Shooting at Anime Star City this time was a very joyful experience. I had always wanted to find an opportunity for this Kasugano Sora cosplay look, and I finally made it happen during some free time at the convention. The lighting on the day of the shoot was friendlier than I expected; the indoor environment of Anime Star City inherently comes with soft diffused light, and this light blue textured backdrop wall matched the white dress wonderfully, allowing us to capture a clean visual effect directly without needing extra solid black or solid white backdrop boards.
The core of this outfit is this off-white long-sleeved dress, with multi-layered ruffles at the neckline and cuffs, as well as button details along the front placket. To complement this White dress, twin tails look, I specifically paired it with platform black leather shoes and white socks; this way, in the first full-body shot, the slightly flared skirt balanced by the visual weight of the shoes prevents the overall look from feeling top-heavy. Of course, the biggest highlight is the long-eared black plush doll in my hand, which instantly elevates the photo's contrast and creates a distinct focal point between black and white.
Speaking of hair, the White dress, twin tails look paired with white bow accessories is unforgettable. To set this wig properly, I spent an entire morning adjusting the bangs, as Sora's bangs are rather thick yet layered, requiring a natural curve trimmed to cover the forehead without completely blocking the eyes. The platinum-blonde hair can look harsh under direct overhead lighting, but under this soft ambient light, it looked very gentle, perfectly matching the Cute girl character's temperament.
During the shoot, photographer NightDiva and I tested and refined many angles. The first full-body shot looking back was quite a test of posture; avoiding stiffness meant utilizing the positioning of my shoulders and holding the plush doll to create an effortless, spontaneous feel. The second close-up focused mainly on expression control—since the character calls for a quiet, aloof, yet slightly innocent aura, I subtly adjusted makeup details, applying a delicate soft orange lip tint to keep facial colors elegant and prevent distracting from the white dress as the visual centerpiece.
The best part of shooting around a convention is that fellow fans can see the costume in person. After shooting for about half an hour, quite a few people came over to ask where the dress was from or where I bought the wig, and some even praised the black bunny plush. This face-to-face interaction makes me feel that cosplay is not just about taking a photo, but a way to express one's understanding of a character. I also took the chance to share some hair and makeup tips, such as how to secure bows onto wigs without slipping and how to hide ribbons.
Looking back at these photos now, I feel this set represents a subtle stylistic shift in my personal portfolio. In the past, I might have leaned toward heavy color grading, but for this set, preserving the original light and shadow looked wonderful; post-processing only involved simple edge cleanups and minor color temperature adjustments to make the entire frame appear more translucent. Large areas of white severely test photo details—creases on clothes or frizz in the wig show immediately—so fortunately, the thorough preparation allowed the overall result to meet expectations.
From preparing costumes and props to tuning into the right mental state on location, every shoot is a valuable accumulation of experience. Choosing a familiar spot like Anime Star City for this shoot created a delightful sense of contrast—crafting extraordinary imagery within an everyday space. These photos document not only the character, but also the mood and atmosphere of that moment.