While organizing my phone album, I stumbled upon this set of CP Convention photos. While the memories are still fresh, let's talk about the shooting process of this set of Photographic works. The focus of this shoot was that cool white skin texture and specular highlight reflections, as well as showcasing the lines of the legs.
The convention background was far too cluttered, full of bright white lights and moving crowds. The photographer went to great lengths to darken and suppress the background, placing high-power flashes directly towards me; though a bit dazzling, the resulting effect truly transformed the chaotic background into deep, moody dark tones.
The outfit itself had very stiff textures, especially that leather jacket, which, combined with the red pleated skirt and leg straps, made me break into a sweat just getting dressed properly. The most exhausting part was striking various poses on the floor to cooperate with the camera. Poses like kneeling, sitting, and stretching one leg straight were a real physical test under that tension, but I gritted my teeth and held out for the sake of flattering lines. This red-and-black palette look originally seemed quite cool and alluring, but when posing, it actually felt quite dynamic and lively.
Speaking of props, this blade also had noticeable weight. To hold it with one hand and convey a sharp, fierce intensity, my arm had to stay locked in a rigid pose. With many attendees coming and going, facial expressions had to be constantly adjusted to ensure a high yield of good shots.
Regarding the venue, conventions like CPSP are usually packed, so capturing clean compositions on the floor required seizing brief gaps. We chose a corner spot, making use of floor reflections. This outfit looked very photogenic from multiple angles—especially the waist cutouts and thigh straps paired with Martin boots, which looked slimming and elongating. During the shoot, hair and makeup were also crucial: red-eyed eye makeup paired with red headpieces stood out distinctly against the dark background.
From initial concept to finding a photographer, all the way to hair and makeup styling, every step was vital. Special thanks to the photographer for their patience—staying calm enough amidst such a noisy environment to obsess over details like the collar zipper position and the flow of the red skirt hem, which were key to elevating the photo quality.
Many friends who do cosplay experience body anxiety after shoots, but with the right angles and lighting, anyone can produce Photographic works with immense visual tension. The cross-legged sitting and single-leg extended compositions were finalized after repeated trials, as leaning back risked wardrobe malfunction and leaning forward lacked posture. I went back and forth for several rounds before capturing that sense of lightness.
When shooting Convention photos at an anime expo, passerby distractions are frequent; beyond relying on the photographer's guidance, getting into character quickly is essential. The trickiest part was the stiff reflective material of the skirt hem, which was hard to position when sitting on the floor and easily lost its shape without constant adjustment. In particular, the leg strap, being quite rigid, left marks on the leg after prolonged wear, but these were necessary sacrifices for the visual impact of the overall styling.
With the venue buzzing with noise, trying to maintain a cold, aloof aura amidst the clamor was a rather fascinating experience. Because of my tall build, the photographer specifically chose a low-angle shot, using the stretch of the wide-angle lens to not only make the legs look exceptionally long, but also elevate full-body proportions. Especially for the leg extension pose, pointing the toes straight was necessary to achieve fluid lines in the frame.
Doing cosplay is always demanding on energy and focus, but seeing the raw shots come out makes all the effort worthwhile. I hope to have such great venues and lighting coordination again. This photoset represents my visual interpretation of this Arknights character—from the ruggedness of the leather jacket to the bold flair of the red accessories, striving to align with the character's aura.
The camera composition for this shoot was rigorous, avoiding cutting off natural contours while controlling lens distortion well. Capturing such clean frames in a convention environment relies heavily on gear advantages and the photographer's solid fundamentals. Through this set, I also learned more techniques on showcasing body strengths on camera.
There was actually a small episode: because the blade was long, I almost brushed past someone while turning around—reminding everyone to be extra cautious with long props in convention halls! I'm very satisfied with this photoset: natural posture, with both razor sharpness and elegance captured. Recording these thoughts serves as a personal memento.