“A weasel from the UK who struck up a conversation with me told me that if I was a furry, I would be a fluffy snake,” says Berlin-based photographer Laura Schaeffer of her trip to Europe’s biggest furry convention in Hamburg this month. Schaeffer felt the first wave of curiosity about this fast-growing community when she was stuck on a packed underground train a couple of years back, and knew she wanted to delve deeper to find out more about this marginalised – and often unfairly maligned – subculture. Eventually, after a few forays into Reddit groups, she decided now was the time to fully immerse herself.

“I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and felt a little apprehensive at first, as I had no clue as to how I was going to be perceived,” she explains. “My aim was to document rather than disrupt, and it was important to me not to step on anyone’s toes, so I took my time and proceeded cautiously. The scene turned out to be everything I hoped and more – not only were the furries happy to have their photos taken, I was even approached by a few attendees who were eager to support me in my quest, giving me a bunch of useful information about events not to miss that day.” 

The resulting images capture the kaleidoscopic looks in soft-focus, as furries dash between concession stands and gather over drinks and food, with Schaeffer casting her lens sympathetically over her subjects. 

Click through the gallery above for a look at some of the best costumes.