Heading to Day 3 of Guangzhou Firefly ACG Expo with Squid cosplay gear, the moment I picked up that prop covered in ink special effects, the character aura clicked into place. Since I decided to do a look from the Splatoon 3 series, makeup and prop accuracy had to be spot-on. This time, I specifically went with dark eye makeup paired with pointed elf-like ears and gradient teal hair, which unexpectedly produced incredible texture under the venue's dim, industrial top-lighting.
For clothing, I didn't choose overly complex armor or bodysuits, opting instead for a classic gray knit cardigan and preppy pleated skirt. The white collared shirt plus the red-and-green plaid bowtie visually balanced the vibrant teal hair, making the look feel both everyday and infused with that playful, street-style vibe from the game world. White slouch socks and black platform loafers were super comfortable, making it fatigue-free even in a convention environment requiring frequent walking and posing. The overall feel of this outfit was just distinctly squid-style.
The props, I feel, were the soul of these photos. The brush-shaped weapon in hand, combined with giant teal ink splashes added in post-processing, was truly eye-catching. I had wanted to ask someone to craft a little fang beforehand, and Shuji-sensei delivered amazingly—sculpting a dainty, natural fang that shows when smiling, instantly maxing out the character's mischievous charm. Floating ink droplets and splashing special effects added in post, paired with wide-angle perspective, vividly rendered the dynamic combat feel of Turf War mode using these Ink weapon props.
Shooting was also very fun. To accommodate the weapon prop's massive volume and the uneven convention floor, we tried several camera angles. From low-angle squatting shots to wide-shot full-body dynamic captures, I incorporated familiar, quirky in-game postures—like the swaying balance of standing on one leg or squatting while holding props in a starting position—truly capturing that thrilling gameplay sensation in these Convention photos.
Light and crowd conditions on Day 3 of Guangzhou Firefly ACG Expo were quite lively. Luckily, the photographer's solid mastery over focal length and aperture naturally blurred out background booths and crowds, retaining convention vibes without losing focus on the subject. To me, cosplay isn't just about putting on clothes; it's about bringing the joyful combat mindset of Splatoon 3 into reality, freezing moments of shared happiness among squids. Every time I complete photoshoots for characters with strong iconic features and see final edits closely matching game settings in ink color tones, all preparation feels completely worthwhile. While conventions and location shoots can be tiring, appearing at vibrant offline expos with a look I love is a joy in itself.