Walking down from the rocky scree at the summit, the gravel underfoot was extremely slippery. This photoshoot took place on a mountain ridge near 3,000 meters above sea level where the wind was fiercely strong—as soon as I styled the wig, a sudden gust would blow it into total disarray.
To capture the commanding, haughty demeanor of Tenshi Hinanawi from Touhou Project, photographer @DeFocus: Bu and I scouted the location two days in advance. We had to wake up around 6:00 AM to pack our gear; the costume itself is quite heavy, especially the voluminous white sleeves that flapped like two banners in the high winds. The tiered white skirt and white tights (White tights cosplay) easily tangled in the wind, requiring constant adjustments between takes to ensure the pleats looked neat and dynamic.
The location for the second photo happened to be at a gap where the sea of clouds surged, with sunlight breaking through cloud crevices onto my body. The photographer instructed me to stand sideways, holding the brim of the black hat with one hand while letting the other arm hang naturally. With my black mid-calf boots sunken into the gravel, keeping my balance required tensing my leg muscles, giving the standing posture an upright, stately silhouette. The white tights showed crisp, distinct texture under the intense sunlight, serving as a prominent highlight of this outfit.
The first back-view photo was shot going downhill, facing away from the camera with both hands raised as if adjusting my hat. This long-shot emphasized overall silhouettes against the environment, making my body proportions and blue hair stand out vividly. Vast skies occupied two-thirds of the frame, creating an expansive, open composition.
In high-altitude outdoor shooting like this, verifying wind direction before every shutter release was essential, as billowing blue hair and cuffs could easily obstruct my face. Several ribbons tied to the outfit easily wrapped around the leg straps during movement, so I had to leave ample breathing room when posing. The shooting process was physically demanding: keeping facial expressions relaxed against piercing sunlight while carefully avoiding having my stockings snagged on sharp mountain rocks.
This styling reflects the classic design from Touhou Hisouten: Scarlet Weather Rhapsody, featuring substantial metallic buckles and heavy embroidery, whose metallic sheens were captured gorgeously under natural outdoor light. We coordinated to find specific backlit angles to outline the character's silhouette with rim light. After wrapping up the entire set on the peak and gazing at the surrounding seas of clouds and mountain ranges, I felt that the spatial grandeur of real nature could never be replicated in a studio. The synergy with the photographer was seamless, and the final photos blended the character's temperament with the breathtaking landscape impeccably.