[Daji cosplay] Honor of Kings Maid Cafe convention photos

These Honor of Kings Daji Maid Cafe convention photos were taken at the Xi'an Mengxiang Comic Convention. On that day, the exhibition hall ceiling was very high, and the light shone down from above, which was quite a test for exposure. Fortunately, I communicated the shooting plan with the photographer Mo Laotou in advance, and the light and shadow texture of the final photos met expectations.

This Maid Cafe costume is mainly lake blue, paired with a pink lining and white lace edges. The fabric itself has a certain luster, making it look very transparent under the cold light of the exhibition hall. The skirt hem has many layers, with blue ruffles on the outermost layer and pink pleated skirt hems inside, which spread out with movements when walking. There are pink cartoon patterns on the white apron at the waist. To fit the character, I also deliberately matched pink-and-white alternating wrist ruffles and a choker.

The wig is a classic pink short curly hair with quite a lot of cut layers. To maintain the curls, I sprayed a lot of setting hairspray. The beast ear headband on top of the head was a difficult point because the plush material is relatively heavy and easy to fall off if worn directly. I used hairpins to fix it on the hairnet and reinforced it with setting glue so that it could remain upright when posing. The makeup focused on pink blush and light blue contact lenses. To match the character's sweet attribute, some glitter was added to the outer corners of the eyes, hoping to present a better effect in front of the lens.

For the first pose of standing on one leg, to give the skirt hem a nice parabola, I tried several times, tightening my core to stay steady, while the hand gesture imitated a cat's scratching action, paired with the gaze—the photographer captured it brilliantly. This pose showcased the white over-the-knee socks and leg lines very well, and it's one of my favorite shots from the convention photos. The second one is sitting on a plush carpet; this angle looks lazier, and the leg lines and white over-the-knee socks got a great extension in the frame. The carpet was also a temporary prop found on-site to create a material contrast with the cold steel frame floor in the background. The third standing pose shows the front structure of the entire costume, with hands crossed in front of the chest, which is a relatively classic display angle.

The challenge of convention photos lies in the crowded background and tight schedule. However, the open space of the exhibition hall comes with an industrial style, forming a very interesting visual collision with the gorgeousness of 2D costumes. Helping other cosers tidy clothes and touch up makeup on-site is also a routine operation. In fact, to portray a character well, besides costumes and makeup, the most important thing is the grasp of actions and demeanor. For example, Daji's coquettishness is not only in posture, but also in the transmission of the gaze. While shooting these pictures, I constantly paid attention to keeping my shoulders relaxed and my chin slightly tucked, allowing the photographer to capture the facial contours from the best angle. The lighting at the comic convention is changeable, and sometimes reflectors need to be used for fill light—the photographer handled this part very professionally. This shoot gave me new insights into the presentation of this costume, and I will continue to polish the actions and details for the next convention appearance after going back.