Today I took convention photos of Mudrock at the event site. The equipment used for this set of photos includes the Sony A7M4 body, along with the first-generation Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM and 55mm F1.8 ZA lenses. People often ask whether older lenses can still hold up on modern bodies, and I feel that combined with the A7M4's autofocus system, the yield rate of good shots is still very high. In complex lighting environments like a convention, using a flash for day-to-night shooting is a very practical technique; using off-camera flash to darken the background and highlight the subject can create unexpected atmospheric vibes.
The texture of Mudrock's costume is very unique, with a black tactical base layer plus an asymmetric white cloak, creating a strong black-and-white contrast. There are plenty of details like the tactical leg bags at the waist and the straps on the pants. Combined with the silver-white long straight hair, red pupils, elf ears, and single-horn accessories, the overall look is highly recognizable. To match the character's aura, I specially brought this huge geometric silver tactical hammer prop today. Although the prop is quite heavy, holding it whether standing or sitting can well support the composition of the frame.
During the shoot, the lights on the top of the exhibition hall formed patches of circular light spots. I used the Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM most of the time; in an exhibition environment, the large aperture of 1.4 can nicely blur the background and separate the main subject from the cluttered crowd. When taking half-body close-ups, I switched to the 55mm F1.8 ZA. This Zeiss lens is very lightweight, and its color reproduction and atmosphere retain that characteristic Zeiss flavor. Although older lenses might not be top-tier in corner sharpness, they are more than adequate for convention portraits like this.
The white balance was manually calibrated to make skin tones look clearer and more natural under the flash. The red colored contacts are very eye-catching in the frame, contrasting with the silver-white hair. The entire shooting process involved continuously adjusting actions and lighting, finding different angles to present the sharpness of this tactical uniform and prop hammer. Sitting in a chair with legs crossed or propping the hammer on the ground were both intended to make the composition more dynamic, using body language to show a calm yet powerful state. I am very satisfied with this set of photos from pre-production to final output, recording the state of focused shooting on-site.