Shooting this Kochiya Sanae Cosplay took place during the Guangzhou Firefly ACG Expo. Although the wooded environment around the venue could hardly be called a hidden paradise, the lush summer green vegetation and the occasional dappled sunlight filtering through beautifully complemented this Wind Priestess from the Moriya Shrine, giving her an extraordinarily spiritual aura. To fully recreate the character, the early preparations were by no means easy. The design of this outfit incorporates a vast array of details: a main color scheme of pure white interwoven with marine blue, paired with numerous ruffles, lace trims, and detached sleeve cuffs. The fabric's texture and crispness directly affect the final quality of the photos, so during material selection and production, I deliberately sought out fine, wrinkle-resistant fabrics. The white floral ornaments on top of the head and the small red beads on the side are the perfect finishing touches; they beautifully balance the vibrant green wig, giving the overall look more layers.
In terms of props, the long-handled decorative staff I brought this time is not only the character's signature element but also greatly enriched the composition during the shoot. The white ribbons and blue tassels at the bottom created flowing lines when I raised my arms to wave it. To ensure the ribbons would flutter naturally with the wind instead of looking stiff, I took the time to shape them using a spray bottle and a hair dryer before setting off, and the actual effect during the shoot was highly ideal.
For the makeup, I specially emphasized a translucent look. The base makeup was kept as light as possible, paired with ice-blue contact lenses that echoed the wig's color tone, while the eyeshadow featured low-saturation pink-orange tones, highlighting a subtle reddish smudge on the lower eyelids. The lip makeup used a glossy texture, aiming to present a girl-next-door temperament that is both divine and warm.
The shooting day was in the middle of midsummer, and the outdoor temperature in Guangzhou was extremely high. Weaving through the woods in such a fully equipped costume, being drenched in sweat was a common occurrence. Fortunately, the light in the forest was absolutely enchanting, with sunlight filtering through layers of leaves to form natural, soft dappled light. Director Yu really knew how to utilize this natural light, deliberately avoiding cluttered backgrounds when framing, and focusing entirely on me and the props. The shooting rhythm was also captured beautifully, with two different sets of motion captures echoing two states: Photo 1 captures the quietness of turning back sideways, and Photo 2 captures the dynamic energy of raising my arms to swing the staff. Especially in Photo 2, as the wind swept through the leaves, lifting my hair and the white silk ribbons, the frozen moment was filled with summer's unique airy crispness.
Doing a forest location shoot during a convention actually requires finding a time slot to escape the hustle and bustle of the main venue. We specifically chose a small, undeveloped corner of the woods next to the main venue, which guaranteed a quiet environment without losing the atmosphere of the convention itself. On the way, we occasionally ran into other cosplayers dressed as Touhou Project characters; we nodded to each other in greeting. This wordless, mutual understanding between fellow fans added a lot of warmth to this shoot.
Historically, characters in the Touhou Project series have possessed incredibly vibrant vitality and a vast foundation for fan creations. As a living god, Kochiya Sanae's serious, hardworking, and occasionally stubborn yet cute traits deeply attract me. Before undertaking this Cosplay photography project, I read through the character's background story repeatedly, hoping to capture her unique contrast—being a deity yet actively trying to fit into modern society. The Kochiya Sanae I wanted to present is not just about the green hair and blue dress on the outside, but her sincerity in striving to bridge the gap between Gensokyo and modern society. Therefore, I didn't try to look artificially cool in front of the lens, but deliberately relaxed my expression to make myself look like I was enjoying the breeze in this summer forest. In the final retouched photos, we didn't rely heavily on intensive post-production but tried our best to retain the natural light and shadow of the shooting day, only subtly adjusting the translucency of the skin and hair color, while specially enhancing the background bokeh. Although it was a busy convention period, being able to leave a satisfying work in such a lush green space made the trip entirely worthwhile. This shoot has given me a new understanding of the character, and a good photo is often one that freezes the wind, light, and emotions of that moment within the frame.