[Convention Photos] Moments of Light, Shadow, and Smoke at Campus Dimension Night

Late May in Chongqing already felt very much like summer, with humid air clinging to the skin. Taking advantage of the Chongqing University Yiyao Anime Club Dimension Night on May 31st, I brought a set of gear I had prepared for a long time to shoot some convention photos on site. My schedule on the event day was indeed quite tight because I had other arrangements in the afternoon; as soon as it wrapped up here, I caught a taxi back in a hurry. The whole process was quite fast-paced, but fortunately, I made it in time and didn't miss anything.

In the past, most of my cosplay shoots took place in convention halls with complex lighting or in pre-booked professional studios. This was my first time stepping into an event hosted by a university anime club. To be honest, I felt a bit nervous before setting off, worried about whether a campus venue could yield the depth and atmospheric shots I envisioned. But once on site, I realized those worries were unfounded. The hallway corridor originally had cool-toned tiled walls, with lighting dominated by cool white overhead sources. Precisely because of this slightly industrial and monotonous background, it provided plenty of room for creative expression for both myself and the photographer.

When I changed into my first red-and-black outfit, that striking color contrast immediately popped against the dark tiled wall. A crouching posture nicely displayed the layered hemline and leg contours, and the photographer collaborated with me to hold that profile pose, capturing several very clean base shots. Moving deeper into the venue, we used the smoke pellets prepared in advance. As someone who used to lay down smoke too thick or scattered, I deliberately adjusted my technique this time, concentrating the smoke mostly around the head and back area. The result exceeded expectations—blue-toned cold light piercing through the smoke texture instantly filled the shots with storytelling depth.

The second black-and-white outfit looked even sharper against the misty backdrop. The black long umbrella served not just as a prop, but as a visual anchor stabilizing the composition. Squatting down, I held the umbrella handle, lowered my center of gravity, and met the camera lens at eye level while surrounding swirling smoke enhanced a subtly mysterious atmosphere. Quite a few curious students had gathered around at that moment, but they tacitly kept quiet the instant the shutter clicked; such kindness and support from peers made the Portrait photography process wonderfully effortless.

The third and fourth outfits showcased completely different styles. One was a gorgeous, dreamlike light-blue tulle dress paired with intricate braids and a crescent gold headpiece. Since this outfit's skirt was very voluminous, I chose a look-back posture from behind, showcasing the backless design and sheer lightness of the tulle. Capturing that fleeting eye contact required makeup coordination; specially emphasized eye makeup looked vibrant before the lens.

The final cyan-blue twintail look yielded my most dynamic shot of the day. Metallic silver surface materials on the outfit reflected wonderful luster under ambient lighting. To capture that hair-flipping moment perfectly, the photographer and I went through three or four trial runs. Kneeling on one knee, I listened to the photographer's countdown and vigorously tossed my pigtails toward the back right as the shutter pressed. Because my hair was long and thick, a poorly controlled trajectory could have turned into a messy blur, but fortunately, the final frame captured a perfect, sweeping arc of flying hair frozen in time.

The pace of this rushed shoot was indeed fast; from entering campus to finishing four outfits, not much time was allocated to each look. Yet precisely because preparation was thorough—clothing and wig styling were sorted ahead of time—we completed changing, positioning, and shooting within limited time. Though tight, both the photographer and I were thrilled with the final output. Those hurried footsteps left on campus while rushing now turn into quite a fun memory when looking back at these pictures.

Beyond taking photos, I soaked in the atmosphere while passing through activity areas. Stage performances set the rhythm for the crowd below, while doujin stalls in the roadshow area were packed with handcrafted merch and figures, all radiating energy and enthusiasm. This genuine offline interaction is probably one of the aspects of cosplay events that touches me most. Joining the Yiyao Anime Club event this time, while lacking a full day for deep immersion, proved completely worthwhile with these satisfying Convention photo results captured on a tight schedule. Looking forward to the next opportunity to join a campus convention with such a comfortable pace and pure vibe.