[Xia Ya cosplay] Documenting the Flower Wall Photoshoot Experience at CPG08 Anime Convention

This on-site shoot at the CPG08 anime convention was completed with my partner Lu Zhen, where I cosplayed Xia Ya. While scouting for a shooting location, we stumbled upon this flower wall right outside the restaurant where we had lunch. Composed mainly of hydrangeas and roses, the flower wall offered rich color layering weaving together pinks, blues, purples, and yellows, providing fantastic diffuse bounce lighting on-site. Before shooting, we carefully adjusted our costume details. My Xia Ya cosplay outfit featured a white base with gold trim, long golden curly hair, green contacts, and an intricate necklace structure at the neckline. Lu Zhen wore a blue uniform, green hair, and a single-eye patch. The materials of our two costumes—one lightweight and sheer, the other structured and rigid—produced contrasting light reflections. To balance the ambient lighting, we used a small reflector to adjust the facial and body light ratios while preserving the natural colors of the flower wall.

Because the flower wall was outdoors and had glass reflections, precision in shooting angles was crucial. We tested several angles and settled on slightly angled three-quarter profiles, allowing the flower wall to serve as foreground to add layered depth in our Flower wall photography. For the reflections of passing cars and street buildings on the glass windows, perspective corrections were applied in post-processing to refocus attention on the characters. During shooting, preventing harsh side highlights from blowing out was essential, unifying the color palette in post-production to maintain a clear, translucent aesthetic. Regarding the poses, the playful banter mentioned in the post wasn't just casual talk; we wove that character dynamic directly into the shoot. For instance, Xia Ya resting her hand on Lu Zhen's chest guided the viewer's gaze along the flow of the flower wall while conveying the relationship between the characters. We engaged our shoulders and back to keep expressions natural, taking quite a few candid burst shots before capturing this satisfying frame.

After finishing this photo set, we explored the convention hall for a while. I met several cosplayers who were also doing Xia Ya; they came over to say hello, traded beautifully crafted freebies, and we helped each other out with collecting photos with fellow fans. My bag was rather packed, and some small freebies stuffed in my pockets went missing when pulling items out for photos later—I still haven't found them all, but receiving everyone's heartfelt kindness felt so warm, and I am deeply grateful to these fellow fans. The schedule at CPG08 anime convention was quite packed, browsing the con in the morning and shooting in the afternoon, which took considerable energy. While on-site conditions had certain limitations, the flower wall provided abundant color support. The white dress stood out without clashing against the vivid floral backdrop, creating clean contrast—one of the highlights of this shoot. Post-processing mainly focused on color temperature and contrast adjustments, subtly lifting the shadows for cleaner image quality.

Overall, this CPG08 anime convention shooting experience was thoroughly fulfilling. Maintaining styling was also something requiring constant care. Because it was an outdoor shoot with brisk wind, the long curly wig easily got tangled and needed combing between takes. Lu Zhen's wig, partially obstructed by the eyepatch, required continuous positioning to avoid slipping. Such minor tweaks are common at conventions, and since everyone stayed focused and in character, it didn't consume too much time. Looking at the two of us against the flower wall, this fantasy-styled attire created a uniquely compelling aesthetic when colliding with real-world scenes. I usually review raw photos after conventions to see if retakes are needed, but due to time constraints, I picked the most satisfying poses directly. Personally, for colorful, intricately designed garments, post-processing should avoid overly smoothed, oily finishes; preserving sharp garment textures is far better for elevating quality. Sharing these reflections as a little recap of our Cosplay photo sharing.