[Rapi cosplay & Viper cosplay] Goddess of Victory Duo Convention Photos, Ultra-Wide Lens Captures Firefly ACG Expo

These convention photos were carefully handpicked from our footage over the past two days at the Firefly ACG Expo. This time, my partner and I cosplayed Rapi and Viper from Goddess of Victory. The shoot was done using a Sony a7C II equipped with a Tamron 17-28mm wide-angle zoom lens. To be honest, the most interesting aspect of this set lies in the post-processing details.

Many friends looking at the pictures might feel that the skin tone and fishnet tights seamlessly blend together, so I have to be honest here. To prevent any wardrobe malfunctions during poses, I wore skin-toned safety leggings under the outfit. However, the wide-angle lens combined with low-angle shots easily exposed the seam lines of the leggings. For visual purity, I spent a lot of effort in post-editing to Photoshop out those lines. Although tedious, removing those extra dividing lines significantly enhanced the character's overall cohesive feel.

The gear combo used this time helped me discover the magic of ultra-wide-angle shooting for duos. The edge distortion provided by the 17-28mm lens, when used properly, flatters body proportions nicely. Especially in dynamic shots like Photo 2 where the hair flips up, the wide-angle perspective beautifully elongates the lower body and boots. Paired with our red and silver color palette, the visual impact instantly pops out.

In terms of outfits, one featured red and black leather elements paired with tall platform boots, while the other combined a white top with a silver-gray short skirt, white high-heeled boots, and fishnet tights outfit, creating a striking contrast on-site. Weapon props were also key: although the two red-and-black heavy firearms and the white long rifle were made of lightweight materials, finding the right angle during posing was crucial so as not to block our faces. We adjusted our stances many times at the event just to keep those rifles at proper angles.

Shooting a duo at a convention truly tests teamwork. The venue had dense, complex lighting, and to avoid passersby in the background, we had to stay away from main walkways. We tried standing in corners or utilizing ladders to create height differences. For composition, I had the photographer try various perspectives: besides low-angle shots, we used the 17mm focal length to emphasize boot details with crossed-leg poses, creating a strong sense of extension. However, this composition demanded a lot from the photographer, who had to stay crouched at extremely low angles throughout.

As for the silver-white reflective pleated skirt, it was incredibly photogenic under overhead lights, with the hem exhibiting vibrant metallic sheen as we moved. Our hair was also carefully styled beforehand; red and light blonde wigs tangle easily at conventions, so we sprayed generous amounts of hairspray to ensure the hair flips snapped into perfect curves at the right moment.

In post-processing, besides fixing the inner leggings, unifying the color temperature was necessary. The cool white overhead lights at the convention suited this mechanical combat aesthetic well, but we brightened shadow areas to better show off the leather textures of the boots and gloves. The squatting pose in Photo 4 demanded strong core strength; holding it without breaking posture took a few intense seconds, but luckily the photographer was sharp enough to capture our locked gazes. That sense of interaction is truly the charm of duo cosplay.