[Tatara Kogasa Cosplay] The Rainy Season Approaches, Traveling with a Touhou Project Umbrella

With the rainy season just around the corner, looking back at this set of photos makes me want to use these real-world scenes to remind everyone to remember to bring a rainproof umbrella when heading out lately. This set of photos was shot at an outdoor location featuring traditional architectural complexes and a natural pebble beach. As an anime fan and prop enthusiast, I focused on restoring the character's atmosphere this time, striving to showcase her agile charm through real scenes, light, and shadow.

For this creation, I selected a dress featuring heavy pleats and ruffled designs. The upper body has a white layered lace neckline paired with a light blue bodice, detailed with dark cross-lacing at the chest and a small yellow bell decoration, presenting a lightweight yet retro texture overall. To fit the character's setting, I wore a bright blue slightly wavy short wig paired with vibrant red colored contact lenses, crafting highly recognizable eye makeup. The flip-flops on my feet serve as an important pop of color in the frame, injecting vitality into the fresh, cool-toned Anime-style fashion attire.

In terms of prop preparation, the most time-consuming yet proudest piece was that purple oil-paper umbrella prop. A massive red eye with a star texture inside the pupil was painted on the inner side of the umbrella canopy, with vibrant red streaming cloth attached to the bottom. This prop was extremely eye-catching on-site; whether it was propped vertically against the wooden guardrails or laid flat on the cobblestone riverbank as a foreground, it could add a touch of mysterious fantasy to the frame. To showcase all the characteristics of this prop, we intentionally opened the umbrella during the shoot and even experimented with top-down angles, looking down from above the pebble beach, which paired with the red cloth bands created a powerful visual impact.

The locations for this set of photos were highly diverse, spanning a wooden arch bridge, a traditional Japanese-style old house, and a primitive cobblestone riverbank. In the first photo on the wooden arch bridge, the photographer used a wide aperture to transform the backdrop of the woods and water reflections into soft circular bokeh, constructing a dreamy and tranquil atmosphere perfect for a cover composition. On the stone bench in front of the traditional old house, the ancient wooden lattice doors and windows along with the mottled white walls served as a background, forming a composition that weaves elegance with modernity against my lively outfit.

There were also many interesting minor interludes during the shooting process. For instance, walking on the cobblestone riverbank was inconvenient, and the lightweight skirt hem frequently caught on the jagged pebbles. To prevent tripping, we had to find a relatively flat area for our cosplay photography session. Next to the traditional wooden architecture, the massive wooden pillars also served as excellent shooting props; leaning against a pillar and peeking out with half my body not only showcased the leg lines beneath the skirt but also added a touch of playfulness and cuteness.

Overall, this creation allowed me to experience different outdoor scenes and, more importantly, figure out how to utilize specific props and attire to present unique visual textures under nature's soft light. The rainy season is approaching, so remember to carry an umbrella with you when heading out—whether it's to shield you from the rain or to serve as an inspirational prop for shooting like mine, it will bring a sense of peace during your strolls on a rainy day.