This photo set is an official Arknights Hoshiguma cosplay recently completed at the AXG studio. To faithfully capture the character's presence, significant effort went into the costume and props during pre-production. The outfit features a high-contrast black, red, and white Tactical gear aesthetic—glossy black leather spliced with matte fabric, complemented by the red-and-white choker around the neck, creating a powerful visual impact. While the glossy material produces stunning reflections on camera, it is actually quite hot and stuffy to wear, and the stiff leather restricts mobility. The glossy red gloves in particular were not only difficult to put on, but also generated substantial friction when gripping weapons, making holding poses a true test of endurance. The white single-horn headpiece and the long draped strand of pearls on the wrist introduced a delicate contrast to the rugged Tactical gear style, preventing the overall silhouette from looking monotonous. The polearm weapon was very heavy with an uneven center of gravity; holding it aloft while keeping the arms steady and the posture graceful required engaging my core to stabilize my balance.
The shoot relied heavily on the studio's neon backdrop, where cool-toned ambient light paired with intense overhead lighting provided rich layering to the frame. The photographer nailed the camera angles: the first photo uses a low-angle upward perspective to emphasize an overwhelming top-down intimidation; the second is a three-quarter close-up looking levelly into the camera, highlighting the tailored fit of the outfit along with the crisp textures of the red gloves and weapon. In terms of portrayal, I avoided exaggerated expressions and kept things restrained, using a steady gaze and an upright stance to project an unyielding, inviolable aura. Post-processing focused on lighting and shadow adjustments, especially retaining the flare and bloom from the overhead lights to intensify the Cyberpunk atmosphere across the entire composition.
Shooting this set was physically demanding—the prop easily obstructed the face, requiring angle checks after every shutter click. Thanks to the help of on-site staff with real-time adjustments, we were able to curate these most satisfying highlight moments. This set stands as a concrete expression of my understanding of the character and a benchmark for my Cosplay quality; I hope to explore more hardcore-style shoots like this in the future.