[Shu & Theresa Cosplay] Creation Scene at the Arknights & Arknights: Endfield Offline Carnival

The lighting at the Arknights carnival site was much more complex than expected, which posed quite a challenge for shooting. To recreate the geometric cube decorations and outfit layering on Shu, I did a trial fitting two weeks in advance, adjusting the proportions of each cube and the dangling chain lengths. This ensured that under strong lights from various angles, the building-block necklace on my chest had clear light-and-shadow contours instead of being washed out by reflections. During the creation process, I also applied aging treatments to the cube surfaces multiple times, giving them a warm, textured wood or stone appearance rather than looking like rigid, glowing plastic.

At the same time, this event spanned the two major IPs of Arknights and Arknights: Endfield. Seeing so many friends show up on site with equally high-fidelity gear created a truly electrifying atmosphere. When shooting the Theresa cosplay set in front of the triangular display board printed with the Rhodes Island logo, I intentionally softened my gaze, striving to convey a sense of calm and gentle warmth through my eyes. On the day of makeup and styling, everyone started busy from early morning; just applying the elf ears took several attempts. We had to ensure they didn't deform under different shooting angles while seamlessly connecting with the wig's bangs, using hot glue and skin-toned silicone to blend the edges until it achieved a natural look.

In fact, looking around the venue, most of the Cosplayers possessed incredible drive. For instance, the blue-haired partner wearing techwear that exposed her waist specially designed matching mechanical gloves and headphone structures; the friction sound of metal parts as she walked around was a huge plus. Also, the red-and-black highlighted wig, paired with a distinct black checkered blazer and silver-gray accessories, conveyed the character's cold, detached nature very well through her stance and micro-expressions. To capture these clean backgrounds, everyone often had to communicate repeatedly with photographers about positioning to dodge reflective glass and convention steel scaffolding. The Arknights: Endfield exhibition area was designed with a heavy futuristic feel, with lights hitting from four directions, making skin details extremely sharp. Therefore, before going on camera, setting powder had to be applied firmly.

From the white suit under the red cloak to the outfit filled with tactical straps, every character's costume details aimed to be compact and solid. I remember when doing the red cloak set, securing the trench coat hood and ears was real hard labor. The hood had to be worn just right—neither flattening the wig nor covering those fluffy fox ears. It took us nearly half an hour to adjust the black rope buckles and catches into position. The convention had massive foot traffic that day, so Cosplayers on display needed to adjust their body movements frequently to capture maximum character fidelity in every snapshot. The pink-haired look was full of dynamic elements, where the outer leather jacket formed a sharp contrast with the inner dark base layer and industrial-style straps. I especially loved the interactive gesture she made with her pink glove, making the overall composition look lively and nimble.

Of course, being a Cosplayer always means facing unexpected tests, such as huge differences in color temperature on site—sometimes cool, sometimes glowing with purple-pink neon. At this point, different post-processing approaches are needed to categorize and organize the photos, toning down high-saturation interference to highlight the textured linen-colored color blocks and button accessories on the clothing. Fortunately, communicating composition habits with the photographer in advance ensured a solid framework straight out of the camera. Standing against the backdrop made of black, white, and gray geometric puzzles alongside deep wood bookshelves, the fine pinstripes of the suit and the reflections of those silver accessories alone were enough to support the texture of the whole picture without needing redundant props.

On my Shu cosplay outfit, every stitch from the collar tailoring to the shoulder strap stitching was precisely calculated, allowing a beautiful shoulder and neck line to show even when slightly turning sideways. Meanwhile, the outward-extending head decorations took considerable effort to balance the center of gravity so they wouldn't wobble when turning my head. When light fell on the light-colored wig, care was taken to avoid overexposed highlights, preserving the matte texture of the hair strands.

In a fast-snapshot environment like an anime convention, a performer's on-the-spot reaction is actually critical. Some poses only yield the best visual effect under a specific light refraction, so we did extensive rehearsals in front of the booth. The silver-gray haired partner, posing in the aisle with waist gear and a tactical backpack, demonstrated through body language how to create the character's innate confidence by lowering her shoulders and looking straight ahead. In this photo, the spotlight hit right on the edge of the collar and lace pattern, giving the overall look a sheer yet exquisite appearance.

Immersed in such a high-density convention environment, you see fans from different circles and styles gathered together. From soft, healing fantasy elements to tension-filled futuristic mecha styles, all kinds of props, makeup, and hair weave together to form an incredibly immersive ACG feast. Every time I see everyone pouring their heart and soul into their favorite characters, I feel this work endows a meaning beyond ordinary photographic display. Every outfit change before stepping out, every moment dripping with sweat while queuing between shoot breaks—the instant you see the finished, retouched photos, it all turns into an intense sense of achievement. It is not just recreating a flat design draft, but giving characters from the gaming world a chance to breathe in this real physical space through interaction with light, shadow, backdrops, and cameras. I think this is probably why everyone is so passionate about attending offline carnivals.