[Zhongli cosplay] Lost Abyss: A Moonlight client photoshoot of Solitary Drinking Under the Moon

This time for Zhongli, the scene concept was named "Lost Abyss." To harmonize with the abyss and moonlight ambiance, I communicated extensively with the photographer prior to the shoot, settling on the core theme of Black and gold combination and full moon elements. Once putting on this outfit, the first intuitive impression was how substantial the gear truly was. Not only was the fabric heavy, but it was also packed with intricate details. The main tone of the outer coat is black, lined with dark red fabric that is breathable yet carries an elegant drape. The surface is adorned with embroidered golden cloud patterns and beast motifs, which reflect beautifully with a metallic sheen under studio lights.

The hairstyle was also key. The wig was styled to capture that iconic small bun per the original design, retaining medium-length strands on both sides, which framed the face effectively. The makeup artist helped reconstruct my facial bone structure and shadows without overly heavy eyeliner, primarily accentuating the brow ridge transition and jawline contours to better match a steady demeanor refined by the passage of time. I wore dark boots and black pants, and to match the overall style, donned black gloves—without overlooking even the silver accents along the glove edges.

The shooting set was built with a rich Traditional style cosplay ambiance. The prop master placed a paper lantern with red tassels on the rooftop, along with trimmed yellow floral branches and traditional gray roof tiles. The most eye-catching props were the two white rabbits. To blend motion with stillness in the frame, we let the rabbits rest right beside the tiles, which both broke the monotony of the Black and gold combination palette and added a touch of lively vitality.

We utilized an extremely dark background during the shoot, with only the huge full moon overhead providing light. The lighting setup was a pitch-black environment with a single light source, placing high demands on the photographer's lighting technique. Fortunately, the MiYou MiaoMiaoWu team was very familiar with this type of atmospheric photography, balancing the moon's projection and the light hitting my face evenly. I cooperated with the photographer through several poses, such as setting down an exquisite bronze teapot and teacups to the right.

In the final photos, shots of me holding yellow blossoms while looking into the distance, lifting a teacup to gaze at the liquid within, or sitting on the rooftop alongside the white rabbits, were all ways I attempted to channel Zhongli's divine nature. Many people feel male character cosplays easily falter in facial expression control and posture, so I deliberately dropped my shoulders and kept my hand movements as relaxed as possible. Although this was a gorgeous and heavy costume, the gestures had to maintain a measured ease to achieve that effortless, unhurried presence.

The entire makeup, styling, costume, photography, and post-processing were handled comprehensively at MiaoMiaoWu. Honestly, shooting in the studio made me worry that the dim lighting might introduce heavy digital noise, but seeing the retoucher's finished images, the light-to-shadow transitions were silky smooth, and the fabric textures were fully preserved. The entire shoot was genuinely effortless; without worrying about raw file processing or color grading, everything was packaged and handled by them, leaving me to focus solely on bringing the character's essence to life on set.

This abyss theme was essentially meant to express that state of enjoying solitude alone on a rooftop on a moonlit night. No matter how bustling the market or lively the harbor outside may be, this moment belongs entirely to one's own quietude. Just like the world presented in Genshin Impact, the mortal leisurely wandering of Liyue was captured to the fullest in this scene. Although shooting for several hours with continuous sitting and standing was a bit tiring, seeing the final photos made me truly satisfied. That wraps up this record of my Zhongli Moonlight client photoshoot—a nice little recap of the session.