[Komeiji Koishi Cosplay] Touhou Project Convention Photos: Waiting for the Photographer's Final Edits

The shutter sounds echoed non-stop across the convention hall. Right after wrapping up a set of convention photos, I organized a few behind-the-scenes snapshots. It will still take a couple of days to wait for the photographer's retouched edits. Today I visited several booths, wandering from Hall 3 all the way to Hall 4.1. Although walking on the concrete floor was a bit tiring, the lighting was clear and transparent enough, making it a great shooting environment for convention photos.

A lot of thought went into this anime cosplay outfit. The bluish-green wig paired with a black top hat created a striking color contrast against the beige top and dark green paneled skirt. The black lace and gold trim along the hem gave the overall look depth without feeling overly heavy. The most notable detail was the blue-and-pink cord prop wrapped around my arm. I initially thought it would be lightweight, but during the shoot, I had to control my movements precisely to keep the cords from tangling. Fortunately, the final effect matched my expectations—the natural drape of the cords compensated for any potential stiffness in standing poses.

Doing a cosplay with props like this is always a test of chemistry between the photographer and me in front of the lens. For this shoot, the photographer brought a large softbox with a honeycomb grid on a sturdy light stand, keeping the light source very stable even as I moved around in the venue. While chatting on-site, we noted that the convention hall floor can be glare-heavy or dusty, so we temporarily placed a small piece of silver reflective foil on the concrete ground. The shot in Photo 4, where I turn my back to fix my hat, was captured while standing on that foil. It helped me stand firmly while softly bouncing fill light from the floor—a super practical, down-to-earth lighting trick.

Waiting around at the convention, what made me happiest was capturing some natural moments—like the relaxed feel when sitting on a folding stool to rest, or kneeling on a white plush round rug with hands clasped in a playful pose. These unforced, candid vibes are often much more vivid than posed shots. With people coming and going at the convention, activity at nearby booths and passing attendees served as great background elements, giving the images a storytelling feel.

Since I personally dislike overly dramatic or heavy editing, my communication with the photographer was focused on preserving the crisp, clear feel of the scene, capturing details like the fabric texture, black over-the-knee stockings, and the sheen of the shoes. Right now, I only have these unedited, raw behind-the-scenes photos. Although the face stickers mask some facial details, the overall quality of the costume and props shines through from this perspective. After waiting a few days for the photographer to send over the retouched edits, there should be a more complete and refined final set. Despite minor lighting hiccups mid-shoot, finding reflective boards and adjusting light stands on the spot was part of the fun. I really enjoyed this professional and pleasant collaboration and look forward to booking such a great photographer partner at the next anime convention.