[Exusiai the New Covenant cosplay] Arknights Convention Photos: Unexpectedly Capturing Sharp and Cool Moments

Ran directly into fellow fans at the Mengxiang exhibition hall on Day 2! This time I did an Arknights Exusiai the New Covenant cosplay. The rectangular box prop in hand and the wing model on my back were very solid, so navigating through the crowded convention sea of people definitely took some effort. All three photos were taken from different angles on-site: the first is a dim-light close-up, the second is a straight-out-of-camera high-angle shot, and the third is a composited edit in post-processing, which I also found most suitable as the cover. During the shoot, the photographer chose a slightly tilted low-angle position, which captured the handheld prop while accentuating the overall leg lines and the texture of the white stockings. Because of the backlighting, the light effects hit the wings and the halo above my head, with bright white rims tracing the edges that complemented the black, red, and white color scheme perfectly. To produce a standout piece, I specifically cut out the character in post-processing and recreated a version with a black background and red lettering, steering clear of the cluttered convention backdrop.

The leather fabric of this outfit is actually not breathable at all. Coupled with running all over the hall searching for angles, taking off the costume left me drenched in sweat, but capturing photos that met expectations made every bit of effort worth it. The shooting concept mainly revolved around a cool, rugged techwear aesthetic, using the black background and red text to enhance the character's visual tension. Shooting while balancing illuminated devices and heavy-duty props was far more engaging than a simple studio session.

Sharing some practical convention shooting tips: First, overhead spotlights at convention venues heavily disrupt facial shadows and highlights, so you must tirelessly adjust your standing position to ensure fill light lands properly on the face. Second, the placement of light sources is crucial—adding subtle frontal light while throwing rim light from behind brings out far better dimension across costumes and props. As for why I picked the third image for the cover, one reason is the clean background free of distracting signage, and the other is that the character composition and leg presentation were ideal. Squatting on the blanket to find angles and keeping the white stockings taut in the low-angle perspective flatter the body's silhouette beautifully in this Stockings cosplay showcase.

Every outdoor and convention shoot requires carrying a ton of gear, and this time was no exception. During makeup, I deliberately emphasized the visual effect of red eyes, which paired with the flow of the wig strands to give the gaze sharper focus. Throughout the shoot, the photographer repeatedly fine-tuned the angle of those heavy wings to avoid hindering steps. As the convention drew to a close and the crowd thinned out, we quickly snapped a few more shots for this composited perspective. Although the shooting duration was quite long, the final results turned out much more satisfying than expected. The perspective in the third picture delivers a unique commanding pressure and candid snap feel, which is actually a style I really love. A friend who had just gotten into the fandom watched from the side and thought the gear was super cool—in truth, it bore heavy weight supported entirely by the shoulders, requiring plenty of rest afterwards. The greatest challenge at conventions is always the background; when it's packed, shooting is impossible and clearing the area isn't realistic, so replacing the background with black and red text later was how I solved this issue.

During this cosplay, I also noticed that the red wig reflected light under strong illumination, so I deliberately suppressed highlights during color grading to retain more hair strand details. This set of photos was edited entirely by myself; only three were posted as representative shots, though the raw files still hold plenty of gems worth retouching. Overall, this shooting experience was joyful—this Arknights Exusiai the New Covenant outfit and accessories exhibit two distinct textures under sunlight versus dim lighting. Next time I cosplay a similar character, I might even consider wider wing structures.

That wraps up my shoot sharing for this time! In summary, substantial energy was invested from pre-shoot prep to post-retouching, and despite the physical toll, achieving a finished piece I truly endorse made it all worthwhile.