Wuhan Dreamland Comic Con photo record on October 1st. Having been too busy to return to Wuhan lately, coming back during this holiday brings back a flood of emotions. Waking up naturally in the morning, having a leisurely breakfast at 8:00 AM, and then slowly heading over to the venue—there was no need to stay up all night to grab lighting grids or queue for spots like in Chongqing. This relaxed pace kept my mindset incredibly comfortable all day long.
My shooting partners this time were still those same old friends; our long-term collaboration has built an unspoken understanding. The camera body remains my familiar Nikon D850, paired with two large-aperture prime lenses: the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art and the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art. In a crowded indoor environment with a messy background like a convention, both lenses easily blurred out the background, beautifully isolating the focus on the characters. For the lighting setup, I used a combination of the Godox V850III and the Godox AD200ProII. Since the overhead venue lights were quite harsh and the hall ceiling was extremely high, relying solely on the ambient light would have easily caused stark highlights and shadows on the models' faces and bodies, making artificial lighting particularly crucial.
Instead of squeezing into those popular, hyped-up photo spots, we chose relatively open or less crowded areas. In a convention hall, various background setups and onlookers are always unavoidable. Sometimes, simply changing the angle slightly or using the slightly wider 35mm focal length to introduce some foreground can actually give the frame a greater sense of presence. The outfits in these photos are highly exquisite—ranging from a modified Japanese-style robe and a little demon look with wings to a combination of a white dress and corset, an exaggerated giant scythe, and even an adorable cake outfit. They all reflect how much everyone is investing in costume and prop production for conventions nowadays.
During the shoot, I chatted with friends I hadn't seen in a long time while taking photos, keeping everyone's state very relaxed. For action-oriented or dynamic poses, the photographer's snapshot speed is highly tested. If you wait for the model to hold a fixed pose, the photo inevitably looks stiff. Many times, I stepped slightly closer with the 35mm f/1.4, guiding their emotions with conversation, and pressed the shutter just as they adjusted their center of gravity or turned naturally. These Sigma lenses are highly reliable in autofocus speed and sharpness; even at wide-open apertures, the eye-tracking is extremely precise, resulting in a very high yield of keeper shots.
For post-processing, I basically avoided any fancy color grading. With the convention's native lighting and intersecting grid structures, tuning them into overly dramatic low-key or cinematic tones would instead lose a lot of on-site details. I prefer to preserve the metallic textures of the venue and the fabric weaves of the costumes, slightly darkening the background and enhancing the contrast and sharpness to make the subjects in the photos look more three-dimensional.
I really felt a sudden urge to stay in this city for the rest of my life. This familiar environment, the familiar convention, and the familiar friends all form memories I cherish deeply. A comic con is not just a photoshoot; it's more like a grand gathering of friends brought together by shared hobbies. Seeing my old friends still holding onto this passion sincerely made me happy from the bottom of my heart.
Reflecting on my past experiences of rushing through various conventions, I often had to sacrifice sleep and meal times just for a good foreground or a fixed, iconic landmark. A pace like this is just right for me now. This set of photos has no specific theme; it's simply a pure record of this day at Wuhan Dreamland. The exquisite outfits and poses in these photos represent everyone's hard work.
Sometimes when shooting at a convention, rather than chasing extreme artistic vibes, I value the authentic atmosphere and joyful interaction even more. Being able to record these happy moments for everyone brings me immense satisfaction. I don't strive for some ultimate blockbuster shot; as long as the atmosphere is right, the on-site lighting is stable, and the subject stands out, that's enough. I hope the next time I return, it will still be such a pleasant and cozy time.