I happened to shoot a set of NARAKA: BLADEPOINT Yu Linglong cosplay convention photos at the Chengdu World Line Anime Convention. Conventions naturally have great advantages for photoshoots; not only is the exhibition hall large enough with plenty of light, but you can also meet many photographer friends to hang out with. This set of photos mainly aims to showcase the visual tension and atmosphere of the red-and-white contrast on the character, so instead of standard eye-level shots, we heavily utilized low-angle shots paired with wide-angle lenses.
In terms of styling details, Yu Linglong's costume is dominated by vibrant red, paired with a white fur collar, creating a highly vivid color contrast. Her white wig was styled to be fluffy, keeping the character's original look. There is a sharp red marking on her forehead, and her eye makeup uses dark red-black tones to strengthen her gaze. As for props, besides the red cords and bells that come with the outfit, the pink oval plaque on her chest is a nice little highlight, with 'You Are My Rose' written in English, adding a touch of tenderness to this slightly sharp look. The red ropes and small silver beads wrapped around her wrists are also highly recognizable details, serving as excellent accents in the frame.
Chengdu's weather was great on the day of the shoot. The venue's ceiling features a massive glass curtain wall with a linear grid. In the afternoon, sunlight pierced through the glass into the hall, hitting the shoot directly and creating a very strong backlight. Especially in the second photo, the sunlight on the right side burst into a beautiful radial lens flare in the camera. This kind of white-hot highlight outlined the character's contours elegantly, giving the white hair and clothing borders more texture. This Tyndall effect of natural light is extremely hard to replicate in studio shoots, and it perfectly matches the character's lightweight yet slightly mysterious vibe.
A low-angle composition is highly fitting for this character because Yu Linglong's upper body costume is relatively light, avoiding any bulky appearance. The photographer chose a wide-angle lens, which greatly exaggerated the limbs reaching toward the camera. This strong perspective distortion amplified the tension of the movements, giving the viewer a sense of close-up proximity. The close-up of the arm stretching toward the lens, paired with the lines of the hanging rope knots, naturally guides the viewer's gaze to the visual center of the image. This kind of photo would have a huge visual impact in a double-page spread or a full-page layout.
This shoot took place at the Chengdu World Line Anime Convention, which has a different schedule compared to other places. Many conventions in other cities wrap up around 5 PM, but World Line lets you play until 11:30 PM! This super-long duration is incredibly friendly to cosplayers. The daytime venue is crowded, perfect for street-style photography weaving through the crowd, while the evening and night sessions offer a much more relaxed vibe. I used to feel anxious about running out of time before the con ended, but World Line's night-market culture completely wiped out that worry.
I met many fellow fans who are also interested in NARAKA: BLADEPOINT on-site. When they saw this Yu Linglong look, they'd come over for friendly chats, making the on-site interaction highly natural. The entire shooting atmosphere was lighthearted—we shot wherever we felt like it without forcing any rigid poses. Although standing for over ten hours from morning to night pushed the energy limits of a 'college student playing Naraka,' seeing the final convention photos open up on my computer screen made the whole experience incredibly healing.
For this set, the post-processing direction didn't involve any exaggerated color reconstruction. We mainly preserved the translucent feel of the highlights and slightly lifted the shadows to keep the details on her face and costume intact. Since the crowds and chaotic background of the convention venue can easily look messy without blur, we properly softened the edges and distinguished the layers during editing. Furthermore, I've always felt that Anime-style photography shouldn't be limited to the meticulous polishing of studio shoots. Some natural flaws and on-site hustle and bustle are actually the most charming parts of convention photos. Bringing a beloved character into real-life spaces to feel authentic warmth, light, and shadow is indeed the greatest charm of Cosplay.