This time, I cosplayed Yae Miko from Genshin Impact. Taking advantage of the spring cherry blossoms in full bloom, I met up with a photographer friend in the park for this ACG outdoor location shoot.
Let's start with the preparations for this outfit. The pink wig underwent plenty of styling and fluffiness adjustments; the pair of fluffy animal ears on top along with the golden headpiece are key to recreating the character's signature features. As for the costume, it mainly features a white, red, and black color combination. The upper half utilizes an off-the-shoulder modified Japanese-style cut paired with a black inner layer, showcasing collarbone and shoulder lines with just the right touch of charm. The black-and-white geometric mesh waist sash at the waist is a finishing touch that tightens the waistline beautifully, while the red-and-white skirt on the lower half features high slit tailoring along with a wide silver-trimmed hem, forming a striking color contrast for this Yae Miko cosplay.
To fit the character's lazy yet confident disposition, I specifically prepared a white high stool as a prop. During shooting, I varied sitting postures and hand gestures to capture the most natural moments. For example, slightly crossing my legs while resting a hand on the ear ornament, or raising a hand toward a nearby cherry blossom branch, both nicely conveyed her effortless composure. I intentionally opted against wearing tights, going barefoot with red platform geta sandals to present clean leg lines and visually elongate my silhouette in this Sakura Photograph shoot.
The lighting on shooting day was fantastic; outdoor natural light was very soft, and the blooming pink cherry trees in the background echoed the costume and wig in a harmonious color palette while maintaining clear foreground-background depth. The photographer used a wide aperture to blur the background, completely softening cluttered branches and distant pedestrians to make the subject the absolute visual center. The pink, white, and blue color composition made the entire set of Cosplay photography look clean and brimming with spring atmosphere.
Doing outdoor location shoots brings many unexpected minor troubles. First off, these high-heeled geta clogs were difficult to balance on grass; to ensure leg poses highlighted good lines, I had to repeatedly adjust my ankle angles and shift my center of gravity, making my calves ache after just a few minutes of Cosplay photography. Then there was the spring outdoor wind—while blowing hair strands added dynamic motion, it could accidentally blow skirts or top animal ears out of place, requiring a quick styling check before every shutter press.
As for makeup, to match the character's demeanor, I deliberately emphasized eye contours using darker eyeshadow to elongate the eye shape, paired with a natural mauve/bean-paste lip tone to create a confident, cool, and subtly cunning look. Working with the photographer was seamless; he accurately captured my moments of looking down, turning sideways, or gazing straight into the lens.
Although shooting this whole set was tiring, seeing the final photos made all the preparation feel worthwhile. This style fusing Japanese aesthetics with anime fashion effortlessly yields fantastic shots in a vibrant spring environment, where the clash of red, white, black, and pink brings far more vitality than indoor studio sessions. However, I didn't over-retouch the photos, preserving natural skin texture and light shadows on clothing to retain an authentic outdoor shoot texture. Using a small wooden stool as a seating prop allowed both standing and seated poses—highly practical and true to the character's habits while adding a layered structural support point to the composition.
It was an exceptionally enjoyable outdoor shoot. Given the chance in the future, I hope to find equally rich natural backdrops to cosplay characters in other styles!