Let's dive straight into sharing these Convention photos from the CICF expo! This time I cosplayed the Xiao Yu Da Wang edition of the Open Source Girl. Recreating this character took quite a bit of thought regarding styling and makeup. First was the wig: this silver-white twin-tail wig not only featured long braids but also had two fluffy ears on top. Managing it was quite challenging; to keep it smooth and voluminous, I spent a lot of time styling it repeatedly with hairspray. Next, to stay faithful to the design, I chose round black-rimmed glasses paired with blue colored contact lenses, which yielded a very satisfying look.
As for the outfit, it was a sweet pink ruffle dress with a black-and-white puppy motif on the chest. The visual centerpiece was the over-the-knee White stockings, a favorite styling element among many 2D enthusiasts. To showcase this look, an esports gaming room was specially chosen as the shooting backdrop, complete with an RTX 5070 box and a gaming chair on display, enhancing the gamer-girl aesthetic. Posing was quite relaxed—such as resting legs on the desk or curling up in the chair playing mobile games—capturing a casual, slightly playful slice-of-life feel while accentuating the White stockings and leg contours.
Later, I switched into a pure white pajama-style dress and took some cozy duo photos with my partner in a pink bedroom. This Xiao Yu Da Wang edition of the Open Source Girl carries its own quirky playfulness, which I really wanted to express. The atmosphere at the convention was fantastic, meeting so many fellow 2D culture enthusiasts. During retouching, I fine-tuned the lighting and skin textures, giving the White stockings an especially translucent quality. The shoot was wonderful—not only did I immerse myself in the character's charm, but I also explored shooting across different settings. The Open Source Girl is a very unique project, and having people discover it at CICF was amazing; this Open Source Universe version is packed with infinite possibilities. Finally, huge thanks to the photographer for catching these moments—whether raising a fist saying "don't mess with me" or sitting sideways on the chair deep in thought, I was very pleased with the fidelity.
Adding a few technical notes and thoughts on the shoot: the lighting was carefully balanced, mainly utilizing warm and cool light contrasts in the room. The cool backdrop contrasted with the warm pink outfit, giving the subject greater dimensional depth. For the pairing of White stockings and the pink dress, post-color grading deliberately enhanced translucency to preserve delicate details without blowing out highlights, all while retaining a youthful aesthetic. The twin-tail wig was quite heavy, so I had to be cautious when shifting poses to avoid flattening it. The kneeling pose on the gaming chair highlighted the layered contrast between the stockings and skirt. In the subsequent shots resting legs across the desk, stretching the legs long required considerable flexibility; my toes were tensed throughout, but thankfully the final shots looked completely natural. The bedroom set captured a softer side of the character, with the white lace dress providing an innocent contrast to the liveliness of the gaming room—a dynamic range I personally love.
Wrapping up the shoot was exhausting, but seeing the final photos made every effort worthwhile. Choosing this outfit was not only for aesthetics, but also to bring vibrant energy to an event like CICF. The makeup was kept relatively light and fresh, matching the cheeky, playful glance directed at the camera for this version of the character. Some say glasses and White stockings are the soul of the look, and I deliberately highlighted those elements. The black-rimmed glasses framed the face while adding an intellectual touch, while the White stockings visually lengthened the body proportions. In the gaming chair shots, leaning casually with a controller or phone made it feel like an authentic candid snapshot of a gamer girl at her desk, which often carries more charm than rigid posing. As for the duo shots, though intimate in posture, they followed pre-planned compositions to weave an engaging narrative between the two Open Source Girls. That wraps up this recap, and I hope everyone can feel the joy and passion from the photos!