[Yagi Yui cosplay] The Senpai in Black stockings from Mahjong Soul: A JK uniform Tale on the Streets of Chongqing

Recently, I organized photos from different periods and compiled them into a single collection categorized by type. It's mainly divided into anime convention photos, outdoor locations, and studio shoots, categorized under JK uniform, Lolita, Hanfu, and casual everyday styles.

As a photographer traveling between Chongqing and Qingdao, I usually take on some TFP (collaboration) formal sets; I've honestly been too lazy to shoot convention hall photos lately. I've always believed that a model's expressive performance is far more important than costumes, props, or conventional looks, and I stick to this principle when selecting portrait subjects.

This time, I specifically shot a set for Yagi Yui cosplay. The Anime-style photography was mainly set on the streets of Chongqing, using a Nikon D850 paired with a Sigma 85mm prime lens and a Godox AD200 flash. Since the character canonically wears Black stockings and over-the-knee socks, we focused heavily on capturing leg lines in posing and framing, complemented by the sailor suit to create an everyday school-and-street vibe. Personally, I love the authentic texture of this JK uniform style while preserving the relaxed mood of casual street shoots. During this session, ground reflectors, overpass steps, and street signs provided great framing composition. Post-processing mainly focused on color remodeling and subtle retouching to preserve the natural feel of everyday streets. For outdoor portrait shoots like this, I usually bring plenty of lighting gear, like the Godox TT350 and V850III, to balance harsh daylight highlights.

Besides this JK uniform set, I also shared Hanfu and dark-style Lolita photos taken in Qingdao. Ancient costumes look exceptionally atmospheric under Qingdao's warm-toned light, whereas for Lolita, I mostly designed studio shoots, utilizing Godox lights and fog machines to craft emotional mood. Several studio shoots relied entirely on lighting; with multiple lights, I matched various standard reflectors, snoots, barndoors, and Fresnel lenses to alter the light's texture. When shooting night scenes or ruins, I use the Godox LC500R and Yingqi GC series for ambient fill light. My gear setup is virtually all Nikon and Godox.

My gear upgrades have kept pace recently too—alongside Nikon cameras, the DJI Air 3 and Avata 2 have joined the lineup, as well as the new Godox AD200Pro II. Friends often tease me for having high gear enthusiasm with mediocre skills, but having fun shooting is what matters most to me.

I've been an ACG fan since 2017. I watch a wide variety of anime, catching up on classics while following seasonal shows, and even diving into original manga/novels when hooked. Since I basically spend my free time either shooting or watching anime, I've recently been organizing my personal anime favorites tier list—though someone who watches everything finds it tough to fill those out. Whenever I see iconic anime characters, I get the urge to bring them into reality, which fuels my motivation to keep taking photos. To me, the 2D world is more than a hobby; it's a spice of life. Aside from Yagi Yui, I really like D.Va. There are many IPs I'd love to shoot soon, such as Mahjong Soul (including collab characters), Suika from Dr. Stone, Senren * Banka, and more. I personally lean toward these Japanese styles.

I'll be active mainly in Chongqing during this period and heading back to Qingdao for the New Year. Friends with shared passions are always welcome to shoot together. Just to clarify, I only shoot formal sets and casual shoots, no gender-bending (crossplay), and I hope collaborating friends bring out their best expressive performance.