Cosplay Melee judge Leeanna Vamp is known all the world over for her cosplay. Here are some pictures of her work, along with some tips!

Tip #1: "Cons can have very strict rules about props! Both my shotgun and chainsaw are made of plastic, they look badass, but are completely safe to carry around in a crowd"

Photograph by Mike Saffels

Tip #2: "My blaster is a $10 toy gun painted to look like the real thing, which is a great way to save a little money. Cosplay can be expensive, so finding items that can be modified to fit your needs is always helpful when you're on a budget."

Photograph by Mike Saffels

Tip #3: "One thing I love to do is put my own spin on a character. We all know Stormtroopers didn't have their belly exposed, but being a smart femtrooper I use it as a distraction tactic ;)"

Tip #4: "When you have a costume with oversized components it's often a good idea to find a place to 'set up shop' where photos can be taken of you. Walking around SDCC in this helmet became pretty difficult since my head was almost 3ft wide."

Tip #5: "Traveling with delicate props can be very stressful! I typically pack my super delicate pieces in my carry on to keep them protected, and because my helmet doesn't fit in my carryon I just wear it. Although I get some weird looks, I know it's safe the entire way ;) "