[Kafka Cosplay] Honkai: Star Rail — CICF Expo Convention Photos Sharing

The Cosplay convention photos from Day 2 of CICF Expo are finally organized! Photographer Black Swan put so much effort into shooting this. The silver reflective background constructed at the venue, paired with purple laser lights, maxed out the atmosphere, matching my Kafka techwear outfit perfectly.

Let's start with the clothing. The white stand-collar shirt has a very clean cut with structured fabric that doesn't wrinkle easily, maintaining its shape even when pushing through crowds at the hall. The outer black vest features spliced leather, and its shoulder and waist line designs reproduce the character's sleek yet slightly dangerous aura. The purplish-red fabric strip at the waist is a finishing touch, adding a flowing quality that looks vibrant in dynamic snapshots. For the lower half, I specially chose dark leather shorts paired with wine-red tights to create a stocking outfit. The semi-translucent texture takes on a subtle sheen under venue lights, and the tights have great elasticity, avoiding digging into the skin when squatting or raising legs. The purple thigh straps and metal buckles were also reinforced, staying securely in place after repeated adjustments.

The high-heeled boots were the most challenging part in terms of foot comfort, as I had to walk a lot all day at the expo. But to restore the slender leg proportions in the character design, I persevered. The classic white cross-straps design on the boot shafts sways lightly while walking, looking visually lively. As for props, the white handgun and black submachine gun were custom-made by a studio; the matte surface finish, moderate weight, and detailed carved lines and cooling slots provide a stable center of gravity when posing.

During this shoot, we tried several different camera angles. The first photo shows a forward-leaning posture holding the gun with a low center of gravity, using laser lines as foreground guides to focus visual attention on the gun barrel and my gaze. The third photo—a dynamic snapshot with one leg raised—is my personal favorite because it caught the moment the coat hem fluttered, while the translucency of the stockings remains crisp under backlighting, extending leg lines seamlessly down to the boots in a very balanced composition. The fourth pose with crossed dual guns leans more toward showing the character's calm and unhurried control, with arm and shoulder angles aligning just right. The final high-angle top-down shot pairs the tablet prop with firearms, simulating a tactical operation scenario.

Honestly, lighting at convention venues is extremely messy, with high-power spotlights overhead and multicolored ambient lights on the floor, making color bleed or harsh shadows very common during shoots. But photographer Black Swan made great use of location light sources, deliberately boosting backlighting positions to create beautiful rim lighting along hair edges and glove fabrics. Post-processing avoided over-smoothing, preserving natural skin textures that fit better with battle-worn styling. The overall tone maintains a contrast between cool white and purplish-red, looking tasteful while highlighting the character's signature color scheme.

The CICF Expo venue was huge and crowded, so being able to capture this photo set within limited space makes me deeply grateful for the photographer's patience. Navigating around passersby for every pose while ensuring props didn't hit anyone was tiring, but seeing the final photos made all the effort worth it. From wig trimming to accessory fixing, preparing this Kafka look took quite a while; recording its full presentation on camera at an anime convention is a deeply rewarding achievement in itself.