Getting straight to the point: to bring out the best of Blanc: White Rabbit from Goddess of Victory, I poured a tremendous amount of effort into the hair, makeup, and garment details. Starting with the wig, the blunt silver-white bangs and side hair buns required meticulous trimming and styling. Paired with the bronze-gold branch-shaped hairpiece atop my head, I used ample hairspray and securing bobby pins to ensure nothing slipped out of place during the shoot. As for makeup, the golden-yellow contact lenses were undeniably the crowning touch; combined with reddish-brown eye makeup, they created a cool, alluring aesthetic tinged with doll-like charm.
The costume design is fascinating, blending Chinese frog-button mandarin collars with flowing Japanese-style wide sleeves. The white inner mandarin collar features golden frog closures, while the chest showcases black-and-white color blocking—the black fabric printed with an exquisite golden mythical beast motif and veiled in a layer of semi-sheer black tulle to enhance visual depth. The expansive black sleeves of the outer coat are adorned with gorgeous golden landscape and tree patterns. Around the waist, a glossy leather underbust corset was added to create a sharp contrast against the matte fabrics, while the golden braided knot and dangling tassels offered dynamic motion as I moved. For the lower half, I chose black micro-shorts paired with opaque Black stockings and glossy black patent-leather high heels. This combination visually elongated the leg lines wonderfully, especially during poses stepping one foot onto a chair or crossing the legs, letting the sleek texture of the stockings shine.
During the shoot, the small round fan prop proved immensely versatile. Using it to partially veil the face or guide the line of sight lent rich narrative depth to the compositions. I explored diverse postures: sitting poised on a white round stool to showcase elegance, crossing my legs on the stairs to highlight side-profile contours, and dynamic snapshots standing on one foot. The studio's diffused softbox lighting preserved the radiant sheen of the gold embroidery on the outfit. Given the black-and-gold color scheme, I opted for a clean gray-white seamless paper backdrop, ensuring the viewer's focus remained entirely anchored on the costume and leg lines.
When channeling the character, I paid close attention to controlling my gaze. The golden eyes were exceptionally arresting in close-up shots; paired with a slightly tucked chin and deliberate sightlines, they conveyed the character's presence with authentic poise. Adjusting postures across different props required careful thought as well. For example, in the shot using the metal folding chair, resting one knee-bent foot on the seat edge tested flexibility, yet maximally elongated the leg contours encased in Black stockings, with the pointed heels heightening the dramatic visual tension. Seated sideways on the white steps, crossing my legs naturally utilized the height difference of the stairs to flatter leg proportions, while partially concealing my face behind the round fan added an enigmatic touch of mystery.
The oversized coat design could easily look bulky on camera, so I intentionally extended my arms or used torso twists to bring out the flowing movement of the sleeves. Under specific lighting angles, the semi-sheer tulle subtly revealed glimpses of skin, harmonizing with the character's alluring persona. The golden embroidery looked exquisite under macro lenses, inspiring us to shoot plenty of half-body portraits. Across every stance—standing, seated, and leaning—testing diverse angles and focal lengths bridged the opulence of the black-and-gold palette with anime character aesthetics. The heel height required extra core concentration during standing action shots, but this ultimately helped maintain a much more commanding, upright posture. The entire session was deeply engaging, and the finished photos achieved exactly what I had envisioned.