The convention photos from this event are finally organized! This time I cosplayed Alice from FINAL FANTASY VII. Rushing between venues that morning was extremely intense, but thankfully the final presentation turned out quite nice. Today I'm mainly sharing my specific feelings and insights from shooting this set of photos.
For this cosplay, the part I'm most satisfied with is actually the fit of the costume and the combination with the props. This dark red cropped jacket has great texture, and details like the chest zipper and epaulets paired with the off-white long skirt create visual depth without looking bulky. The leather straps and hanging ornaments attached to the jacket also recreate the original design. For the wig, I chose flaxen brown big wavy curls; due to the large hair volume, a hair bun was used at the crown for support, combined with a matching color bow headband to achieve a faithful recreation of Alice's classic hairstyle.
The lighting inside the convention venue that day was very complex and mixed with various reflections, making it really difficult to capture close-up expressions under relatively soft light. The photos below were captured from suitable angles with the help of a photographer friend. The woven flower basket I'm holding in the pictures was modified by myself beforehand, filled with yellow lilies and red flower bud decorations. The lilies were heavier in texture than expected, but fortunately I secured their posture so they wouldn't wobble when walking around. The basket handle is made of woven rattan, which brings a fresh, natural feel when paired with the off-white skirt hem.
An interesting part of the shoot was interacting with the camera. For the photo handing out flowers, the photographer shot from a low angle to create better perspective. Since there were many people around, we adjusted our positions several times to avoid cluttered backgrounds and passersby, finally finding an angle from the side free of major distractions. This low angle actually places high demands on posture—shoulders must remain relaxed while ensuring the skirt falls naturally. When reaching out with the flower, looking directly into the lens works best, yet the stance shouldn't feel overly stiff, otherwise it looks staged and unnatural.
Another shot sitting on the floor was taken in a relatively quiet open spot in a corner of the venue. Kneeling in that position really tests how the skirt spreads; if piled poorly, it looks messy. To smoothly lay out the lace edges of the off-white long dress, I adjusted my seating orientation, spreading the folds behind me as much as possible. Holding the flower to partially cover my face was intended to create a playful feel, as a lively maiden vibe fits the character's temperament in the game quite well.
This shoot also came with some challenges. The convention venue was crowded, and walking around made it easy to step on the long skirt hem. Because the skirt has inner lining and lace trim, it gets dirty very easily; after a full day at the expo, the edges indeed turned a bit dark, requiring time to clean after returning home at night. Additionally, the venue heating was quite strong, so wearing the red jacket felt rather hot, leaving fine sweat on my forehead after a few shots, but I had to endure it for the sake of good photos.
Regarding follow-ups for this work, I will continue optimizing some details. For instance, some metallic accessories on the jacket could be replaced with better textures, and the flowers in the basket could be further enriched. I've always felt that the character of Alice conveys a healing power, so when shooting this set of photos, I tried my best to recreate that gentle, natural state. Leaving such beautiful convention photos not only does justice to the character, but also serves as my own experience of immersing into her. This casual cosplay journey was truly memorable.