The convention floor photos from the National Day Arknights-only expo are finally all sorted! This time, my partner and I teamed up to cosplay Eblana x Reed and Arknights Iffan from Arknights. From upfront preparation to on-site shooting, although the entire process was packed and demanding, seeing the final cuts made every bit of hard work worthwhile. The thematic anchor for this shoot was set on 'Dance with Me,' so we dedicated substantial thought to posing choreography and mutual interactivity to cultivate palpable dual tension.
Let me start with my white gown look. To align with the persona of Eblana x Reed, I intentionally selected a white slip maxi dress with subtle luster, pairing it with brown sleeves and a black leather corset to craft a sharp visual clash. The golden horned headpiece was custom-crafted by an artisan; to faithfully reproduce that tactile textured finish, multiple gradient coats were applied to the surface. The most challenging element during shooting was that colossal, ornate staff: adorned with metallic starlight filigree, cascading orange ribbons, and specialized cards, its forward-heavy balance demanded considerable physical stamina just to hold upright. However, the half-body portrait in Photo 3 is my absolute favorite: the photographer caught a sliver of overhead rim lighting that etched crisp demarcations across the golden wig, lily blossoms, and collarbones, instantly elevating visual texture to its peak.
My partner's styling leaned into an alternating monochrome aesthetic. Sharp, pointed black horns paired with cascading blonde waves naturally projected a piercing, commanding presence. The chest of her white coat was adorned with an intricate black spine-like motif; to ensure the pattern wouldn't collapse during takes, we reinforced the garment lining with stiff buckram. The black polearm blade in her grip looked thoroughly menacing, yet was actually constructed from ultra-lightweight materials. Wielding a dark semi-translucent luminous panel while standing shoulder-to-shoulder with drawn weapons in Photo 5 created a vivid, striking juxtaposition of black and white.
The hand collage in Photo 1 was an impromptu burst of inspiration: with me wearing long black gloves and her sporting purple-trimmed white ruffled cuffs, our fingertips hovered just shy of touching in the moody low light; later, we placed a white rose against the fabric over the chest to capture this macro close-up. The fantastical backdrop in Photo 2 utilized a purple-and-black cyclorama found on-site, coupled with the photographer's post-production compositing, giving the appearance of standing atop a gothic terrace. The National Day convention hall was packed shoulder-to-shoulder, and being able to compose and pull off these shots within such limited space is entirely thanks to our photographer and logistical support team.
This floor set also doubles as a birthday tribute to my dear friend—wishing her the happiest birthday! The process of huddling together to rehearse poses, fix wigs, and dial in prop nuances felt like an immersive co-creation in its own right. From textile selection and prop prototyping to on-site lighting mastery, homework was done at every turn. Stripped of unnecessary pretension, our sole intent was to ground our shared joy and character immersion authentically into every single finished frame.