[Rei Ayanami cosplay] Taking Convention photos Under the Lunar Glow of Neon Genesis Evangelion

Bringing a handcrafted giant moon light to the convention for Convention photos was definitely hard physical work, but it produced stunning results. At the Beijing IDO convention on July 19th, I cosplayed Rei Ayanami from Neon Genesis Evangelion. To match the character's serene, aloof nature as closely as possible, I chose white bandages and a pure white strapless minidress for the costume details, paired with giant white feather wings on my back. To add more atmosphere to the photos, the photographer and I prepared that massive luminous disc prop in advance. The lighting at the convention was very messy and crowded; without actively controlling the light source, the background could easily become cluttered. So we used that huge disc as the primary backlight, using its strong illumination behind me to suppress the ambient surroundings into darkness. Combined with the floor reflections on-site, it created a solitary feeling of being enveloped by a massive light source in a dim setting. During the shoot, I avoided the typical lively posing seen at conventions. Rei Ayanami's personality is introverted, so the photos primarily feature quiet seated and standing poses. In the first photo, I sat on a black stool looking down at the black bird in my hands, aiming to add depth through black-and-white contrast. In the second photo, sitting cross-legged on the floor looking straight into the lens utilized the reflective floor area to enhance visual extension. The standing photos were meant to better showcase the design of this outfit. Because carrying wings and moon props around the convention was very inconvenient—prone to bumping into people and constantly requiring us to dodge background clutter—we didn't actually take too many shots. Yet getting a set of pure, translucent Convention photos made all the prior hardship worthwhile. To ensure the clarity and transparency of the images, the photographer put a lot of thought into Anime-style photography lighting; pure white clothing and feathers easily blow out when backlit, requiring multiple calibration adjustments. Throughout the shoot, I also did my best to maintain the character's spirit, completing every shot in a fully immersed state. I hope this simple, pure visual impression is well recorded. Creating the envisioned light and shadow effects with handcrafted props was a truly wonderful convention experience.