for the new one, but holding out for Nintendo to make a Switch Pro model so I can finally own one. My large collection of the trading cards should be stored at my parents’ place, but last I plundered I couldn’t find them and it makes me super sad. I still remember awkwardly attending events at malls and toy stores where fans would battle each other with their cards. The anime also aired simultaneously during the game’s launch in 1998, which I think was the catalyst of how I got into anime since I didn’t start watching Toonami until 1999. I bet I could still recite the Pokérap after a few tries. It’s weird how they called onigiri (rice balls) jelly donuts, which confused me as a kid. Around 2000, once they got to Johto in the anime, I fell out of touch with #Pokémon for some reason. Since then, other than knowing new games were being released that I never played, I knew nothing of the world of Pokémon up until #PokemonGo launched the summer of 2016; and like many, I was hyped, but fell out of it after a few months. Then my love of #Pokemon reignited the fall of 2017 when I went to Japan. I visited MULTIPLE Pokémon Centers trying to find a specific Dessert Plate series Charizard plushie that sadly was sold out everywhere. I then picked PoGo back up late Jan. 2018 and now play habitually every day. If it weren’t for PoGo, I wouldn’t know any of the monsters beyond the OG 151, the Johto starters, and Wobbuffet. now I’m familiar with mostly all through Gen 6 and #GottaCatchEmAll since that’s the rule. Pokémon will always hold a special place in my heart. Here’s to 25 amazing years of bringing happiness to this world. Happy #PokemonDay! Who is your favorite Pokémon? #ポケモン #Pokemon25 #Pikachu

Hope you’re having a lovely Valentine’s Day with your Dream Daddy or Dream Mommy. Or if you’re single, partaking in some self love because you deserve to be happy all the same. Flashback to my first ever on location photo shoot from 2017. I was invited to capture a full group’s genderbent versions of the @GameGrumps dating sim Dream Daddy. Before this, I’d only done convention photos with individuals and never a collaborative effort with a pack of cosplayers before. It’s definitely a great change of pace because you don’t feel rushed to have to get pics quickly and can take the time to compose, brainstorm, and partner in getting the mood, tone, and everything right with a more compelling background than concrete, glass doors, palm trees, or ugly carpeting. I always feel frazzled and flustered at conventions because I don’t want to take up the person’s time I’m with since they probably have to do and see a bunch of things in such a frantic environment, so freeing myself of those mental constraints makes the process much more relaxed and enjoyable. I also actually enjoy looking up context photos and poses to really try and make the images truly capture the essence of whatever the character is from and bring it to life. This was also definitely one of the first times I started using Lightroom and had no idea how to edit anything in Photoshop. So my level of skill has definitely improved too, which is always reassuring. Swipe through ⏪ to see the Before and After edit along with a comparison between my 2017 and 2021 edits from then and now. Hugo - @kitti_rah Photo by @TyRawrrnosaurus Camera: Nikon D5100 Lens: Tamron 28-70mm f/2.8 Aperture: f/2.8 Speed: 1/1250 ISO: 160 #HugoVega #DreamDaddyHugo #TeamDreamMommy #DreamMommy #GameGrumps #DDADDS #DDADDScosplay #DreamDaddy #DreamDaddyCosplay #DatingSim #BlackCosplay #BlackCosplayer #CosplayPhotography #CosplayOfInstagram #CosplayPhoto #CosplayLife #CosplayersOfColor #CosplayCommunity #CosplayGirl #WomanOfCosplay

With pizza on my mind (see previous post), I’m reminded of one of the last times I went out with friends last February to eat at @Pizzana West Hollywood. Life was simpler then. Miss ‘Rona wasn’t even on our minds nor part of the larger conversation in the states at that point yet. We ordered the Carnivoro (pictured here) along with the Neo Margherita I believe. It was delicious. Sadly, this was also the very last time I’d spend with a friend before they passed away to cancer months later. I didn’t even know at the time, there were no signs, nor mention of it. She kept this news close to the vest and I respect her choice. Jackie was one of the kindest, thoughtful, generous, and fun-loving people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. I also had the privilege of working alongside her when I first moved to LA. One could not help but admire her passion, due diligence, and fortitude in everything she did, but at the same time, she reveled every moment of her life to the fullest. She didn’t live to work, she worked to live, and I was always in awe of how adventurous and jet-setting she was. She was an absolute people person and had stories upon stories that never ceased to grab the room. And her laughter was infectious. Jackie truly lived a life fulfilled with so much ambition and potential left to offer the world. I’d like to think that I understand how short our time on this spiraling dirt ball hurling through the vastness of space around a giant orb of fire can be, but really sometimes you’ll never be prepared for moments like losing someone you know or having to endure over a year long pandemic isolated by yourself. And then you’re left with nothing but your own mortality staring at you in the face. Whenever this nightmare is over, I can’t promise to myself that I will be living my best life as much as Jackie did, that’s a pedestal the heights of which few could achieve, but I can certainly try my damndest to honor her memory and hopefully make her proud. #Pizza #PizzaLovers #PizzaLove #PizzaGram #PizzaPizzaPizza #PizzaDay #PizzaIsLife #PizzaParty #YelpLA #Eater #EaterLA #DineLA #Pizzana #NeoNeapolitan #WestHollywood

As heinous, racist attacks on Asian Americans continue to rise in this pandemic and FINALLY come to light in the news, my own interpersonal struggles wage on. As a Korean American adoptee who was raised by a white family, my own race and ethnicity as it pertains to this world has been difficult to conceptualize. My racial identity has mostly been tied to ridicule, my own lack of confidence in a white world, and being docile to these misgivings along with perpetuating the model minority myth likely appropriated from my white upbringing and the psychological baggage that comes with it. Coming to terms with who I am has been a spiral of existential thoughts and revelations. Physical harm has never been a factor until recently. In spite of this challenge, I don’t find it complex to condemn this violence, though it would seem many who spoke out against the systemic racism last year do. Was it only OK to take a stance when it suits the trend? What changed between these outspoken views against racist attacks then and now? Are those one time black square posts a BOGO all encompassing deal of solidarity that carry over for a year or two? At the end of the day, we are all a bunch of skin bags covering a skeletal armor that protects our own consciousness created by a miraculous serendipity of evolution. Our differences in outward appearances stem from geographical adaptations based on where our ancestors migrated to. Rip off our skin and you’ll find no one is different or better than anyone else. Humans are capable of greatness and we need to start caring for each other more bc we’re it. These attacks have only been made aware thanks to those who speak up for those who refuse or can’t. And we need to stand in unity against this hate otherwise nothing will change. Expose yourself to diversity and stories outside your own. All this anger needs to be directed at the broken systems fueled by white supremacy that hold BIPOC communities down, not at each other. When we lose, they win. Slide credit to @KimSaira , @SoYouWantToTalkAbout , @NowSimplified , @DearAsianYouth , @ogorchukwuu , @ohioma , @Sophfei , @TodayShow , @JoLingKent , @FTWsammie , @Impact , @edacyu , and @myles.tho

It’s been extremely cathartic to have finished my backlog of photos a few months ago now. Not having those thousands of images on the back of my mind while worrying I’d be stacking more on top of the pile from event after event has been liberating. My free time has improved exponentially! I played a video game for the first time in 4 years lol As you may have noticed(?), I’m slowly sharing content again, which is far more enjoyable without a backlog to dread over simultaneously. And now I have an extensive library of images to share from and I can go back and edit photos at my own pace instead of feeling rushed and maybe not delivering the best I could have. Diving back into old pics also allows me to improve or learn new techniques to provide better photos in the future. I find it fulfilling to redo my work from the past because I feel I’ve vastly improved, thus giving my day a little hit of dopamine. This pic was from when I was using my old camera and exclusively only using Lightroom. I hadn’t learned frequency separation or dodge/burn skills yet. I believe I was just starting to learn Lightroom, so my understanding in how everything worked was very minimal. You’ll likely see more images from years past because I think I took a lot of great photos and re-editing helps me stay fresh in one aspect of photography since I won’t be taking new photos anytime soon until non-essential hobbies with people in public are deemed appropriate again. Swipe through ⏪ to see the Before and After edit; a comparison between my 2018 and 2021 edits; and some silliness 🤪 Sakura - @Francheezy24_7 Photo by @TyRawrrnosaurus Event - @LongBeachComicCon (Expo) 2018 Camera: Nikon D5100 Lens: Tamron 28-70mm f/2.8 Aperture: f/9 Speed: 1/200 ISO: 100 Light: Godox TT685N #StreetFighter #ストリートファイター #KasuganoSakura #SakuraKasugano #春日野さくら #SakuraKasuganoCosplay #SakuraCosplay #SakuraStreetFighter #StreetFighterSakura #StreetFighterCosplay #StreetFighterIV #StreetFighter4 #StreetFighterV #StreetFighter5 #Capcom #CapcomCosplay #VideoGameCosplay #GamerCosplay #コスプレ #コスプレイヤー #BlackCosplay #BlackCosplayer #CosplayPhotography #CosplayOfInstagram #CosplayPhoto #CosplayLife #CosplayersOfColor

And here we are again, finding myself face deep somewhere it probably shouldn’t be, tenderly laying on a novelty sized pizza and likely contracting millions of microorganisms. It happened by chance that I remembered this moment, unbeknownst that today would be #NationalPizzaDay, which I found out a few days ago. As I said they say, “two’s a coincidence, but three’s a trend,” so I guess one of my things is hugging germ infested cesspools that could one day be my demise 🤷🏻‍♂️ I haven’t had a restaurant-made pizza in literally a year’s time. I went out to lunch with friends at a nice place for my birthday and then that was it… a month later the ‘demic happened. And yes, I am that kind of monster who enjoys pineapple on his pie. I will go to my grave with my preference, I have no shame 🍍 🍖 🍕 This was taken at @TheFoodieSpace in Pasadena (before it moved to Torrance and now closed), back in the Before Times of 2018 when everyone and their mom wanted to have their own niche pop-up experience/museum. I would never pay to go to something like this, but thankfully I was invited by @KitsuneKuma as one of her guests as part of their soft open or something like that. It was an OK space. Some of these “experiences” that were materializing every other month back then were HIGHLY suspicious and sometimes laughable at how bare bones and pathetic they were at trying to feed into the FOMOfluencer culture where everyone needed to “do it for the Gram” 🙄 Thinking on it, maybe I’ve been drawn to sharing these instances of disgusting embrace because I miss a good hug. I’ve had little human interaction since this chaos began and know I won’t find myself in any situation soon where that will happen since I’m likely at the end of the line for the vaccine, which may or may not be effective by then since there’s a new mutation daily it seems like. Also why can’t they roll out the vaccine utilizing a fleet of ice cream trucks nationwide? Photo by @987_kuma #TheFoodieSpace #Pizza #NationalPizzaDay #PizzaLovers #PizzaPorn #PizzaLove #PizzaGram #PizzaPizzaPizza #PopUpMuseum #FoodPorn #PizzaDay #PizzaIsLife #PizzaParty #DoHashtagsReallyWork? #ProbablyNotBecauseInstagramIsTheWorst

Capturing magical moments like this jumping pose are always inspiring to me when I remember to ask for them from a cosplayer. Trying to recreate the essence of a character is something I like to think I strive for and squee with delight when we get these kinds of results. I always tell myself I need to compose more action photos, but somehow in the heat of the moment I forget. Conventions are so hectic and crowded, I never like taking up more time from anyone than I have to since there’s so much for people to do and see, so doing what’s comfortable tends to be my crutch. And the backdrops are less inspired, though I try my best to not let that hold me back from doing what I can. There’s also the worry of wasting someone’s time in doing something different and untested, putting more pressure on myself to get things perfect rather than elevating my abilities by trying new things. That fear of failure in myself has held me back and I need to remember to have more fun and not worry so much. Sticking to what I know will never help me break past my own barriers and I would have never created this image if I didn’t take that chance to go outside my comfort zone. Thanks to everyone who trusts in my ability and supports my growth! Additionally, I want to focus less on convention photos whenever this pandemic is over and work on more location photos to allow myself more breathing room and not feel so rushed. Swipe through ⏪ to see the Before and After edit Thor - @EbonySabre Photo by @TyRawrrnosaurus Event - @ComicConLA 2019 Camera: Nikon D750 Lens: Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Aperture: f/1.6 Speed: 1/160 ISO: 100 #Thor #ThorOdinson #ThorCosplay #ThorCosplayer #ThorLoveAndThunder #Mjolnir #Mjölnir #Stormbreaker #MarvelCosplay #Marvel #MarvelStudios #MarvelComics #Avengers #TheAvengers #AvengersCosplay #AvengersEndgame #AvengersInfinityWar #BlackCosplayer #BlackCosplay #LAComicCon #LAComicCon2019 #LosAngelesComicCon #LosAngelesComicCon2019 #LACC #LACC2019 #Cosplayer #CosplayArmor #CosplayOfInstagram #CosplayersOfColor #CosplayPhotography