[Eyjafjalla Cosplay] Land of the Unpromised Under Xiamen's Warm Sunshine

In November, Xiamen still had intense UV rays. When shooting the Land of the Unpromised outfit for Arknights' Eyjafjalla (Eyjafjalla Cosplay), the blinding sunshine made it hard to keep my eyes open. The overhead sun combined with light reflected from surrounding greenery turned the entire environment into a giant oven. Because it was a brilliantly clear day, the lighting was excellent; however, due to prolonged direct exposure, taking off my jacket revealed my shoulders were reddened and even sunburned. I felt a bit defeated at that moment, but thankfully the final photos turned out wonderfully warm.

Let's talk about this costume. The main color palette is blue and white, with red diamond patterns on the skirt hem, and the apron and sleeves overflow with youthful charm. The large blue bow on my head was difficult to secure, requiring constant angle adjustments throughout the shoot. The most hardcore aspect was the massive golden fork prop, which was very heavy in hand. To express the character's lively nature, I had to maintain balance while holding up the fork, all while carrying a basket filled with baguettes, apples, and fresh flowers—my arms were sore beyond belief. The White stockings felt rather stuffy under the scorching sun, and walking on the stone pavement in Mary Janes made the soles of my feet burning hot.

During the shoot, the photographer meticulously sought backlit positions, allowing sunlight to filter through the leaves and cast a golden halo of rim light around my hair. To keep the compositions clean and aesthetic, we experimented with numerous poses—such as holding the basket in profile, standing on one leg, or facing forward gripping the props with both hands. The third photo is a classic standing full-body shot: facial lighting is great, and body proportions and leg lines are fully showcased. Although the shooting process was demanding and sweat-drenched, and my shoulders ached for days afterward, seeing that vibrant, life-affirming state captured in the photos made both me and the photographer feel the hardship was entirely worthwhile.

This was a rare, precious photoshoot experience, recording the warmth of Xiamen's November before the arrival of winter. When shooting with the giant fork prop, safety was paramount to prevent metal edges from tearing the costume fabric. Keeping the garments tidy was also essential, as outdoor lawns easily soil fabrics with dirt. This shoot built great experience—for future Outdoor photography under intense sunlight, sunscreen and parasols will definitely be prepared in advance, alongside adjusting shutter speeds and aperture sizes according to lighting conditions to create even more stunning works.