[Ellen Joe Cosplay] The Shark Girl from Zenless Zone Zero, A Lazy Everyday Routine at the Desk

This shoot features Ellen Joe from Zenless Zone Zero, with the core of the entire look residing in that magnetic contrast striking a balance between high school life and underlying danger. Black short hair paired with X-shaped hair clips on both sides, along with a red-to-black gradient inner layer dye, instantly grabs attention against a pure white backdrop. To accurately capture her vibe, I intentionally chose red contact lenses and a black choker, combined with a slightly unbuttoned white shirt and a navy pleated skirt—with the metal buckle belt at the waist serving as another vital detail for fidelity.

During the session, I avoided deliberate combat stances and instead chose a setup closer to everyday school life—desks, chairs, and a backpack—which highlighted Ellen Joe's everyday lazy yet slightly aloof personality even further. The first posture sitting on the edge of the desk is my favorite: legs naturally crossed with toes pointed on the chair's crossbar. The Black tights outfit paired with loafers extends the leg line without feeling overly flashy, giving a grounded composition center, while a direct gaze into the lens carries a commanding presence. The second candid shot, standing with a lollipop in her mouth, was meant to portray effortless relaxation. I adjusted the curvature of my wrists and fingers multiple times so that the red lollipop color subtly echoed her eyes and hair tips. The third seated posture tested control over weight distribution even more; when crossing legs, the skirt folds and the white border trim of the pleated skirt needed to fan out naturally rather than bunching up stiffly.

As for makeup and styling, the base makeup leaned matte. Eye shadow used an earth-tone base layered with subtle dark red to anchor the pupil color, while lips wore a muted rose matte lip tint to keep focus on the hair color. The white shirt fabric is crucial—it shouldn't be too rigid. A soft, slightly stretchy cotton retains a natural drape and delicate wrinkled texture. When rolling up cuffs, exposing the narrowest part of the forearm makes the frame look visually lighter. I also adjusted the backpack strap length so that hanging it on the side of the desk kept it comfortably off the floor without blocking the legs.

Before shooting, the photographer and I agreed on a "cool and aloof, but not unapproachably distant" tone. Softboxes and reflectors ensured balanced facial lighting with catchlights, while two side-backlights outlined hair and shoulder silhouettes, creating separation for black hair against the white studio backdrop without harsh highlights. For post-color grading, I insisted on minimal touch-ups, fine-tuning only skin tones and the navy saturation of the skirt to preserve the original shot's desaturated gray texture, as the character herself isn't bright or flashy.

This styling relies heavily on hardware details—metallic hair clip reflections, choker pendant textures, and the glossy patent finish of the loafers; without these hardware details on point, the overall atmosphere suffers. Holding a lollipop throughout the shoot wasn't just for posing; it genuinely provided a relaxed hand posture to prevent stiffness. If I shoot this character again, I'd love to try dynamic standing poses, like leaning one hand on the desk looking back or capturing the moment of adjusting the skirt, which should convey her sharp combat readiness. However, this serene classroom session in our Anime-style photography work will keep me reminiscing for a long time—after all, placing an extraordinary character amidst ordinary desks and chairs brings out a compelling contrast that makes this Ellen Joe cosplay styling truly captivating.