[Cheshire Cosplay] Azur Lane Glossy Material Costume Photography Sharing

This Cheshire outfit really maxes out the material glossiness, and I was quite stressed before wearing it out. This dark blue fabric with a metallic reflective texture is actually extremely demanding on lighting in dim environments. We purposely set up a bluish-purple light source on site, which could cast highlights along the folds of the clothes, enriching the overall layering. Compared to regular diffuse fabrics, glossy materials pose a greater challenge during post-processing in retaining highlights and darkening shadows; one cannot blindly pursue smoothness and lose the original texture. Although fabrics with a slight stiffness are great for holding shapes, they crease very easily, so the clothes had to be hung up properly before the shoot and smoothed out bit by bit with a garment steamer.

The wig part underwent special layering treatment. To recreate that slightly messy yet fluffy effect, a large amount of styling spray and hair gel was used, and the hair roots also needed to be teased for volume. If a wig of this color has too much hair gloss, it looks very fake, so it took a long time of searching to find this matte-textured one. Securing the hair accessories also took considerable effort because the glossy costume is quite slippery; many safety pins were used to ensure it wouldn't shift when posing.

In terms of eye makeup, to match the bluish-purple circle lenses, the eyeshadow tone selected a cool purple of the same color family, and delicate fine shimmer was layered at the inner corners of the eyes and the aegyo-sal, creating a sparkling feel under the lighting. False eyelashes were chosen in a clustered style to enhance the feathery texture of the eye area. Blush was applied to the middle of the face and under the eyes, paired with a slightly pouty lip makeup to maintain a hint of slightly intoxicated, aloof ennui. The base makeup was intentionally made into a semi-matte effect so that even under strong light it wouldn't look greasy, forming a contrast with the glossy outfit.

The shooting background was chosen as a bar counter with a liquor cabinet; the steady warmth of the wood formed a huge contrast with the glossy outfit. Such ambient light is very dark, so a softbox was used when filling light on the face to ensure the face didn't look darkened due to ambient color. Hand movements are crucial; resting lightly on the counter surface, paired with a slightly tilted head angle, showcases the body's lines and the costume's tailoring. To better display the overall effect, full-body perspectives were also intentionally shot, though for the sake of the frame's focal point, some focus was placed on the upper body. During the shoot, attention also had to be paid to the impact of clothing reflections on lens metering, and multiple sets of parameters were tested before finding the appropriate exposure.

Because this costume is relatively form-fitting and due to the material, making movements creates a squeaky friction sound, so posing required extra care without overly large amplitudes. Glossy clothing is actually quite non-breathable in indoor sultry shooting environments, but seeing the resulting photo effects, the previous stuffiness and the tediousness of organizing clothes were all totally worth it.

Actually, the bow part of this outfit is the focal point of the entire styling—an exceptionally large chest bow supported by stiff material. Not only must the color match the main body of the costume, but the reflections under the light must also have layers, avoiding a stiff look for the bow. I padded fine wire behind the bow so the shape could be adjusted at any time. The silver chain worn around the neck also required attention to avoid sticking to the glossy surface of the clothes or producing overly cluttered reflections due to glare; the angle was slightly adjusted during the shoot to avoid this problem. Overall, this shoot was a major test of material expressiveness, but the final cyberpunk feel presented is still deeply satisfying.