[Ch'en & Hoshiguma cosplay] Night Patrol Moments of the Lungmen Guard Department

This time, my partner and I cosplayed Ch'en and Hoshiguma. The shooting location was chosen under the night view of a cross-river steel bridge, where the metallic truss structures and cold-toned lighting matched the Lungmen Guard Department operators' demeanor perfectly. For Ch'en cosplay, the biggest challenge lay in her sword and waist accessories, combined with the LGD uniform jacket, inner top, and that striking orange tie—it gave off a strong uniform feel while maintaining combat agility. In terms of props, we polished the sword's material and paint job in advance so it held a powerful aura when held in hand. Hoshiguma's gear was even heavier, especially that giant triangular shield. The surface was given a weathered metallic finish, and the beast emblem relief in the center reflected light with a fantastic texture. Combined with her leather sleeveless top and armor, the overall weight was significant, and holding the shield pose throughout the shoot really tested her stamina.

We chose not to shoot during the day because we wanted to leverage high-contrast night light and shadow. The streetlights under the bridge and the orange-red fill lights on the bridge trusses formed a classic teal-orange color palette. The photographer used a wide-angle, low-angle perspective to stretch the lines of the steel frame, perfectly emphasizing the characters' sharp, fierce energy. My partner and I coordinated several dynamic poses—such as her pointing the sword forward while I raised the shield in defense, as well as a high-low staggered standing position. These required constant angle adjustments to separate the weapons and body lines without awkward clipping. One photo of her handing me a drink was actually our real state during a mid-shoot break; captured by the photographer, it felt far more natural than forced poses. So we went with the flow and struck a few poses like casual patrol breaks—leaning together to check a phone or helping adjust each other's armor—giving the whole shoot a narrative quality.

To be honest, Hoshiguma's leather outfit and giant shield easily reflected light at night, creating harsh highlights under strong lights, so on-site light control was crucial to accommodate the reflective surfaces on both of us. For Ch'en cosplay, her wig featured a blue-violet gradient with ample length and thickness, but it tended to look flat under strong night lights, so we added subtle highlights at the tips. For makeup, we focused on emphasizing the cold detachment of the eyeliner and red pupils, matching her usual serious demeanor. The shoot lasted nearly three hours in total, moving from on top of the bridge to underneath it, changing several camera positions, and finally trying out some dynamic walking captures. Although our feet were tired, seeing the final photos made all the preparation completely worth it.

All props and costumes were made and styled by ourselves. Hoshiguma's shield in particular took a full week from cutting to spray painting, with detailed work on rivets and edge guards. Ch'en's sword had an anti-slip grip wrap added to the base model for a better feel when swinging it. During the shoot, both of us were fully immersed, needing minimal direction to strike the desired poses, as we frequently cosplay this duo at conventions and share great chemistry. The sense of the Lungmen Guard Department presented in this photo set lies in that stern coldness and resolve; we wanted to recreate the characters' identities and atmosphere through light, shadow, and composition rather than simply putting on costumes.

Because it was an outdoor Night view cosplay, there were plenty of mosquitoes on site, but to catch the best lighting, we waited until the moon rose above the bridge structure before wrapping up. This shoot was a new attempt at fusing tactical gear with urban nightscapes. Given the chance in the future, we'd love to do a daytime rain version, which should offer a completely different feel. All in all, we hope everyone can feel our dedication to this Ch'en and Hoshiguma cosplay.