[Dolia Cosplay] Honor of Kings: Deep-Sea Illusion of the Ocean Elf

This time, I completed a self-designed look photoshoot for Dolia from Honor of Kings at an aquarium. Because this outfit inherently carries strong mermaid elf characteristics, I communicated with the photographer in advance, hoping to use real fish as the background instead of purely relying on post-processing synthesis, so that the lighting in the frame would look more natural. To match Dolia's lively and agile character, I didn't choose a completely dark, deep-sea style, but instead utilized the translucent, deep blue light inherent to the aquarium, combined with the swimming of large schools of white fish, to create a dreamy yet realistic deep-sea atmosphere, making for an excellent Aquarium cinematic photoshoot.
In terms of Mermaid makeup and styling, this bright blue long wavy wig was actually a huge test for fixing and styling abilities. To create that curved water-drop or tentacle-like spiral shape rising upwards from the top of the head, I used styling spray and hairpins, and even added some tiny rhinestones scattered along the hair parting, striving to present a shimmering effect under the light. For hair accessories, I chose red coral branches and smooth white pearls; this red-and-blue contrast can slightly brighten the face against the cool-toned ocean background, making the overall look more distinctive. For eye makeup, I ditched the conventional heavy eyeliner and opted for blue eyeshadow with fine holographic shimmers paired with light blue colored contacts, so that the gaze captured would be relatively agile, carrying a clear sense unique to underwater creatures. The lip color was specially chosen to be an orange-red and coral lip glaze, neutralizing the coldness brought by the large expanses of blue.
On the costume details, this blue off-the-shoulder outfit has an excellent skin-fitting feel, and the ruffled tube-top design perfectly reveals the collarbone and shoulder lines, which is a major plus when demonstrating the character's playfulness. The inner fabric features an implicit shimmer, while the outer layer is wrapped in semi-transparent tulle stitched with irregular sequins and fine pearls, creating a fish-scale texture when light and shadow hit it. Aside from the starfish-shaped necklace, I paired it with pearl bracelets on both hands. When my fingers interlace, the reflection of light on the pearls echoes the sequins on the costume, making arm movements look more elegant. While the overall silhouette fits the 'mermaid' concept, many little personal-design clever touches were added to the details, such as the dangling tulle streamers on the shoulder straps, showing a lightweight levitation feel during the underwater-vibe shoot.
During the actual shoot, since both the wig and the form-fitting tulle could not touch water, we took the shots in front of the glass curtain wall outside the fish tank. The primary light sources came from the overhead lights inside the tank and underwater spotlights. This pure natural cool-toned blue light is actually quite a test for light metering. To prevent the face from looking dark due to backlighting, we pulled a white reflector slightly in front of the subject for fill light, making the facial skin tone look very soft and forming a bright contrast with the background white fish school. In terms of shooting poses, I specially designed the action in the first picture, where I turn sideways slightly with both hands lightly raised, showcasing the body contours while looking directly at the camera to close the distance. The second picture is a looking-back action, with both hands clasped at the jaw, matching the fish school behind to display a sense of lightness and cuteness, creating a successful Cosplay photography experience.
As for the post description saying 'I won't turn into sea foam,' it's actually an emotional point we wanted to express in this shoot. Dolia in the game setting is a character who can give her true heart to others regardless of gains or losses. Although she doesn't have the tragic ending of turning into foam in the setting, in this self-designed theme, I actually wanted to interpret a feeling of 'retaining sincerity and happiness despite being in the gloom of the deep sea.' The entire shooting process was very smooth. In an aquarium environment where white fish swim around, many moments didn't need deliberate posing; the natural expressions captured by the photographer fit the character even better.
Overall, I feel this set of works achieved the expected level of accuracy in terms of lighting, makeup and hair details, and costume texture. Being able to complete Dolia's shoot in such a water-aquarium filled with a sense of storytelling and atmosphere was truly a happy thing. It satisfied the roleplay experience while completing a visual creation with a strong personal aesthetic style through Cosplay photography.