Spending the entire day at Hangzhou CP32 with this Honkai Impact 3rd Elysia costume and props allowed me to complete this set of Convention photos. The outfit consists of multiple pieces including a corset, arm sleeves, and skirt, with the corset waist specially structured to maintain its shape while standing. The wings on the back and streamers on both sides of the skirt utilize sheer and holographic reflective materials, giving a far superior light-reflecting effect compared to standard fabrics. The waist-length wig took considerable time to style; paired with elf ears for character accuracy, it looked beautifully translucent under the ambient light filtering into the exhibition hall.
The shoot was concentrated during time slots with optimal lighting. The lighting at the convention was heavily influenced by the glass ceiling structure, with strong light penetration. Using direct frontal fill light tended to make the face look dark, so for full-body compositions, the photographer intentionally found backlit angles to create a rim light around the hair. Thanks to the high ceiling of the venue, large blurred background areas were easily formed, making the subject stand out effortlessly. Given the heavy crowd flow, finding relatively clear spots was essential to ensure clean framing. The bow and staff in hand featured a white-and-gold color palette with exquisite craftsmanship, but their considerable weight required arm strength to hold poses steadily. For leg lines, adopting semi-squatting and slightly angled postures helped optimize body proportions. Two distinct sets of props were prepared—a bow and a staff—and photographed from different angles across the venue. Constant makeup touch-ups were also crucial to maintaining the character's overall look.
Dozens of photos were taken in total, and these few were selected for the final set. On the way back, the corridor lighting proved to be a delightful surprise, not only making the hair color pop brilliantly but also capturing stunning light refractions off the holographic fabrics. For spontaneous on-site Convention photos, the outcome was extremely satisfying. As a cosplayer with a deep passion for this character, paying attention to numerous details—such as contact lens selection, lip tone adjustments, and parting the bangs—directly impacted the final results. Bringing Elysia to life in a real-world setting and receiving attention from attendees at the convention served as wonderful validation. I will definitely head out again for the next convention with new costumes and props, striving for further breakthroughs.
Wardrobe prep on convention day was extensive, styling and adjusting the outfit from early morning. Due to internal structural support, the costume initially felt quite constricting and required gradual adjustments for comfort, especially since moving around all day in an overly tight outfit would restrict mobility. When staff handed me the bow, uneven weight distribution made it prone to slipping, which was solved by wrapping grip tape around the handle. During shooting, shifting lighting conditions meant adjusting positions based on light patches filtering from the ceiling. We had to navigate around cluttered backgrounds, finding angles that accentuated slender proportions. While posing, the sharp edges of the bow and staff nearly brushed against a passerby, though thankfully avoided in time. Navigating such spontaneous situations in a real environment is part of capturing convention photos; after numerous adjustments, this satisfying set was produced, with backlit hair strands looking particularly radiant to reward all the effort.
The convention venue was extremely packed, requiring patience to wait for moments free of photobombers. We spent over an hour adjusting angles across multiple backdrops. The photographer's shoulders grew sore and holding props became heavy, but seeing the camera previews made the physical exertion well worth it. Since these were on-site convention shots without dedicated studio lighting, relying purely on mixed natural light from the glass ceiling combined with reflectors effectively prevented blowout and white balance shifts, producing stable color harmony. For fellow cosplayers aiming for high-quality convention photos, patiently tracking light and pacing stamina are paramount. Portraying Elysia meant not only getting the appearance right, but also channeling her confident and generous aura through expressions and gestures.