Today's set of client photos is a special Cosplay sharing of Yae Miko from Genshin Impact. I mainly wanted to try and restore various states of the character across different scenes, expressing everything from lazy daily life to slightly mysterious settings as much as possible through makeup, styling, and props as an ACG Cosplayer.
During the early prep of this Japanese-style photoshoot, we settled on a styling plan dominated by white, red, and black. The accuracy of the pink wig is one of the foundations of the entire photo set. To present a better visual effect, I specially layered this wig, making the front bangs look light yet gracefully curved. This beautifully flatters the face shape without overly blocking the eyes. The hair strands on both sides drape down along the cheeks, which, combined with the golden openwork crown on top, makes the head silhouette look fuller and more three-dimensional.
In terms of the costume, this photo set uses a Japanese-style modified design made of white fabric with subtle patterns. The top features an off-the-shoulder design to reveal the shoulder and neck lines, paired with a black inner layer to form a three-tier contrast of white, red, and black. The wide sleeves feature a red-and-white patchwork structure, producing a very natural flowing elegance when lifting arms or moving. The waist sash and back accessories chosen are in a slightly dark gold, enhancing the overall luxury while avoiding the monotony of a large white area.
The shoot for Figure 1 was conducted in a standard washitsu (Japanese-style room). The floor is laid with tatami, a warm yellow paper lantern rests in the corner, and pink cherry blossom petals are scattered around to create a highly cozy and relaxing atmosphere. Here, I chose a lying position, with legs stretched along the wall, reaching out to rest a white fox mask beside my hand. This pose fully showcases the tailoring of the costume and the lines of my legs, while the warm-toned side lighting softens the skin texture. The white fox mask is a highly important accent in this styling, used to add a touch of mystery. Paired with the character's calm and confident expression, it builds an interesting interactive relationship.
The maple leaves under an umbrella series in Figure 4 represents another style. Holding a paper umbrella, I reached up to grab a branch of maple leaves. This action required deliberate control over the arm's extension, letting the wide sleeve drape naturally to reveal the skin details on my back. The red of the maple leaves beautifully echoes the red ties on the costume. The red foliage, white clothes, and golden headpiece merge in the frame to enrich the overall colors.
The chain theme in Figure 2 opted for a dark-toned treatment, using localized highlights in the photography lighting to trace the silhouette. Metal-textured chains are wrapped around my body, which, paired with the black background, creates a mood that is noticeably more quiet and solemn than the previous sets. This dark-toned lighting can easily flatten facial features, so during the shoot, I had to deliberately adjust the focus of my eyes and the direction of the light, casting moderate rim lighting on my face and neck to present a state that is both cold and mysterious.
Beyond coordinating the large scenes, the use of some still-life props also affects the quality of the frame. In the writing scene of Figure 5, the brush and ink bottle are placed at angles to make it look as if a piece of writing has just been completed or is currently underway, and the layout of the inkstone and paper aligns with the character's physical orientation. The shot in Figure 6, where I reach out with foreground blurring, locks the lens focus entirely on my eyes and expression, establishing an interactive feel that breaks the fourth wall through movement.
I also deliberately adjusted the makeup coordination. The base makeup leans matte, paired with light purple contact lenses. The eyeshadow and eyeliner rely on light colors, emphasizing the contour of the eyes rather than color. The lip makeup uses a deeper dusty rose tone to neutralize the sweetness brought by the pink hair, leaning the overall temperament toward maturity and composure.
Shooting this entire sequence, the team coordinated seamlessly in prop management and transition pacing. All post-processing of the photos focused on restoring texture, preserving the fabric patterns and the hair flow of the wig as much as possible. Recording these various facets of the character through the lens was a highly complete creative experience for me.