Convention photos from Day 1 of CD. This predominantly red-and-white lace outfit features rich layered details, especially the multi-tiered ruffles on the skirt hem and the rainbow-gradient crystal cube charms hanging from the curved side bracket, creating a dense visual appeal. For the shoot, we chose a dimmer spot inside the exhibition hall, utilizing the soft light bokeh overhead for background blur. This highlighted the foreground character and props while preventing them from blending into the cluttered convention background.
For hair and makeup, I wore a short, slightly wavy blonde wig paired with red contact lenses, which, combined with the red-and-white dress, provided a crisp and direct color contrast. The top of the outfit features red crisscross lacing and bows, while the bottom is a multi-layered mini skirt alternating white, orange, and red. On my leg, I wore a white lace thigh ring beaded with colorful gems, paired with chunky white platform sandals. While these shoes offer steady footing, walking across the slightly reflective convention floor still required careful attention to avoid water spots and slips.
The black curved branch-like prop dangling with gradient crystal gems played a vital compositional role in this shoot. However, bringing it on-site meant the crystals could easily clatter together while moving, so I tried to control my center of gravity to prevent excessive swinging and motion blur in the photos. The light brown plush bear sewn onto the waist added a touch of everyday lifestyle charm to the costume. This styling included numerous small accessories—like heart-shaped sunglasses on the head, beaded leg bands, and lace ruffles around the ankles. Though these small elements might not immediately catch the eye, they serve as crucial visual focal points in close-up shots.
During the shoot, photographer @SSSS翻车狐 found great angles on-site and captured fantastic dynamic snapshots—such as turning while lifting one leg, or slightly crouching while reaching up to adjust the hat brim. Red apples were used as accent props, placed on the ground in some shots or held in hand, adding narrative depth. When taking full-body snapshots, attention was paid to the swing of my arms to avoid obscuring the skirt's silhouette, while leaning my weight slightly to one side with the support of the platform shoes to elongate visual proportions.
The overall color grading of the final photos is on the cooler and darker side, creating a striking contrast with the original high-saturation red and white. This allowed post-editing to preserve the detailed lace textures without blowing out the highlights. The ruffle craft and hem piping were finely made; during posing, it was essential to mind the drape of the skirt to prevent the lace from bunching stiffly, letting the folds drape naturally over the legs. The challenge of shooting inside the convention hall lies in the unpredictable lighting—some spots were too harsh, others too dim. Thankfully, the photographer brought lenses of various focal lengths to switch up compositions in Convention photography.
Touhou Project character designs always possess a fairy-tale fantasy aesthetic, and this fan-made adaptation enhanced the high-saturation colors, arm sleeves, and lace ornamentation. In portraying this kind of costume, the performer's facial expression and body language in Roleplay must harmonize with the exaggerated attire without being overly stiff. For instance, when pausing to look back, the gaze and finger movements should stay relaxed, mimicking a casual yet mischievous posture. The dress itself is quite voluminous, so navigating the exhibition hall required leaving ample room to avoid accidentally bumping into surrounding exhibits or passersby.
From initial costume crafting and prop preparation to on-site composition, posing, and final color and lighting retouching, producing convention photos involves many steps. Being able to smoothly capture a satisfying photo set on CD Day 1 was thanks to great coordination across all fronts. The ambient hall lighting casting over the wavy blonde hair and red-and-white lace edges delivered a gentle, delicate texture that was beautifully preserved in the final images. I look forward to tackling more intricately detailed fantasy Roleplay character stylings in the future, translating 2D settings into authentic visual records through Convention photography.