Convention photos from Beijing IJOY in October are finally ready! This time I cosplayed A2 from NieR:Automata, and there are plenty of preparation and shooting details worth sharing.
For A2's outfit, the biggest hurdle was controlling highlight reflections on patent leather under intense lighting. Both the outfit and long gloves feature glossy black leather, so harsh lighting or ambient glare easily causes blown-out highlights, heavily compromising texture quality. The lighting at the convention venue was quite messy, with overhead fixtures and nearby booth lights everywhere. Luckily, the photographer's Canon R5 Mark II paired with the RF 85mm f/1.2 lens offered exceptional latitude under complex lighting.
The custom-made prop sword in my hands was moderately weighted—not too exhausting to hold up during photos, though executing crisp, sharp actions still required good arm control. The pose in Photo 1 where I hold the sword single-handedly while leaning back heavily tested core strength; I also had to keep my facial expression composed rather than strained from exertion. Photo 2 is a full-body shot; the venue's overhead lights produced gorgeous bokeh in the background that day, where the 85mm prime's creamy background blur smoothed away venue clutter and pulled visual focus entirely onto the character.
When selecting photos, I was especially fond of Photo 3's pose—kneeling on one knee while leaning on the sword. This angle beautifully sculpted A2's leg contours and Black stockings cosplay details, while the wide aperture clearly captured sharp focus in my eyes. Given how crowded conventions get, finding a clean framing angle wasn't easy, so kudos to the photographer for timely snapshot timing. Paired with asymmetrical black stockings, boots, and a silver-white wig, the high-contrast black-and-white visual turned plenty of heads on site.
Beijing in October was already quite chilly; although the venue had heating, maintaining clean outfit silhouettes meant enduring the cold in this thin patent leather gear. That's the essence of cosplay—especially when sharp action requires precise control over costume folds and deformation. We communicated our desired pose catalog before shooting, and by the end, my waist and knees were quite sore. But seeing the final render—especially the fine strands of hair and subtle patent leather textures rendered by the R5 Mark II's high resolution—made all the effort feel completely worthwhile.
Many photographers prefer wide or standard focal lengths for convention photos, but an 85mm prime paired with portrait optimization offers massive advantages—isolating working distance to avoid background distractions while maintaining atmospheric depth. These Beijing IJOY convention photos, though shot on location at a busy event, ultimately captured a character persona that closely mirrors the original NieR:Automata setting.