[Astra Yao Cosplay] The Radiant Starlight of New Eridu in Zenless Zone Zero

The convention photos from the Jinling Youth Culture Expo are finally sorted out! This time, I shot as Astra Yao from Zenless Zone Zero inside the exhibition hall. To recreate this character's iconic presence, the entire makeup and styling were adjusted repeatedly before the event. The indoor venue at the Jinling Expo provided a dim environment and overhead lighting that created a wonderful contrast for shooting, yielding a final texture very close to what I envisioned. Special thanks to photographer Chayu for adapting flexibly and delivering precise snapshots on-site.

Speaking of this look, the most thought-out parts were the fabric selection and detail restoration. The upper body features a glossy leather corset; this material reflects light beautifully under venue lamps, though it is famously difficult to maintain, requiring a stiff posture all day to ensure smooth, wrinkle-free photo quality. The pearl necklace running from the neckline across the chest and the dark blue bow tie serve as the soul of this design. White puffy sleeves are paired with golden straps and bows, with sleeve ruffles echoing the white lace skirt hem below, naturally bringing a gorgeous and refined stage presence. Although these are Cosplay convention photos, they strictly reference original settings to preserve the costume profile, especially using strong black, white, and blue color contrasts to match her identity as a New Eridu diva.

Regarding leg accessories, the pearl leg ring was a detail requiring precise placement. The combination of white pearls and tiny stars shone exceptionally bright in the venue's dim lighting. Paired with black glossy platform heels and pearl wrist/ankle strands, it visually elongated leg proportions while boosting the vintage glam atmosphere. Convention photography environments inherently have limitations with surrounding passersby or other booths, so capturing such clean, focused compositions truly relied on photographer Chayu's snapshot skills.

As for props, the golden star staff was essential for completing the vibe. The top of the staff adopts an intricate ring design embedding a clear sphere, where metallic textures and complex patterns pop with magnificent luxury under studio-style lighting. Looking at the photos, whether sitting or standing, this prop offers a strong visual focus. Sitting on the black bar stool especially, utilizing the staff and naturally crossed legs built a wonderful visual balance. Standing with raised or extended hands fully displayed the airy volume of the sleeves.

In cosplay, creating a magnificent stage presence within studio or indoor convention halls requires not just outfits, makeup, and props, but seamless coordination between photography and post-processing. Photos featuring dim backgrounds with highlight accents particularly demand harmonious lighting. We captured several pose series during the session; when seated, crossing the staff while guiding arm postures created a rich narrative feel. The tight convention schedule unfortunately limited full-body dynamic shots, but the current static seated and half-body photos capture the character's disposition beautifully.

From initial makeup tests to this practice at the Jinling Youth Culture Expo, despite lighting limitations in the venue, I am personally quite satisfied with the outcome. Venue lighting was complex, so we moved repeatedly between points to find a balance between backlighting and highlights. The golden staff easily overexposed under strong light, requiring careful exposure control from the photographer to retain metallic textures without losing gloss. The makeup received special treatment too: to match her unique eye shape, purple-red contact lenses were paired with a cool-toned base for an otherworldly stage feel. Custom false eyelashes followed the original eyeliner trajectory to add eye depth. Constant outfit adjustments were needed between takes, as glossy leather and white lace wrinkle or stain easily, making it essential to flatten fabric edges before every pose adjustment—a tedious yet vital detail in convention shoots.

The weight of the staff and the restriction of the costume gave way to a grounded sense of fulfillment once shooting wrapped up. Truly restoring an ACG Cosplayer character requires step-by-step attention to detail, immersing oneself into every element rather than just putting on clothing, which is the ultimate joy of cosplay for me. I truly love this set of convention photos from the Jinling Youth Culture Expo.