The Convention photos from the 26th Xi'an Dreamland Comic Convention are finally organized. Bringing several radically different wardrobe concepts, I shot inside the venue from morning till evening, recording the prep journey and on-site details behind this marathon session.
The first look was a red-and-white Western dress trimmed with gold piping, complete with a serving tray prop in hand. Posing with one leg lifted looked light and effortless, but holding this posture required continuous core and leg engagement, leaving my calves visibly aching by wrap. Under the venue's chaotic ceiling fixtures, the hemline lace and White thigh-highs edges were prone to blowing out highlights; the photographer continuously adjusted softbox angles to preserve textile tiers and stocking knit details. High heels looked gorgeous, yet moving and holding poses in them was genuinely demanding physical work.
The second setup featured a black-and-blue dress crafted from subtly lustrous fabric. To capture this sheen without blowing it out, we swapped flat front illumination for side rim lighting to carve crisp outlines. When sitting on the floor, long black gloves and bare thigh skin forged an intense chiaroscuro contrast, while white skirt ruffles fanning across a black blanket structured rich compositional tiers. The handheld magical staff prop glared intensely, requiring deliberate light positioning to avoid harsh hotspots.
Beyond these heavy composite ensembles, I prepped a cat-ear monochrome dress, a red zip-up jacket, a pink-haired sailor uniform, and a navy battle-damaged sailor suit. The cat-ear styling focused on facial makeup and upper-torso posture, rehearsing crossed-hand gestures repeatedly before mirrors for organic finger curvature. The red jacket was casual: kneeling on the blanket, black over-the-knee socks paired with shorts elongated overall proportions. The pink-haired and navy-haired looks channeled combat stances—one wielding a battleaxe, the other a fighting staff. The navy outfit incorporated battle-damage makeup; holding a deep lunge stance with the staff meant scraping against bare concrete, nearly chafing my knees. Directing an intense gaze with cold expressions and explosive kinetic energy pushed both stamina and facial control to the limit.
Shooting cosplay on-site at conventions entails navigating notoriously tricky environmental lighting, where colored ceiling grids and flash heads collide. As a cosplayer, knowing the exact aesthetic you seek allows rapid angle synergy with photographers amidst chaotic illumination. Wig prep and makeup endurance are equally crucial to successful Convention photos. Prepping these looks kept me trimming wigs until midnight, waking up at 5:00 AM to apply makeup. Waterproof, sweat-resistant foundation with multiple layers of setting powder kept the base intact, color-matching eyeshadow to wig fibers. On site, hauling heavy bags through crowded aisles and camera gear to find secluded corners for quick changes and touch-ups was quite an ordeal.
By day's end, my shoulders and lower back were sore, with blistered heels from the pumps. Yet seeing the raw captures on the camera monitor made all the tedious prep and sweat profoundly rewarding. Heartfelt thanks to all the photographers for their tireless work and to friends handling logistics—can't wait to create together at the next convention.