The schedule for the China International Comics Festival (CICF) is out, and I'll be inside the venue for both D1 and D2. This time, I plan to find a mutual benefit model to create something cool together. The core demand for this shoot is very direct: first, it must be cool; second, willing to accept underexposure and perspective distortion; third, willing to endure hardship, able to jump around, and flying would be even better. Seeing these requirements, my first reaction was that this was tailor-made for me.
Many people care a lot about whether their face looks pale enough and whether the angle makes them look slim when taking convention photos. But I don't care about these at all when shooting. Previously during location shoots, to match the photographer's fisheye lens and ultra-wide angle, I squatted directly on the steps, letting the soles of my shoes and hands point straight at the camera. My body proportions were stretched extremely exaggeratedly, and my face deformed due to the wide-angle edge effect. After that set of photos came out, the visual impact was extremely strong, and I was very satisfied. As long as the final image has tension and can present that combat tension and explosiveness, a slightly dark face or minor distortion means nothing. Photography requires works, not traditional check-in photos.
Speaking of combat styles, my experience in action coordination is quite rich. Actions like launching attacks while jumping, kicking in mid-air, doing one-handed floor-supported flips, or using capes and long ribbons to create motion blur are all things I can coordinate and complete. Shooting such high-difficulty actions requires great physical strength and endurance. Sometimes in the venue, to capture a perfect angle, I might have to jump dozens of times repeatedly, placing huge pressure on my knees and ankles. Coupled with the high temperature inside the venue, wearing complex cosplay costumes and wigs, along with heavy props, just a little movement makes me sweat profusely. But I am never pretentious; as long as the photographer has an idea, I can grit my teeth and persist. Even if it requires hanging on wires to fly, I am willing to try.
Besides dynamic snapshots inside the venue, another advantage I have is having a studio. If the results inside the venue are less than satisfactory due to environment and lighting limitations, or if we want to shoot some more textured static blockbusters, we can completely transition to the studio to continue creation. I have shot scenes wearing qipaos holding oil-paper umbrellas in the studio, as well as images with strong modern cyberpunk styles or dark themes. The advantage of studio photography is that lighting is controllable, so there's no need to worry about dark faces or cluttered environments. We can slowly refine movements, adjust details, and try various extreme perspectives and compositions.
I think the essence of mutual benefit is mutual achievement. I provide expression, action, and costumes, while the photographer provides perspective, technique, and post-processing, and together we create works where one plus one is greater than two. My personality is quite straightforward, and communication is effortless. As long as the style and desired effect are determined beforehand, I will fully cooperate during the shooting process. When encountering difficulties that need to be overcome, such as venue limitations, tight schedules, or high action difficulty, we can negotiate and resolve them on-site, never complaining about the environment.
During D1 and D2, I will be running around the venue the entire time, and I hope to meet photographers who also want to break conventions and pursue ultimate visual effects. We can start by grinding together on convention photos, and if the cooperation is pleasant, we can continue to book studio shoots later to try more different styles and themes. As long as you want to shoot, I dare to cooperate, and let's make the most explosive images together.