Darth Vader – the early years

The force is strong with this one – particularly when she doesn’t get her own way…

The photographer Steve Schofield has a great set of images of sci-fi fans at home dressed in the costumes of their favourite sci-fi characters. I was in a toy shop in Galway last week looking for presents for my niece and nephews and when I saw a Darth Vader costume, I confess that the photographic opportunities was the deciding factor rather than whether one of the kids would like it or not.

My three year old nephew had no interest in the costume at all – if it’s not called Bob the Builder or Barney, it doesn’t exist for him. My five year old nephew (and godson) would not wear it on moral grounds because, and I quote, Darth Vader is a BAD GUY – I don’t like him!!! My seven year old niece, on the other hand, had no such qualms – in fact, the dark side was just what she was looking for.

She was happy to pose for pictures inside the house, but when I asked her to go outside, there was a problem. Her mother had told her to put on a pair of trainers but that wouldn’t do. THEY DON’T GO WITH THE OUTFIT, she wailed. (Finding the right shoes to go with an outfit used to keep the Sex and the City girls occupied for weeks on end, but Lord Vader was forced to slum it in flip-flops last week in Terenure).

As soon as she put the mask on, she began ordering her brother about in a scary, deep voice (well, scary for a seven year old ). And obey he did, too (after a few clatters from a plastic lightsabre).

Camera = Canon 5D, lens = 24-105@ 32mm, aperture=f9, speed=1/100, ISO=200.