The winds were strong and the sunlight piercing on Day 2 of BilibiliWorld outside the venue. Arriving in the morning fresh from makeup, I was genuinely worried whether my face would melt under the heat. Portraying Goldenglow from Arknights this time, I noticed the venue's architectural exterior and daylight were perfect for outdoor shots, so I decided to capture more photos outside the halls.
The dress was crafted as a multi-tiered ruffled gown in a pink-and-white palette; to recreate the billowing volume of the skirt, I layered multiple petticoats underneath, which carried substantial weight when walking. The puffed sleeves and lace trims required constant smoothing, and the red gem pendant across my chest was custom-crafted. The plush pink animal ears and red bow headdress needed firm pinning to keep the outdoor wind gusts from blowing them askew.
My greatest logistical challenge—and proudest achievement—was the heart-shaped wand prop. The canonical design is quite large; to hold it one-handed while maintaining posture, we hollowed it out slightly during fabrication, yet it remained a massive piece on the convention floor. The translucent heart piece and crown details at the staff's crown looked stunning under direct sunlight. Holding it meant constantly engaging arm strength to prevent poses from looking strained on camera.
This was my first outdoor collaboration with photographer Xiangpi (@Xiangpi-sama). The primary obstacles for outdoor convention photography are dense crowds and erratic illumination. BilibiliWorld covers vast ground with heavy foot traffic, so to avoid background photobombers, we frequently squatted low or sought elevated vantage points. For instance, in the first squatting shot, balance was remarkably difficult: because the skirt crinoline was so voluminous, dropping down shifted my center of gravity backward, forcing my core to hold the weight while keeping my torso upright and facial expression gentle. The photographer captured it brilliantly, seizing that electro-charged yet tender presence.
The second pose, lifting one foot, was designed to showcase the full silhouette of the wand. Because the staff is so long, grounding it vertically required larger body kinetics to command the frame. The white Stockings and platform shoes demanded careful footing while moving around to avoid stepping on the skirt hems. To convey organic dynamics before the lens, balancing on one foot required precise body control, repeatedly fine-tuning the angle at which the skirt flared with motion.
The convention energy was truly uplifting. Despite the blazing sun outside, fellow enthusiasts frequently came over during breaks to say hello or compliment the craft of the costume. Such interactions are an irreplaceable part of attending offline conventions. The entire shoot was an endurance test—smoothing wardrobe and props continuously while maintaining sharp eye focus under dazzling sunlight. We traversed the outdoor perimeter multiple times searching for clean backgrounds, locking into character the moment we stopped. Though physically exhausting and burdened by the heavy gown, seeing the resulting frames made every second worthwhile.
Next, I plan to rest briefly and edit the remaining Convention photos. This outdoor shoot gave me deeper insights into managing posture and facial expressions in vast public settings, and I'll continue refining the wearability of props and wardrobe going forward.