[Anime-style photography] A Half-Year Nine-Photo Collection of Rainy Nights and School Uniforms

I managed to sort out the nine photos I'm most satisfied with from the first half of the year just before the end of June. Although we encountered all kinds of rainy and overcast weather in Sydney during the shoots, the moment the final photos came out, I truly felt that all the waiting was worth it.

The selection of photos this time spans a wide range, including rainy night street snaps holding a transparent umbrella, a bright and sunny waterside wand look, and a more casual campus-style outfit. Every time I communicated with the photographer, we would repeatedly discuss the use of light. For example, in the photo of holding an umbrella on a rainy night, the reflection on the ground was actually a wonderful natural fill light tool, and the halo refracted by the streetlights through the transparent umbrella surface made the whole character look very translucent. The 'three elements of portraiture' certainly do not lie; good lighting is the foundation of a successful cosplay photoshoot.

Back to the styling, I really love the school uniform series this time. The red suit outfit was paired with black over-the-knee socks and platform shoes, completely maxing out the relaxed vibe of the sitting posture. There is also the outfit with a pink sweater and white slouch socks, leaning against an industrial-style iron ladder; this collision of hardness and softness feels visually very comfortable. The other two blue-and-white dresses are also my favorites; although the styling span is large, when taking photos, putting on the vest, wearing the bow, and holding the wand instantly gets me into character.

The anime community in Sydney is actually quite competitive; everyone is comparing whose props are more exquisite and whose wigs are tamer. This time, I deliberately tried two warm-toned reddish-brown wigs, which had a great texture under natural light, and the treatment of the hair ends was quite natural without that cheap plastic feel. To pursue the perfect atmospheric portraiture, we indeed suffered quite a bit. Sydney's weather is actually very unstable; when shooting the rainy night set, everyone was soaked through, but to keep the skirt from wrinkling, the hair and makeup stylist was always standing by with a small iron, which was very considerate.

Having done a lot of studio shoots, I've preferred going to outdoor locations over the past half year. Outdoor locations have a lot of randomness; for example, on that lawn with a wire fence and a small wooden picket fence, we stayed there until dusk, and the setting sun hit the skirt hem, creating beautiful light spots. There was also the nighttime industrial area scene; although there were many mosquitoes, that clash of combining cyberpunk with daily school uniform style was exactly the kind of style I especially wanted to try.

After getting the sample photos, the post-processing didn't involve too much exaggerated, heavy color grading, just slightly increasing the latitude of the shadows to maintain the original, authentic look of the photos. This was also an agreement reached between the photographer and me: it's not the more exaggerated the better, but the more comfortable the better. Because the character's own temperament is already sufficient, there's no need for heavy filters to overshadow it.

Half a year is not a short time, and it's truly rare to meet a photographer and a stylist who are on the same page. Thank you to all the teachers for their full support. Although these nine photos have different styles, each one carries the dedication and memories of that time. I will continue to explore more interesting looks on this path of cosplay, using images to record different versions of myself.