This set of photos was completed in the brightly lit exhibition hall of the Firefly Comic Con under the combination of flashes and a wide-angle lens. From makeup and hair styling to putting on the complete costume, we spent quite a bit of time adjusting loose knots and skirts that easily tilted. As a basic color extremely sensitive to light, white is actually very difficult to accurately recreate under the complex light sources of the exhibition hall.
Regarding the costume design this time, we chose pure white as the base tone, embellished with gold and silver accents respectively, attempting to create a complementary visual effect for the duo. The gold version on the left hand side takes a slightly stiffer silhouette line. The gold piping, bows, and the fan-shaped pleats of the skirt required me to gently pull down the hem with my hand while standing to achieve the best fit. The asymmetric lace patterns on the high white stockings and the golden ankle strap rings often caught on the shoes while walking, requiring constant downward attention.
The silver version on the right focuses on lightweight semi-transparent layered tulle. The silver thread outlining on the top paired with the plush-textured detachable sleeves provided an excellent visual softness during the shoot. When walking in the white chunky high-heeled boots across the somewhat dim floor tiles, one had to avoid uneven joints as much as possible, otherwise it would be very easy to sprain an ankle. Because the height difference between the two of us is relatively small, when posing in side-by-side or staggered positions, we needed to specifically control the angles to ensure that the proportions of the figures in the frame appeared natural enough, avoiding a top-heavy look. Meanwhile, to avoid distortion caused by the wide-angle lens stretching, the figures at the edges would stand closer to the center as much as possible, leaving a safe space for the primary positions.
The biggest challenge throughout the process was actually maintaining a relaxed sense in the poses. Much of convention photography likes to pursue stiff, rigid bodily freezes, but we leaned more toward doing static actions with a dynamic trend. For instance, lifting the skirt hem with one hand while tilting the body slightly, or lifting one leg to showcase the lines of the leg and ankle. For a cosplayer wearing such heavy dresses and high heels, they not only have to maintain physical balance but also need their facial expressions to be natural and relaxed, without showing signs of tightness due to exertion. At the same time, we had to cooperate with the distortion characteristics of the wide-angle lens: if standing too close to the lens, the lower body would be stretched enormously; if standing too far away, it would easily capture the surrounding photography light stands and passing tourists into the frame.
We chose a time slot with relatively less foot traffic during the exhibition and found an area where the lighting was dimmer but the overhead lights were neatly arranged. This way, when the flash fired, the intense frontal light source created high contrast against the dark tone of the background, stripping the figures away from the cluttered backdrop and making the gold and silver reflections along the costume edges clearer. When processing this silver-and-white paired image later, we specifically removed the yellow ambient light reflected onto the clothes, trying our best to maintain the original cool texture of white, ensuring that the white stockings and the colors of the shoes were prominent enough against the dark background.
This kind of dual-partner shooting tests mutual understanding the most. Every angle of raising a hand, every exchange of glances looking into the lens, and even the rhythm of breathing must be unified. Although standing or walking back and forth in the anime convention venue wearing such clothes is extremely exhausting and makes the shoulders, waist, and back very sore, the moment a satisfying frame is captured, all discomfort temporarily fades. In the intervals between shooting, we also needed to constantly tidy up our hair and headpieces, preventing hair strands from sticking to our faces due to large movements or being blown into messy edges by the wind.
Compared to many highly complex heavy armor pieces or complicated gorgeous long dresses, this relatively lightweight short skirt style actually brings certain limitations in standing and sitting postures. It doesn't like long skirts with petticoats that can spread out the hem; when shooting full-body angles, to display the transition between the waistline and the skirt hem, one often needs to keep the back extremely straight while opening the shoulder blades backward to prop up the garment's frame. Especially in the leg-lifting action, ensuring that the curvature of the skirt hem stops right at the base of the thigh to reveal enough of the leg line to balance the volume of the upper body requires the photographer to confirm repeatedly through the viewfinder.
In short, it was wonderful to have a good friend perform this combination with me at the exhibition venue. From the craftsmanship of this costume to the details of the worn effect, everything underwent repeated contemplation and adjustment. I also hope that through the presentation of these lenses, those who see this set of photos can feel the tacit coordination between the two of us and our compatibility with the character states.