Cosplaying Yu Linglong from NARAKA: BLADEPOINT at the Firefly ACG Expo, the biggest challenge was figuring out how to manage the massive bundle of pink tail props. These fluffy tails were genuinely enormous; walking through crowds made it very easy to bump into people, so I maintained an upright, poised posture throughout the hall—not only for aesthetic grace, but also to keep the tails from dragging on the floor and getting dirty. With dense crowds at the expo, scouting a spot with a relatively clean background that wouldn't impede the spread of the tails took considerable time. The photographer had to frame from as far back as possible to ensure all the fluffy tails fit completely into the shot.
There were plenty of noteworthy details regarding the costume and styling. The overall outfit features a white base overlaid with purple-pink sheer chiffon; while the detachable two-piece sleeves appeared light and airy, they actually carried noticeable weight in hand. To maintain those layered, flowing movements, I had to consciously exaggerate my arm motions while posing, otherwise the garments would look heavy and sluggish on camera. The golden chains and silver ornaments on the chest caught the overhead venue lighting with brilliant specular highlights, elevating the costume's overall texture.
What impressed me most was the white-based miniskirt. While tailored snugly to the body, getting dressed required meticulous adjustments to the ties and chest padding beforehand to guarantee optimal proportions before the lens. The small silver suitcase was actually an impromptu prop grabbed by the photographer—initially meant only for packing fill lights and miscellaneous gear. Unexpectedly, sitting on the suitcase or kneeling beside it with one leg extended the leg lines beautifully and provided ample room to stretch out, turning an accidental prop into something that made the shoot noticeably more relaxed and natural.
The character hair and makeup also received dedicated thought. The silver-white wig was styled in delicate layers to blend naturally along the hairline, while the plush white ears atop the head had to be pinned securely to hair ornaments so they wouldn't shift. To channel the distinctive Fox Spirit allure intrinsic to the character, the makeup highlighted soft purple-pink eyeshadow paired with matching colored contacts. A subtle winged eyeliner combined with lush eyelashes brought lively expressiveness to the eyes on camera. While this makeup looked wonderfully translucent under lighting, the foundation underneath was applied quite thick, prone to shine under prolonged hall warmth and requiring frequent touch-ups.
When posing, I constantly monitored my gaze and posture. Yu Linglong's signature charm lies in her lively yet slightly cheeky demeanor, so standing rigidly was out of the question; it required slight head tilts or lifting a hand to playfully shield my line of sight. The photographer captured several shots of me sitting cross-legged atop the suitcase—a pose that heavily tested core stability. Since balance was easily compromised, tightening my leg muscles was essential to stay poised, achieving a visual balance of relaxed nonchalance and poised refinement.
Shooting at a convention is fundamentally different from a studio shoot: hall lighting is intricate and pedestrian flow is constant. Often just after settling into a pose, passersby would cross the frame, requiring a patient pause to find the rhythm again. Yet it was precisely this atmosphere that made the whole experience so enjoyable. Wearing this cosplay through the venue drew plenty of eyes, and during rest breaks, fellow fans frequently came over to praise the tails. To achieve clean shots, background selection had to avoid pillars and competing booths, as the pink tails could easily wash out against light-colored backdrops. The photographer constantly directed my angles on the fly to elongate leg proportions.
Costume fabric selection was another focal point of the shoot. The pink chiffon skirts create a lovely translucent effect under backlight, so the photographer deliberately placed an auxiliary light source at a rear-side angle to give the garment edges a luminous halo. Meanwhile, floral embroidery on the purple sleeves supplied rich visual texture in close-up portraits, allowing garments of harmonious hues to reveal distinct textural depth across varied lighting conditions. Because the tails were so bulky, they not only made walking tiring but also strained the backpack harness—thankfully reinforced within the interior costume beforehand. Consequently, although mobility was restricted, it naturally forced me to hold an elegant, dignified posture, which aligned seamlessly with the character's disposition. After wrapping the shoot in the late afternoon, wearing such specialized gear for hours left my legs and lower back aching, but seeing these collaborative photos made the day's experience deeply rewarding.