Day 2 of CPG08 was dedicated to shooting Prinz Moritz from Azur Lane. The shoot was quite eventful: midway through, the connecting joint of my trident prop snapped completely. My heart sank knowing we couldn't capture the full range of action poses, hence the prop mishap apology.
Regarding the outfit details: it features bold color blocking with black and bright pink, capturing that classic Gothic little devil aesthetic. To match the design, the lower half paired sheer black stockings with buckled platform Mary Jane shoes, accented by thigh straps and cross pendants to sharply elongate leg lines. The skirt consists of layered black lace over a pink lining. On top, black puff sleeves are adorned with pink bows, complemented by a heart-shaped chest cutout with pink inner lining. A silver cross necklace, long pink gloves, massive black-and-pink bat wings, and an eyepatch with a red demon eye graphic complete the dark-cute look. The wig was long straight black hair with bright pink fringe highlights, which, paired with red eye shadow and crimson contacts, channeled a subtle, melancholic underground idol vibe.
Due to the broken prop, we adapted our posing strategy. The full-body standing shot was captured early on, holding the trident horizontally with crossed hands and a wide stance to highlight the black stockings and tiered skirt. Squatting shots relied on low angles and prop support to emphasize facial expressions and the eye patch. In particular, the final backlit squatting shot captured natural lens flares for incredible ambiance. Half-body frames were calibrated to accentuate the long pink gloves and heart-shaped cutout.
Framing clean shots amid dense convention crowds was a true test of the photographer's skill, and I'm deeply grateful for the delivered convention photos. The takeaway for next time is to rigorously test large props beforehand. Despite the prop mishap, the lighting and mood of the completed photos left few regrets, and I hope to bring this look back for a complete shoot in the future.