Here is a collection of convention photos from the Shenzhen Anime Festival, and I've organized a portion of my favorite shots to share. This time at the 15th Comic-Con venue, it was incredibly fulfilling; I had perfect attendance, being on-site for three consecutive days and arranging a series of different outfits to match different shooting environments. Because I absolutely love the translucent light and shadow on-site along with the industrial-style background of the exhibition hall, I decided to adopt a relatively clean and realistic processing style, bringing the texture of the anime characters down to earth in the real world.
These outfits embody a variety of completely distinct vibes. For example, a refreshing and flowing long white dress, a sailor suit with a longbow carrying a hardcore combat feel, a dark mecha-style look with a latex texture, and finally, this wedding dress paired with weapons—all of which captured highly expressive moments as snapshots at the exhibition venue. In fact, every time I do a cosplay at a convention venue, the preparation work is quite exhausting. On one hand, the details of the headpieces and wigs must be spot-on; on the other hand, carrying exaggerated props around the hall, such as that longbow or longsword, is quite a test of balance while walking, but they serve as crucial visual centers of gravity in front of the lens.
Regarding the shooting workflow, daytime primarily utilizes the matrix lighting at the top of the pavilion. Photos shot under this light source come with a strong sense of depth, making the figures look very upright in the frame. At night, if needed, one can try finding some low-key settings near the pavilion; paired with stylized fill lights, it's easy to produce unique, atmospheric night portraits. Furthermore, on-site, I do my best to cooperate with posing guidance and offer suggestions for more extended, spacious postures, so the photographer can better capture the fluid movement of the garments.
Honestly, during my years of doing cosplay, what I enjoy most is the process of putting on the clothes and being documented through the lens. Pairing them with the right poses, preparing complete gear, and finally freezing that perfect moment is the best summary of an entire convention day. These few days at the convention were indeed very fulfilling. Although running around all day in high heels and a wig can be tiring, seeing all the elements fall into place in the photos makes all the hard work worthwhile. Additionally, during the exhibition, I also helped store some small personal items for everyone, so that even with large bags of props, it wouldn't affect the on-site shooting experience. That's all for this batch of convention photos; if there are more interesting looks in the future, I will continue to document and share them.