I finally found some time amidst my busy schedule to organize these Convention photos from CPSP Shanghai. This time, I didn't add any overly complex special effect post-processing, focusing instead on a fresh, straight-out-of-camera vibe. The sign held in my hand, handwritten with "Help! My senior brother! Turned into! A plush toy!", truly distills my entire understanding of this JX3 Chunyang cosplay. After all, the entire shoot that day was a battle of wits and courage with this plush toy tightly hugged in my arms.
Let's start with the structure of this costume. The core tone is a crisp blue-and-white color scheme. This classic Taoist/sect attire incorporates slightly structured fabrics to maintain its silhouette while moving through the convention hall. The large white pom-poms on both sides of the head with dangling blue tassels pull the originally heroic outfit toward a cute aesthetic. The sleeves feature a color-blocked wide-sleeve design with dark edging on the outer blue fabric, layering over a white inner top to build instant visual depth.
The short skirt design on the lower half accentuates the leg lines nicely while walking, which, paired with blue leg warmers adorned with small pom-poms, creates a highly eye-catching look under convention lighting. Of course, the main highlight is undoubtedly the woven bamboo backpack on my back. Initially, I struggled with how to secure this prop firmly, as the basket's weight plus inner accessories made it easy to bump into passing cosplayers in crowded spaces. But after strapping it alongside the tail to my body, the effort proved entirely worthwhile—especially when crouching or posing sideways, as the small white plush beast peeked its head out of the basket with a blue talisman stuck to its forehead, instantly breathing life into the whole composition.
The schedule on the day of the shoot was actually quite packed. At a large-scale indoor convention like this, top lighting creates very complex lighting angles, severely testing the photographer's snapshot timing and reflector fill lighting. I remember when shooting the third photo—a full-body standing shot holding the plushie—we managed to dodge passing pedestrians in the background, and the low-angle perspective rendered my long straight black hair and pom-pom headwear with a gentle, graceful air. Among the four photos showcasing different poses, my absolute favorite is the second one where I crouch on the floor holding the sign; that tilted-head, bewildered expression combined with the comedic premise of "Senior Brother turned into a plushie" creates a rich narrative feel.
Although carrying the bamboo basket was exhausting, making my lower back ache from repeatedly crouching and standing, I was fortunate to meet many kind and polite convention attendees that day. Everyone was fascinated by the bamboo basket housing the plushie and would intentionally interact with the "Senior Brother turned into a plush toy"—this immersive, engaging experience is probably the most charming aspect of cosplay. Since the floor near the shooting area was dark gray with a subtle reflection effect, it made cropping during post-processing very convenient to keep the visual focus centered on the character.
Regarding makeup, I tried a natural yet complexion-enhancing eye look paired with a peachy-pink blush to make myself appear more vibrant. After all, the cut of this costume is inherently crisp, so heavy makeup would conflict with the light, ethereal visual identity of the sect. This is perhaps a subtle tip when wearing outfits featuring Chinese-style and Xianxia elements.
Under the actual lighting inside the hall, this blue-and-white outfit appeared brighter than cool-toned fair skin, but in the final photos, the photographer handled skin tones and white balance comfortably. From crouching and standing poses to gesture prompts, every shot's composition meticulously captured costume details from front to back, left to right. Particularly with the pose of resting a small fist against my cheek—though appearing effortless, keeping that innocent look meant my arm muscles were subtly engaging to maintain full body balance.
Finally, I want to praise the photographer, who almost shook the camera laughing while shooting. Holding that sign didn't just amuse viewers—the two of us on-site broke into laughter repeatedly over the hilarious copy, making it tough to keep a straight face. Yet the final frames exceeded all expectations. Carrying a weighted bamboo basket around all day was tough, but capturing such a meme-worthy yet detail-rich set of JX3 Chunyang Convention photos at CPSP Shanghai created memories truly worth treasuring.