[Byakuren Hijiri cosplay] World-line Convention's Touhou Project Convention photos

This Byakuren Hijiri styling at this World-line Convention tested every detail from makeup and hair to props in the Convention photos. The purple-gold gradient wig had a strong sense of layering under the convention ceiling lights, but after high-intensity walking, the hair ends became very prone to frizzing, so I was pretty much constantly grooming and touching up my makeup in the rest area. The base makeup was brightened to match the character's temperament, and the eye makeup used a yellow-green contact lens base with deepened and elongated outer corners, specifically applying red-toned eyeshadow for smudging under the eyes, paired with a watery red lip makeup. This slightly otherworldly makeup look was exceptionally recognizable in the camera lens.

The black and white lace dress part of the clothing had many details. The inner white shirt had layered ruffles, and the black crisscross straps on the chest required careful position adjustment—too tight looked constrained, and too loose ruined the overall silhouette. The outer black gauze and cutout lace at the cuffs looked visually great, but the breathability was average, making a full day at the convention truly a test of physical strength. The most eye-catching thing was the golden prop in hand; the complex curved metal lines and the ring structure at the top were quite heavy to hold, making my wrist somewhat strained after long periods of posing. However, walking around the venue, this prop had an excellent eye-catching effect, and many photographers proactively asked if they could take photos.

Finding angles on-site was a crucial part. The convention venue's lighting was relatively cluttered, and the ceiling spotlights easily cast shadows on the face, so when shooting, I tried to look for side lighting sources or use on-site lighting equipment to enhance facial brightness. When facing the lens, I made sure to stay relaxed, keeping my gaze focused slightly above the lens, adjusting my center of gravity and posture based on the position of the prop in my hand to make the frame look more balanced. Props took up a fair share of the frame, so composition-wise, attention needed to be paid to the integration of the character and props to avoid looking rigid.

During the shoot, I designed actions based on the character's background setting. Even though they were just Convention photos, the posture of holding the staff and standing had to closely match the character's inherent temperament. I couldn't just stand there stiffly; I had to utilize the layers of the clothing and the characteristics of the props to find angles. For example, when standing sideways, the lace outline of the clothes could be outlined through light and shadow, while frontal half-body portraits relied on gaze and micro-expressions to convey emotion. Every time the shutter clicked, it was a concrete representation of my understanding of the character. For makeup longevity, I also brought a touch-up pouch, using oil-blotting paper promptly after sweating and reapplying translucent powder to ensure the makeup didn't patch, which was also the foundation for ensuring a high yield of good photos.

Going out for this location shoot also allowed me to meet many fellow Touhou Project fans, and communicating with them was very pleasant. Convention photos, compared to studio shoots, test on-the-spot reactions and quick adjustment abilities even more. After a day of shooting, my body was very exhausted, but seeing the images in the camera playback made me feel that all the early preparation work had paid off. Regarding future improvements, I also made some summaries. For similar setups next time, props could be tried with lighter materials for internal modification, and more preparation work needed to be done beforehand for anti-frizz treatment of the wig to maintain a better state at the convention.