[2B and Hatsune Miku Cosplay] My Photography Journey: 2017 Guangzhou YACA Comic Con

Opening this set of photos taken on May 1, 2017, at the Guangzhou YACA Comic Con, it was a record when I just got my first DSLR, the Pentax K-S2, and the Star 55 lens. As a complete novice in anime photography, I knew almost nothing about parameters and lighting. I only knew to aim the lens at cosplayers wearing gorgeous costumes and excitedly press the shutter. Looking back now, the compositions back then were all uniform half-body close-ups, with background blur completely carried by a large aperture. The frame was tightly packed with the subject, with almost no environmental context. Although the shooting method was so clumsy it was somewhat cute, these straightforward freezes unexpectedly preserved the most authentic air, light, and shadow of that May Day comic con. There was no over-editing or exquisite composition, only the passion and focus when I first held a camera.

Back then, I didn't deliberately pursue so-called perfect Convention photos; I was purely attracted by the character designs themselves. For example, that 2B cosplay from NieR:Automata holding a katana and wearing a black blindfold—her pure white short hair and black dress, set off by the natural light from the window, presented a clean and cold quality. And that Vocaloid Hatsune Miku cosplay with mint-green twin-tails, holding a rabbit plushie standing in the convention corridor, with clear and quiet eyes and a relaxed posture. Although these frames look a bit immature now, the sense of sincerity conveyed between the person and the outfit is precisely what is hard to recreate in many highly-edited blockbusters nowadays. The crowd at the Guangzhou YACA Comic Con that day was very dense. To get uninterrupted shots, I often had to weave through various booths carrying the heavy camera body and lens. Although my back and shoulders ached, my heart was filled with pure joy.

Time flies, and 9 years have passed in a flash. Today, 9 years later, I might have upgraded to more professional equipment and learned to consider depth of field, light and shadow scheduling, and harmony with the scene. But when I look at these images that resemble yellowed memories, what I miss most is not the quality of the technique, but myself who was willing to carry a Pentax through the crowds and dare to communicate for a shoot. This year, if there are still mentors, friends, or cosplayers who maintained this original intention and are willing to cooperate with me, even if we just happen to cross paths in some corner of a convention, I really want to aim the shutter at you again. The meaning of photography is probably just that—time can be looked back upon, and those shining days of the past can be frozen into tangible photos, which can still be savored many years later.

I used to think that taking beautiful photos was the destination, but now I slowly feel that capturing the favorite characters and that frame of mind is what a camera should do most. The lighting at convention venues is always changing, and capturing satisfying moments requires immense patience and observation. I am very grateful that during that initial period of ignorance, the Star 55 lens helped me retain so many beautiful materials. Today, although the competition in anime photography has become increasingly intense, with props and scenes becoming more sophisticated, I always believe that the true soul in the lens lies in the harmony between the cosplayer and the character, as well as the naturally flowing texture. These six old photos from 2017, despite their limitations in composition, still retain authentic emotions whether in makeup styling or the character's gestures. 9 years later, if anyone is willing to let me reshoot a session, rather than rigidly replicating reference images, I hope to capture the atmospheric moments where the person and the character merge together. Looking back at the past is not to nitpick with today's eyes, but to remind myself never to forget the simple joy when first pressing the shutter. This set of photos has no fancy post-processing, mostly a spontaneous restoration of the natural light at the convention venue. If we are destined to meet again at a convention in 2026, I will bring the experience and love accumulated over these 9 years to freeze even more memorable images.