The convention photos from the Changsha ACC Comic Convention are finally compiled! As the featured subject for the invited photographer, I went non-stop across multiple days on site, switching between several entirely distinct sets of gear—ranging from cyber sci-fi to classical traditional Japanese, and straight into dark gothic. Each look was an immense test of stamina and styling precision.
Let's start with the first sci-fi cool-toned look. To create the floating feel of the funnel bits and glowing wings, I concealed long LED light strips and battery packs inside the props. During the shoot, not only did I have to maintain poses that kept the mechanical wings fully deployed, but I also had to watch out constantly so the wiring wouldn't show. The convention hall's floor-to-ceiling glass windows provided clean, translucent cool lighting, which, combined with the blue and violet glow of the props, gave the raw camera shots an instantly sci-fi finish. Posing-wise, I kept my eyes locked onto the lens and lowered my center of gravity while seated to emphasize the heavy mechanical presence.
The second look was a modern pink-and-white wafuku design. The heaviest element here was the large parasol prop; to project an effortlessly relaxed lean before the camera, my arms actually had to stay locked in high-tension control, leaving them sore long after. The shoot leveraged the strong ambient contrast to sculpt sharper facial dimensions. The third styling featured golden waves paired with a vintage white dress, where I put on white gloves to hold a floral microphone, focusing heavily on graceful hand poses to evoke the poise of a stage idol.
The fourth armored mech assembly was truly in the hardcore heavyweight category. The silver-and-gold heavy leg greaves were not only time-consuming to slip into, but severely restricted stride and movement. To match the blue-glowing greatsword in my grip, I held a half-crouched ready stance with my core engaged the entire time. The black-and-red gothic set was one of my absolute personal favorites: black lace Stockings paired with heels and a voluminous black-and-red train. On set, I pulled over a folding chair as a support, resting one leg on the seat to stretch out the lines while wielding the red-flower-accented greatsword—the color clash between black and red carried immense visual punch. The final two sets featured a white fur-collared trench coat with a ring-pommel broadsword, followed by a dark blue martial tunic paired with glowing scimitars. To channel battle-worn or enigmatic vibes, I sharpened my gaze, especially during the kneeling posture on the white faux-fur rug raising twin blades, carefully aligning the glowing chains with joint contours.
While wandering the convention floor, I bumped into so many friends cosplaying characters from Genshin Impact, NARAKA: BLADEPOINT, Arknights, and Wuthering Waves; seeing everyone's distinct cosplay styles clash and blend was wonderfully fun. Shooting at an anime convention isn't just about striking poses—keeping costumes smooth, taming wig flyaways, emergency on-site prop repairs, and continuously tweaking angles with the photographer are all physically taxing steps. Yet seeing the distinct atmospheres captured in the final shots made every drop of sweat on site completely worthwhile. The vibe at Changsha ACC was fantastic, and I can't wait to see everyone again at the next convention!