For the February IJOY Anime & Game Festival, I prepared a modified Traditional Chinese style Qipao look for on-site convention photos. Because this was a Hatsune Miku cosplay, the primary palette strictly maintained her signature cyan-teal tone. The craftsmanship of this outfit is exceptionally solid: the main body features teal fabric patterned with golden scales, complemented by traditional red Chinese frog buttons at the collar. Most notably, the shoulders feature black leather studded straps, tempering the gentleness of the traditional qipao with an edge of modern flair. Silver metal chains and red tassels hang along the chest and waist, swaying gracefully with every step.
To match this styling, I trimmed the bright teal twin-tail wig ahead of time and coiled two iconic loop buns atop the head. The headpieces featured red floral designs with cascading pink tassels, accompanied by pointed elf ears on both sides. In terms of makeup, I chose green and blue contact lenses to capture the expressive look of her eyes, rimmed the eye contours with red eyeshadow, and added red dots on the cheeks to harmonize with the overall palette and preserve the character's signature visual traits.
This convention shoot took place inside the exhibition hall against a backdrop of bare gray concrete floors and industrial overhead lighting. To capture dynamic photos within such an open venue, I brought along a black-and-gold folding fan as a prop. For the poses, I experimented with raising one leg while holding the fan high in one hand with the other hand lightly open; paired with the high-slit design of the skirt, this gave the whole composition a stronger sense of movement. Still, high-slit dresses require extra caution on the convention floor, so I wore black safety shorts underneath to prevent accidental exposure.
For footwear, I paired the outfit with black high heels featuring straps and golden patterns that echoed the dress. To walk the convention booths comfortably, I kept flats with me the entire time, only slipping into the heels when the camera was rolling. Since the garment's fabric was relatively heavy and the wig's buns added noticeable weight, I had to keep adjusting my center of gravity during the shoot. While the hall lighting was bright, the top-down light was quite harsh; we explored several angles, using reflections off the floor to fill in facial shadows and preserve the outfit's true colors.
Unlike studio shoots, convention photos test your ability to dive into character instantly amidst a chaotic environment. Shooting on the showroom floor means photographers and visitors constantly pass by, demanding absolute focus to seize the right moments. Blending traditional Chinese elements with Hatsune Miku's classic color scheme creates an instantly recognizable visual statement. This set explored some new pose arrangements, and I hope it offers helpful inspiration for styling and convention photography.