For this outdoor shoot at the Guangzhou Anime Convention, I chose the Suit and rabbit ears styling to cosplay a Moon Rabbit character from Touhou Project, and the result was surprisingly impressive. The hair and makeup in the photos involved plenty of intricate details: the purple wig was hand-trimmed, taking considerable time to shape the curve of the bangs and sideburns so that the final hairstyle aligned closely with the character. The red colored contact lenses provided a sharp, vivid contrast, making my gaze look intense and focused.
The tie was a vibrant red made of relatively stiff fabric, which flared high when caught by the wind into a natural, dynamic shape, resulting in some great candid action snapshots. The suit jacket was custom-tailored with rich-textured fabric and a snug fit; even though the Guangzhou weather was hot and left me drenched in sweat, it was completely worthwhile for the finished shots. The crisp, stiff collar of the white shirt underneath added a touch of formality, and placing a hand across my chest neatly covered part of the suit to direct visual focus toward the face.
This shoot took place outside the Guangzhou Anime Convention venue with heavy pedestrian traffic, making stray passersby inevitable, but photographer Haoge used a wide aperture to blur out the background and accentuate the main subject while masking unnecessary crowds. Because the outdoor wind was fierce, my hair kept blowing everywhere—the wig was nearly blown off several times, and the rabbit ears were almost flipped by the gale. I only noticed my real ears were exposed after the shoot because I was entirely focused on expressions and the movement of the tie, which became a small funny interlude. For future convention shoots, I will definitely bring extra hair clips and hairspray to ensure everything stays rock-solid.
Since Touhou Project features a deeply fantastical universe, pairing it with a semi-professional look like a black suit and red tie was intended to create an intriguing contrast effect. I put extra thought into the eye makeup, using eyeliner to define the eye contours which, paired with the red lenses, added spirited intensity. Cosplaying in a black suit on a sweltering convention day was undeniably a test of endurance, but fortunately the photos turned out great. The post-processing avoided excessive skin smoothing to preserve authentic texture, harmonizing beautifully with the overall mood and lighting.
Overall, this cosplay experience was delightful. Because the outfit is fairly formal, my standing posture and expressions were adjusted to be more subtle and restrained; softening my gaze slightly when looking into the lens actually gave it a focused, contemplative air. Communication with the photographer was seamless throughout—he found specific angles, including how to use background blur to emphasize foreground details. Resting a hand near the tie proved to be a great choice, projecting calm composure.
Despite minor hiccups like strong winds and crowded surroundings, the success rate of good shots was high. Even for outdoor street-style shoots, as long as composition and poses are well planned, the outcome will be solid. Special thanks to the photographer for his patient guidance, refining posture details like hand placement and head tilt to make the photos look effortless and natural. If given the chance in the future, I would love to explore more complex urban venues with formal wear to create fresh visual vibes.
The planning for this outdoor shoot was somewhat rushed due to the massive crowds, so we improvised by finding a relatively quiet street corner for several sets. The large-aperture lens made isolating the subject from the cluttered background effortless, significantly reducing the hassle of post-processing cutouts. Retouching mainly involved subtle adjustments to skin tone and color grading to make the skin look lucid while preserving the tactile weave of the fabric, as the textures of the suit and tie are vital to the character's style.
As for the rabbit ear prop, I originally wanted it to look soft and droopy, but the wind was so strong that it kept leaning to one side. In the end, I inserted thin wire inside to give it structure; even though shaped, it still swayed slightly in the breeze as if alive, which actually added organic dynamism. If you're planning convention shoots, bringing extra hairspray and bobby pins is highly recommended, especially on windy days, to prevent displaced styling from affecting your mood.
The entire shoot was a joy. The flashes and onlookers on site accelerated the shooting pace, which actually helped capture lively, authentic expressions. The photographer noted that compared to standard portraits, cosplay places far greater emphasis on character aura and prop placement. Thus, we constantly adjusted our positions based on wind direction and light angles, ultimately achieving the state seen in these photos.
This was actually the first time I wore this suit for an outdoor shoot. Because of its tailored waist, it demanded strict posture—keeping my chest up and abdomen engaged throughout. It wrapped up successfully, and for future street-style convention events, I would gladly choose this formal styling again, as it stands out crisply in a crowd without feeling overly cumbersome.