[Kiriko cosplay] Overwatch: Sailor Suit Japanese-style JK Girl's Convention Record

The photoshoot at the Guangzhou Firefly ACG Expo wrapped up smoothly! This time I portrayed Kiriko cosplay from Overwatch. Wanting to convey an everyday yet youthful and lively feel, I chose a classic Japanese-style JK sailor suit. Trimming and styling the wig took quite a bit of effort; the side ponytail tied with a small ribbon atop the head was adjusted multiple times to achieve a natural curve. For the makeup, in addition to recreating the character's signature eye makeup, I deliberately deepened the red markings on both cheeks, complementing the colored contacts to better align my gaze with the character setting.

The temperature was quite high that day; wearing a full long-sleeved top and knee-high Black stockings outdoors while carrying a black backpack was a real test of stamina and makeup durability. Fortunately, with makeup set thoroughly in advance and a well-managed shooting pace, my energy stayed consistent throughout. The photographer used a Sony a7m4 paired with a Tamron 35-100 lens, a focal range that proved extremely practical in a crowded and complex outdoor convention setting. It could capture the ambient atmosphere while flexibly switching between half-body and full-body close-ups around 50mm to 85mm, beautifully blurring out the background crowds and clutter while preserving a cool-toned, translucent Japanese aesthetic.

In terms of posing, to complement the airy lightness of the sailor suit and pleated skirt, we didn't use overly elaborate props, instead relying primarily on body language to enrich each frame. Examples include slightly turning sideways while lifting the skirt hem, raising one leg to hand over paper slips, or sitting on the steps shading the sunlight with a hand. Though these poses appear simple, they require tightening your core—especially when wearing platform loafers and knee-high Black stockings, moving on stairs demands constant balance control to avoid falling. Showcasing the leg lines was a major focus of this photoshoot: pairing Black stockings with the pleated skirt visually flattered the shape of the legs, and shooting from different angles—such as lifting the skirt from the side or crossing my legs from the front—made proportions look even more slender on camera.

The hardest part during shooting was capturing the right gaze. Kiriko intrinsically possesses a resilient yet playful demeanor, requiring me to continuously toggle between lively and serene moods the moment the shutter clicks. I proactively communicated desired visuals with the photographer; for example, with the interactive handing-over gesture in photo two, I faced the lens directly, treating the paper as a medium for connection, ensuring my gaze was direct and luminous. The seated pose in photo four aimed to convey a leisurely ambiance, where the green trees and metal fences in the background were dissolved into soft color patches, making the subject stand out sharply in the frame.

Outdoor light at the convention was never completely consistent; when the sun was blocked by clouds, color temperature shifted rapidly. To prevent blown-out highlights or crushed shadows, we constantly searched for the best lighting angles between tree shade and open clearings. When the final photos came out, both the tactile quality and colors met all expectations; the entire set retains the character's iconic recognition while preserving my personal style. Shooting on location is undeniably exhausting, but seeing the faithful final shots makes all the prep work and fatigue entirely worth it.