Taking this set of Convention photos for Yixuan cosplay was quite an effort, especially since in such a large venue, the distance between the model and photographer was far, and communication relied entirely on shouting. First, talking about the styling: the blue rose was newly purchased and had great texture; to pin it securely to the costume without falling off, I used a clip through the receptacle to fasten it to my chest. The wig took a long time to manage, ensuring the curve of the crown and the back of the head looked natural without appearing flat. Since this was a Convention photo shoot, I didn't do overly exaggerated styling on the wig—just letting the Silver hair fall naturally along the face contours, paying special attention to the inward curve of the forehead bangs to prevent them from looking stiff. The gold buttons and line design on the coat are very slimming, though the long coat in the back easily tripped my feet while walking, so standing poses required turning slightly to clear it. Paired with the pleated skirt inside and black stockings on the legs, it visually elongated my proportions. Black stockings are actually very picky about quality; different reflectivity yields completely different results. This time, I chose a matte texture with a subtle semi-sheer look, which makes the legs look slim without appearing shiny under high-definition lenses.
During shooting, the black equipment case was a great prop that worked for both sitting and standing. The seated shot was relatively straightforward, but placement was crucial—you can't sit back fully; you must perch near the edge and engage the hips so the leg lines look taut, pointing the toes straight to elongate the legs. The most challenging part was the one-legged standing pose lifting the skirt. Maintaining a stable center of gravity while adjusting the angle of lifting the skirt hem was tough: a poor angle makes legs look thick, while lifting too high risks accidental exposure. It took over ten minutes of back-and-forth adjustments to capture the most satisfying moment. Moreover, supporting the body on one leg demands heavy thigh muscle engagement, leaving my legs aching afterward. To get flattering angles, the photographer had to half-squat or even lie flat on the floor. Combining this low-angle perspective elongates the legs tremendously, though it can easily make the head look disproportionately large, so tucking the chin while looking directly into the lens was essential.
What I'm most satisfied with in this set is the lighting: the overhead white lights of the warehouse reflected off the stockings, making the leg lines look exceptionally smooth, which, combined with the floor reflections, created a cool, sleek texture. The high heels also rubbed my feet, but wearing them was necessary to flatter the leg shape; when taking them off, my toes were all red. Because the costume was custom-made, the collar area was somewhat stiff, occasionally chafing my neck when lifting my arms. I remember my leg went numb from exerting force during the shoot, requiring a good rest to recover—after all, standing on one leg for too long easily leads to losing balance, and even a slight wobble meant starting over. Photographing in an open, empty venue produced echoes; the quiet ambiance actually helped me calm down and get into character. Some facial expressions weren't controlled well enough this time—I wanted to appear cool and aloof, but relaxing easily made my face look blank. I feel I need more practice with my gaze, as capturing the authentic demeanor of the original work requires more study. Although exhausting, seeing the raw photos made every bit of effort feel completely worthwhile.