Finally sorted out the big photo set for Amiya's birthday and releasing this backlog of shots! The planned costume this time was a blue-and-white checkered dress, paired with iconic Bunny ears. For the outdoor shoot, we specifically chose a sunflower field; the weather was fantastic, though the ground was a bit muddy. The White Rabbit prop in hand was super eye-catching, though quite heavy—my arms grew sore holding it during the outdoor session. The daytime photos had soft lighting, and blurring the sunflowers in the background highlighted the dress patterns and hair accessory colors.
Later, we moved to a wooden platform. As the sun was about to set, the light grew slightly crisper and harder, perfectly capturing the lace details on the dress. We originally wanted to catch the sunset glow, but darkness fell faster than expected. After discussing with the photographer, we added a direct-flash nighttime shoot—that harsher light texture suited the outfit surprisingly well and brilliantly emphasized the lower-body White stockings and chunky boots. The direct flash hitting the White stockings gave them incredible texture, which couldn't be achieved during the day. My legs were actually quite sore shooting this part; holding a slight forward-leaning posture to find the right angle took effort, but it was worth it for the composition.
Preparing this Amiya cosplay from conception to shooting took about two weeks, including custom prop fabrication and wig grooming, making it a fairly hurried schedule. Yet the moment I put on the dress and Bunny ears, the character's temperament clicked right into place. The sunflower field was tricky to walk in, requiring constant care to avoid stepping on the plants. During transitions, we adjusted the reflector's position to ensure even lighting across the face.
The two styles of daytime and night shots deliver completely different vibes: fresh and sweet during the day, while the direct flash at night created a cool, handsome edge. When shooting official sets, the biggest fear is a prop mishap midway through; luckily, the White Rabbit pillow was fine, except for almost being blown away by the wind.
Releasing a set of photos I'm satisfied with always feels like a milestone record. It serves as both a reward for my hard work and a fulfilled wish for the character. Since it's a birthday theme, having this opportunity meant shooting to my heart's content. Having run around for a while during the day, my stamina lagged a bit, so facial expression control slacked slightly toward the end, but looking at the finished photos, that natural fatigue unexpectedly added an authentic touch.
For post-processing, I mainly focused on color grading, wanting the yellow hues of the sunflowers to harmonize naturally with Amiya's blue-and-white palette without clashing. Contrast was dialed up for the hard-light shots to deepen the background shadows, while the lace trims and hair accessories received proper detailing.
There were a few little episodes on the shoot day—for example, the flash was so bright I could barely keep my eyes open, and the night wind was chilly enough that I was shivering on the wooden platform. Thankfully, the final outcome turned out deeply satisfying. Sharing these photos is simply about documenting that joy—the photoshoot was exhausting, but immensely fulfilling. Directly posting the photos!