Taking advantage of the cherry blossom season, my partner and I completed this photoshoot of the Millennium Duo (Yukari Yakumo and Yuyuko Saigyouji), choosing the Cherry Blossom Avenue on Jianzhen Road in Yangzhou as our location. To be honest, wearing this Yakumo Yukari outfit outdoors was quite a physical workout; just the ruffled hat with ribbons and the multi-layered purple dress took me almost an hour of struggling in the changing room, let alone holding that black umbrella decorated with giant lace ruffles. But seeing the trees full of pink cherry blossoms made all the effort feel completely worth it.
I was responsible for Yakumo Yukari's styling this time. The blonde wig was specifically given fluffy curls and paired with red bow hair accessories. For makeup, I focused on purple eyeshadow and cool-toned lip shades to best recreate that languid yet mysterious border-manipulating aura. My partner portrayed Saigyouji Yuyuko cosplay, featuring pink wavy hair paired with a light-colored translucent sheer robe and blue waist sash, holding a blue folding fan, which radiated a ghostly maiden's lightness while standing under the blossom trees. We walked back and forth along the roadside under the trees multiple times as the photographer continuously took snapshots, specifically adjusting the umbrella's tilt angle to balance the framing.
This look was quite a test of composition in photography because the umbrella's size was huge, easily hiding faces or shifting the frame's center of gravity. Thus, we repeatedly adjusted our positioning, finally choosing a stance where the two of us were staggered with the umbrella half-open, exposing facial details while displaying key elements like the fan, bows, and lace edges. The cherry blossom branches hung low, creating a natural pink background. The overcast day provided soft light that made skin texture look delicate without harsh shadows, rendering even the lace patterns on the clothing crystal clear.
Speaking of outfit details, my purple dress featured numerous ruffles and red ribbon embellishments, with lantern-style cuffs and a wave-cut skirt hem, paired with black Stockings cosplay elements that subtly revealed the silhouette above the knees. My partner's blue waist sash featured subtle dark embroidery echoing the fan's blue color, while her white sheer robe utilized pearlescent sequin fabric that reflected subtle glimmer even under overcast skies. For props, the black umbrella's ribs were metal, making my wrist sore after holding it for a while, but for the sake of the final result I persevered—my hands were even trembling slightly after finishing.
During the shoot, we met many passersby; some stopped to take pictures, and others curiously asked if we were hosting an event. This street-shooting experience was actually very fun, allowing more people to appreciate the beauty of the Touhou Project series. Having been a fan of Touhou for years, I've always loved the subtle bond between Yukari Yakumo and Yuyuko Saigyouji. That's why I specifically chose Jianzhen Road, as the cherry trees here have great shapes and the road curves nicely, creating a wonderful sense of visual depth. We shot for about two hours, switching between several spots including benches under the trees and road bends, before finalizing this set.
Regarding post-processing, I didn't use too many special-effects filters, only adjusting the color balance slightly to make the pinks more saturated and the skin tones clearer. Personally, I prefer capturing authentic light, shadow, and textures—natural light casting over faces and garments is far more durable than artificially added atmospheres. Of course, pre-shoot preparations were also crucial, ranging from wig styling and makeup longevity to carrying props. For someone like me carrying a giant umbrella, paying attention not to get blown over by strong winds was a must.
My partner and I worked together with great synergy. Having cosplayed other works together before, we shared an unspoken understanding regarding positioning and eye contact. Many poses came naturally without needing words—for instance, when she turned sideways to wave her fan, I slightly closed my umbrella, or when she looked down at the flowers, I looked up toward the camera. These subtle details were refined through experience. Cosplay is not just about wearing clothes to take photos; it's an understanding and interpretation of character temperament. Though we don't act out scripts on set, that ambient mood needs to flow through actions and expressions.
Finally, touching upon the comfort of this costume: the fabric of the purple dress is actually quite thick, combined with inner linings and a petticoat, making it somewhat stifling under April temperatures in Yangzhou, though luckily the temperature wasn't too high that day. My partner's sheer robe was relatively cooler, but she had to wear multiple layers of underskirts to puff it out. So after every outdoor shoot, the overwhelming feeling is a mixture of pain and joy. Yet the moment I see the finished photos, all fatigue vanishes into thin air.
This shoot fulfilled a long-standing wish of mine to capture the Millennium Duo in such a beautiful cherry blossom scene. I hope to have more opportunities to shoot interesting themes in this city in the future, and welcome any exchanges if there are new ideas.