These are my Convention photos from the Xiamen Golden Dolphin Animation and Comic Festival, featuring Yakumo Yukari cosplay from Touhou Project. Preparing this entire outfit took a lot of thought and effort. The giant ribbon bow on the head was custom-made with an intricate internal support structure to prevent it from collapsing, which, along with red satin ribbons, fits the character's signature look perfectly. Beneath the red bows on the shoulders hang pearl necklaces and metallic chains, which took considerable time to arrange while dressing to prevent them from tangling. The gown features a purple-and-black Gothic Lolita style, with an outer layer covered in subtle embroidered patterns and a multi-tiered ruffled hem, layered over a purple lining and a massive hoop skirt. The dress is actually extremely heavy, requiring me to lift the skirt hem while walking. The dress has a very long train at the back, which was easy to step on or get stepped on by others at the convention, so my poses mostly consisted of standing while lifting the skirt. To complement the overall mysterious atmosphere, I paired it with Black stockings featuring a distinctive patchwork of lace cutout and heart patterns.
The lighting on the day of the shoot was complex, but the photographer was exceptionally skilled, leveraging ambient light from both sides. Post-processing special effects added glowing purple butterflies and scattered light specks, creating the sensation of traversing through boundaries. This gear includes not only the mob cap bonnet but also the parasol—crafted with a red rose handle and black-and-red lace with fabric flowers across the canopy; though heavy in hand, it truly adds majestic presence when posing. Naturally, the convention was crowded, and waiting for gaps between passing crowds was necessary to achieve that seemingly secluded look, so I am deeply grateful for the photographer's patience.
For makeup, the purple contacts and reddish-purple eyeshadow were quite sensitive to light reflection; even a slight angle deviation altered the color in front of the lens, requiring several rounds of micro-adjustments. Looking closely at the chains on the outfit, their positions and lengths are fixed; standing for long periods inevitably left pressure marks, but to faithfully recreate the canon design, it was totally worth it. The makeup artist set my makeup wonderfully, preventing any smudging. At the convention, I met many fellow fans who recognized the character; everyone has their own interpretation of Yakumo Yukari, but all brimming with love. Overall, wearing this outfit at the convention was remarkably eye-catching; when the skirt flared out, it took up quite a bit of space, requiring passersby to yield a bit of room. Fortunately, the on-site staff were very friendly and accommodating during our shoot.
Taking this set of photos took considerable time, particularly the third half-body shot, which required dialing in the angle precisely to include all the details of the parasol and headpiece within the frame. Managing the long train was also quite technical; to keep it from curling up, I stood in place for a long time until my feet were numb, truly experiencing the struggles of being the Boundary Youkai. Taking off my shoes back at the hotel after wrapping up brought sheer, total relief. As a formal cosplay project, I am very pleased with the final result, faithfully capturing the character's mysterious yet effortlessly leisurely demeanor. The photographer's post-processing also added numerous lighting elements true to canon lore, such as purple light ribbons and luminous butterflies, endowing the entire composition with ample spatial depth while accentuating the dress details and the texture of the Black stockings. Although the process was a bit tiring, seeing the finished photos makes everything feel completely worthwhile.