For this illustration cosplay set, I chose to recreate the image of the guitar-holding girl drawn by artist Shiliu. When discussing with the photographer Mama, we agreed not to make it feel overly staged—the core was all about a "cozy home feel" and a "sense of relaxation." Since the original artwork has a casual and languid vibe, we set up near a window flooded with natural light, shooting with the diffused sunlight filtered through afternoon white sheer curtains. This natural light source avoids harsh outlines, offering an exceptionally delicate texture instead. Whether it's the light blue ribbed knit top I wore or the blue body of the Ibanez AZ in my hands, the finish reflections under the soft light hit just the right note.
For this shoot, I specifically acquired an Ibanez AZ series guitar. Its roasted maple neck exhibits a warm, woody luster in the sunlight, creating a lovely contrast with the dark fretboard. The tortoiseshell pickguard brings out the most vintage charm on the guitar body, pairing with the light blue finish to look crisp and refreshing. However, to be honest, posing with an electric guitar isn't as effortless as people might think. Because the guitar has weight, looking like you are holding or resting on it effortlessly actually requires subtle muscle engagement—maintaining core support so the posture doesn't sag. We tried several poses, such as holding the guitar with eyes closed and sitting on a bean bag chair gazing at the camera. Recreating these small movements was all about capturing the quiet, artistic essence of the original art.
We prepared two seating setups: a grey bean bag chair and a wooden high stool. Since the scene in the drawing leans toward modern minimalism, we kept the background clean and uncluttered—only featuring large-leaf plants, white sheer curtains, a light-colored wooden coffee table, and dried flower ornaments so they wouldn't steal the spotlight. For my outfit, I opted for light tones: a light blue long-sleeved top to complement the guitar's body color, paired with a simple grey pencil skirt on the bottom. Free from fancy decorations, it relies entirely on color block harmony to match the visual tone of the original illustration.
In this genre of illustration cosplay photography, capturing expression and mood is often more important than matching poses exactingly. During the shoot, I kept myself in a very relaxed state, avoiding staring directly into the lens. Most of the time, I looked slightly downward or out the window, allowing Mama to capture natural moments without disturbing the atmosphere. In the final shots, the transition of light and shadow is wonderfully smooth, with soft gradations between highlight and shadow. The Ibanez AZ served not only as a prop on set, but also as an anchor for composition, providing visual support whether slung diagonally or placed vertically.
All in all, when shooting this kind of illustration cosplay work, understanding the atmosphere of the original art is harder than merely copying poses. The silent tacit understanding with the photographer, control over light, and texture matching of props all come together to produce these images that feel so full of life and breath.