Bringing my equipment back from the dry climate of Xinjiang, the first thing I did upon landing in Chongqing was to organize the finished photoshoots on my hard drive. Although this westward journey allowed me to capture many scenes different from Chongqing's mountains and rivers, my mind was still thinking about how our local terrains, light, and shadows could be combined with favorite characters. Flipping through my previous sample pictures, especially that set by the armored vehicle and the scenes in the classroom, I feel there's massive room for creative play.
Posting this set of images is not just to share the milestone results, but more importantly, to seriously look for a few partners who love photography. Let me formally introduce my hardware foundation first: my primary body is a Nikon Z6II, paired with two heavy-duty working lenses, the Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S and the Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S. Whether it's the compression of grand scenes or half-body close-ups, they can provide a very solid guarantee for the finished photos. I officially entered the loop of Cosplay collaboration (TFP) in 2021; counting down, my total volume of finished photo sets has broken past 100 sets. I've been through the pitfalls that one should go through, and accumulated a good amount of the necessary aesthetics and experience.
As for my personal status, I'm the type of photographer who keeps things hassle-free for cosplayers. My relationship status is highly stable, and usually, apart from shooting, I'm just editing photos. I have strong social boundaries and won't forcefully act familiar or make inappropriate jokes. Regarding communication, I favor open speaking; we're all here to make the photos look beautiful. Talking through the settings, reference images, and zone lighting plans during early preparation is far more efficient than guessing or blind fumbling on set. Although the equipment is fully sufficient, my principle has always been: "Don't compete over equipment, compete over the combination of scenes with costumes, makeup, and props."
Returning to Chongqing this time, I primarily want to heavily shoot a few sets of Arknights cosplay, Blue Archive cosplay, and Endfield photoshoots. The art styles of these IPs have exceptionally high recognition and are highly demanding regarding backgrounds and lighting, which happens to be exactly where my strengths lie. Whether utilizing abandoned overpasses with urban cyberpunk elements, real wild outdoor environments suitable for wasteland styles, or retro-tech blended lighting studios, I possess corresponding execution experience and case studies. I currently have a few storyboard brainwaves stored up regarding specific character scenes from these titles, just waiting for cosplayers with solid costumes, makeup, and props to fill up the hard drive.
I play these games myself, so when you chat about a character's background, personality, or even some niche settings, I can absolutely catch on without any worry of communication gaps. My preference also leans towards clean, slightly dynamic natural snapshots; I dislike excessive posing and love capturing the resonance between the cosplayer and the character. Since I have also cosplayed many characters myself, I know exactly where the physical exertion points are and how to catch the eyes to make the frame infectious, allowing me to guide postures beautifully from a cosplayer's perspective.
For my partners, my expectations are simple yet demanding. I hope you already possess complete capabilities in costumes, makeup, and props along with at least a few experiences in finished photo shoots, knowing your character inside out and clearly understanding your strengths. I dislike last-minute rushed assembly; costumes, makeup, and props form the very first lifeline of a finished photo—as long as the early preparation is solid enough, photography and post-production are simply icing on the cake.
When I initiate an invitation, I will explain the storyboards and lighting expectations clearly. You only need to bring your character's state to perform on set, and leave the rest of the light, shadow, and composition to me. Schedules can be arranged immediately upon my return to Chongqing, with room for discussion for both weekends and weekdays. If any partners happen to be on their way back to Chongqing, or haven't found a photographer they can comfortably hand their finished photos to, feel free to bring your makeup and let's check our compatibility index. Shooting great photos shouldn't involve so much useless friction; genuine communication plus high-quality gear is what yields great content. Looking forward to hearing the click of our shutters in some shaded path or abandoned factory in Chongqing for our next Chongqing photoshoot booking session.