[Amiya cosplay] Multiple Outfits and Black Stockings in Arknights: Documenting This Birthday Project

This Arknights Amiya project photoshoot spanned a long period, with nearly ten different outfits prepared in total. The studio shoot was set to a clean, cool tone, using a plain gray background to highlight the characters and the textures of the costumes. The outfits were split into two sets: one handled by me including Pajamas, Dispatch, Medic, Far Voyager, and Solo in the Cosmos; the other handled by Chengcheng Xiaotu covering White Rabbit, Lawson, Lord of Fiends, Movie, and Chrono-Garden. Shooting this many outfits was quite a physical challenge, but thankfully the final results turned out very satisfying.

In this project, my personal favorite is the look with Black stockings (the set used for the cover). The costume itself has many details, such as the multi-layered black skirt, blue accents along the collar and waist, and the indispensable long Bunny ears. Styling choices were crucial: black stockings flatter leg contours nicely, and paired with leather shoes, they make the posture look upright and sleek on camera. To capture flattering leg lines during the shoot, shifting body weight was essential—avoiding standing straight in favor of angling the body slightly or lightly tiptoeing one foot to tighten the curve from the calf down to the ankle. My partner wore white socks with a blue uniform skirt; the black-and-white contrast and the pairing of long vs. short socks really popped in the frame.

Besides this set, outfits like the maid dress and sailor suit paired with plush toys also tested posing, requiring holding the stuffed animals as if they were alive while softening the gaze into the lens. When shooting looks like Lord of Fiends or Solo in the Cosmos featuring long flowing skirts and staff props, poses had to be adjusted to match the props' texture—holding the staff firmly to convey power, and fanning out the long skirt hem around the platform or spinning it mid-air to add dynamic layers. High heels with black stockings and floor-length skirts place high demands on posture, and the photographer continuously guided us on arm placement to visually elongate proportions.

The hair and makeup were also specially customized, highlighting the vitality of the eyes and the strand of hair draping beneath the Bunny ears. Relying solely on post-processing isn't enough; makeup colors and details must closely align with the character's temperament. Cool-toned lighting on the face enhanced facial contours. As for costume fabrics, some were silky while others were stiffer, differing in texture and light absorption, which produced distinct sheen levels on camera. Overall, I feel this set captured the character's diverse atmospheric moods across different states. Throughout these photos—from the full set in black stockings to the sailor suit with white stockings—I explored various emotional expressions. Since this was a complete duo project, coordination during shooting required high chemistry, such as balancing standing heights and harmonizing gazes. It was truly a rewarding process for accumulating cosplay photoshoot experience.