[Youmu Konpaku cosplay] The Half-Phantom Gardener's Red Umbrella and Dual Blades

Overhead venue lights cast cool white shadows across the hall, making my white wig reflect very cleanly under the illumination. This cosplay styling is based on Youmu Konpaku cosplay from Touhou Project, featuring short white hair with straight bangs paired with a black ribbon bow on top—this black-and-white contrast forms the character's visual core.

Many detail considerations were put into the attire. The upper body is modified Japanese-style clothing in white, with sleeves stitched from semi-transparent lake-blue fabric that naturally sways when walking. A wide black obi corset at the waist raises the waistline, effectively accentuating the lower green puffy skirt to look even more dramatic. Thick white lace petticoats hidden under the skirt support a full, voluminous curve. To break monochrome monotony, large bright red and blue silk flowers are sewn onto the skirt hem, accompanied by a sturdy white skull accessory on the side waist and hanging red cords below, creating a highly intricate and eye-catching waist setup.

Switching between the two prop setups was very interesting. The first was a red oil-paper umbrella whose vivid red created strong visual impact under the venue's cool overhead lights. However, holding the umbrella up for a long time made my arms genuinely sore. The second set featured dual blades; the blades were quite long, and most uniquely, the tip was decorated with a mini skull and white silk flowers. Carrying them required constant attention to blade orientation to avoid accidentally poking passersby or my photographer.

I really loved the perspective chosen by the photographer in this Convention photography session. Since the lower green skirt was voluminous enough, paired with black-and-white checkered platform geta shoes and red-and-white lace socks, the visual center of gravity was already raised. Thus, the photographer used an extreme low-angle shot. While this low camera angle maximized leg proportions and enhanced overall visual dominance and aura, it severely tested my lower-body stability; my thigh muscles were secretly working hard to stay upright and maintain balance during shooting.

Venue lighting was actually quite messy, with booth lights and overhead spotlights creating cluttered shadows. However, during post-processing, we applied Cool-toned photo retouching with gray undertones, which actually enhanced the set's premium texture. Paired with intense splashes of red across the skirt and umbrella, the contrast between cold and warm blended the elements of "life" (blooming flowers) and "death" (skulls) with dramatic tension.

During the shoot, we constantly dealt with convention mishaps, such as ruffled wigs or cords catching on scabbards or clothes. Carrying hairspray, I touched up during breaks to maintain peak condition before the lens. This is a common "painfully joyful" experience when cosplaying heavy, detailed characters.

Though walking all day in heavy platform shoes and layers was exhausting, looking at final shots in the camera—the red umbrella's elegance, the dual blades' lethal sharpness, and the cool yet empowering state—made everything feel completely worthwhile. TFP photography truly tests mutual rhythm and chemistry; this collaboration was smooth throughout, precisely capturing that "chilly sharpness" I wanted to convey. Huge thanks to the photographer, and I hope for more solid Convention photography collaborations in the future.