The Convention photos from the TCD convention on July 28 are finally organized, shot in collaboration with photographer General Da Da Guai. The temperature was high that day with heavy foot traffic inside the exhibition hall, so getting these Convention photos wasn't easy.
The character this time is Rem, with the Maid outfit featuring lots of lace, ruffles, and an apron. I also spent considerable effort preparing the light blue wig and makeup details, especially the eye makeup and colored contacts. Dressing in this costume was actually quite tedious; adjusting the inner corset and outer apron alone took a long time. To ensure it didn't sag on camera, I repeatedly secured it with clips and pins before leaving. The light blue hair color is very sensitive to light; to keep the wig from looking like plastic, we looked for spots with better natural light in the hall to make the sheen look natural. The eye makeup details couldn't be overlooked either—the cross marks on both sides of the cheeks are the character's soul. Although my cheeks got a little red from applying them, it was totally worth it for the fidelity. The faux-translucent White stockings easily get dirty at anime conventions because people step on them in crowded areas, so I had to dodge carefully while walking.
In particular, those black chunky-heeled round-toe shoes—while good-looking, they were really heavy to walk in, and my soles and ankles were practically supported by sheer willpower. Every time I squatted or sat down and stood back up, I had to pause a moment to steady myself.
The White stockings paired with black chunky-heeled round-toe shoes had great proportions, but moving around at the convention was exhausting. With heels on the higher side, my ankles ached quite a bit by the end of the day. The shoot involved finding gaps in the crowd. General Da Da Guai is great at dynamic snapshots, guiding me to naturally turn around, lift my skirt, and sit down in the aisles. The seated pose in Photo 4 was struck when I felt too tired to stand and rested on the floor—the photographer asked for a pose, and it unexpectedly turned out great, nicely showcasing the leg lines and layered depth of the overall Maid outfit. I originally just felt tired after standing all day in heels, but the photographer found the perfect angle, crouching down to shoot: the White stockings looked pristine against the black skirt, and paired with the chunky-heeled platform shoes, the leg proportions looked fantastic. Such natural candid shots often feel far better than forced poses.
The exhibition hall was sweltering, so I had to touch up my makeup much more frequently, carrying plenty of setting powder and blotting paper to keep it clean. To capture the character's charm, I practiced expressions in the mirror many times, including subtle gaze shifts. Jumping or turning while holding the skirt hem, I could feel the friction of the White stockings fabric—it felt very authentic. Sometimes I also had to accommodate passersby requesting photos, having to seize every second for shooting. Though physically exhausted, hearing photographers praise the costume details or seeing passersby recognize the character with pleasant surprise made all the hard work worthwhile.
As a cosplayer, I've always believed that Convention photos best convey authenticity. Maintaining a good condition in a crowded venue isn't easy, and I'm very grateful for the photographer's patient guidance in finding great lighting and angles. Though sweat smudged the makeup slightly and the wig got a bit messy from the crowds, this is the truest record of a convention. Whether it's the hemline lace revealed when lifting the skirt or the relaxed seated posture resting on the floor, everything reflected the texture of this Maid outfit from Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-. I hope to shoot more high-quality Convention photos in such lively atmospheres in the future, recording every meticulously prepared character.