[Ganyu Cosplay & Shenhe Cosplay] Duo Convention Photos, Straight Out of On-Site Fun

The crowd at the convention venue was larger than expected. After arriving with my scheduled partner, we found a relatively open area to take a few sets of duo convention photos first. This time, we respectively chose these two character costumes with a Chinese-style design. The overall color scheme is one blue and one purple. Under the exhibition hall's studio lights, the gold stamping patterns and hidden texture details on the clothing can be seen. The metal bells at the collar and the velvet patchwork texture of the hemline are quite close to the effect we wanted. After changing, we made simple adjustments to our makeup and hair. The front of the wig was trimmed to closely fit the facial contours, which, paired with the upturned eyeliner, made our facial expressions look more spirited in front of the camera. My partner's silver-white wig revealed a very smooth texture under the overhead lighting, and the hair accessories and frog closure design beautifully echoed the overall Chinese-style look. During the shoot, we cooperated tacitly; with just a slight signal, we could quickly adjust to the appropriate spacing and standing positions, which saved a lot of time in the complex convention environment.

During the shoot, we wanted to break away from the stiffness of purely rigid standing poses as much as possible. For instance, those black high-heeled single shoes in the picture really tested the stability of the stance, especially when doing the one-legged balance pose, which required core strength to maintain balance. Fortunately, the shoes wrapped around the feet quite well with ankle straps to secure them, so once I got used to walking around a bit, it was actually easier to exert force than imagined. The semi-transparent mesh round fan held in my partner's hand also added extension to the movements, giving the hand a natural resting spot during photos so it wouldn't look out of place. The cool white floor light in the venue actually demands a lot from the makeup, so we intentionally deepened the transition of the eyeshadow and contouring. This way, even under the compression of a medium-to-long telephoto lens, the three-dimensional feel of the facial features could be maintained.

When shooting this set of photos, the dark reflection on the ground actually tested exposure control quite a bit, but after adjusting the contrast in post-processing, the dark fabric of the costumes and the luster of the metal accessories stood out instead. We selected three or four positions, including standing side-by-side, stances with crossed legs, and a combination of sitting on a white long-haired carpet. The sitting set was relatively more relaxed, allowing the drape of the skirt and the lines of the legs to be displayed naturally. Although the background at the convention venue had some cluttered tripods and other exhibition equipment, it didn't affect the presentation of the main subject much after depth-of-field blurring. For the shot sitting on the carpet, we chose a fluffy white round rug as a prop, which perfectly neutralized the cold hardness brought by the dark floor, adding a touch of softness to the frame. Using the round fan to cover half of the face or gently fluttering the hem of the dress were spontaneous little movements on-site, which actually enhanced the relaxed vibe.

The early preparation for cosplaying these characters actually included many details, such as the tightness of the thigh straps, the fixed position of the ribbons on both sides, and the matching of various small metal accessories, all of which had to be repeatedly confirmed before putting the outfit on. Once at the convention venue, it was actually more about enjoying the process of exchanging pose ideas with my partner and adjusting each other's wigs and hems. The lighting conditions on the day of the Ijoy Expo remained quite good throughout, and from time to time we would encounter photography enthusiasts raising their hands to signal that they wanted to snap photos of us, which counts as a unique interactive experience characteristic of conventions.

After finishing all the photos, when we changed back into our regular clothes, we found that our shoes and calves were indeed a bit sore, but seeing the general completion level of the two of us in the photos, we were still quite satisfied with the overall effect of these convention photos. The fabric and pattern of this costume allow for relatively natural creases and shape-shifting during movement and sitting, presenting a completely different feeling compared to standing statically. When being watched in the exhibition hall, we truly felt the visual appeal and presence that the character's costume inherently possesses. Having done cosplay for a long time, one also realizes that the temperament captured for the same character will vary slightly in different convention environments, which is probably what makes convention photos interesting.

On the day of the convention, we produced several sets of positions and interactions, basically covering different angles such as standing, sideways, and sitting, hoping to present relatively rich visual layers so that the entire set wouldn't feature only one type of composition. We didn't deliberately force many complex movements either, just keeping it natural and fitting the character settings' aloof and cool feel. If there is time in the future, we will probably take a few more close-ups to look at the details of the makeup and hair accessories; this time, we'll first release a few duo wide convention photos as a teaser. Additionally, in this kind of convention duo collaboration, it really tests each other's chemistry. In terms of positioning and synchronizing our gazes, the two of us cooperated quite smoothly, and the entire shooting process didn't waste too much time on getting aligned. Fortunately, the cut of this costume doesn't easily lead to accidental exposure or shifting during movement, allowing us to strike various poses with greater peace of mind.