Hangzhou Dreamland Day 1 Salter convention photos are here! These are the photos captured and returned by the photographers, and even the unedited raw shots already look incredibly high-quality. A huge thank you to the photographers for capturing these moments. Although the preparation on that day was indeed a bit rushed, seeing these convention photos makes me feel like most of the regrets have been made up for.
First, let's talk about the preparation. Actually, before setting off, I kept hesitating about whether to do this cosplay, because this dark navy blue (deep sea blue) satin dress is highly demanding on the lighting and venue environment. The dense industrial-style tube lights on the ceiling of the exhibition hall are indeed hard to handle for con cosplayers; they can easily make the face look dead white or wash out dark-colored clothes. However, the two photographers chose amazing camera positions and shooting angles. They managed to bring out the translucent quality of the skin even in such a complex environment, while also capturing the soft glow that the dress's satin material should have, without any greasy-looking reflections. This aspect of the cosplay photography was truly professional.
For this Salter look, aside from the classic silver-white wig with straight bangs and a high ponytail, and the bright yellow colored contact lenses, what took the most effort was actually adjusting the massive navy blue bow on the back of my head and the collar accessory. Because things were so rushed that day, I was initially worried that the wig might fall apart due to the stuffiness inside the venue. Fortunately, I managed to hold it together by clipping in a few extra bobby pins. While the huge puff sleeves combined with the backless design gave off an amazing aura for photos, they actually took up a lot of space in the crowded venue. I had to keep my arms tucked in while walking to avoid bumping into passersby and other attendees in the back. The white arabesque embroidery details along the cuffs and skirt hem looked very exquisite under the venue lights, and I even met a few fellow fans who came to ask about the dress's pattern and material.
Next, let's talk about the weapon prop. This giant sword of Salter's, which comes from Fate/Grand Order, features red connected line patterns down the center of the blade and circular designs on the guard, with a matte black and red color scheme that is highly accurate. The sword itself isn't too heavy, but because the blade is long, the lever arm becomes longer when holding it horizontally or vertically. If you don't tighten your core, the posture in the photos will look a bit sloppy. The horizontal sword pose in Photo 4 is actually one of my favorites; I worked really hard to lock my shoulders and didn't dare relax my core. The vertical two-handed sword pose in Photo 5, on the other hand, better showcases the fitted waist and the drape of the skirt, highlighting the contrast between the hollowed-out waist design and the delicate black lace trim on the chest.
Overall, I feel it was totally worth doing this Salter cosplay. Although I often cosplay other characters, a character with a somewhat cold and aloof aura like Salter really tests one's gaze. The bright yellow contacts made my eyes look sharper, which, combined with the straight bangs framing my face, allowed me to achieve a relatively satisfying result within the limited time.
Walking around and shooting in an exhibition hall, especially a comprehensive one like Dreamland, is a real test of stamina. I only did this outfit on Day 1; I originally planned to do it on Day 2 as well, but I was too exhausted and my body simply couldn't take it, so I gave up. Fortunately, the photographers helped record these moments. I'll slowly organize them, and if I see other good convention photos, I'll post them one by one to commemorate this Salter experience at Hangzhou Dreamland.