The theme of this shoot was set on the collision between wasteland and academy styles. A lot of thought went into setting up the scene; the ground was covered with a large area of artificial moss, paired with scattered vintage CRT televisions, silver metal scaffolding, and traffic lights glowing with red lights, attempting to create a visual effect where natural vegetation regrows amidst technological ruins. I wore a classic Japanese-style sailor suit, paired with white over-the-knee stockings and black platform leather shoes. The hairstyle was long straight black hair with blunt bangs, and the makeup emphasized eyeshadow blending to match this slightly surreal atmosphere.
On-site, the arrangement of light and shadow was the main highlight of the entire shoot. A giant white glowing cube was placed in the center of the scene as the main light source, accompanied by surrounding hard-light photographic lamps. To highlight skin texture and the cool feel of the environment, I needed to constantly fine-tune the angle of my face facing the light source, allowing highlights and shadows to form a strong contrast. That transparent backpack filled with moss, glowing with a faint green light, and the respirator were superb props, enhancing the sci-fi feel and allowing me to better blend into this specific environmental setting.
In terms of shooting poses, to match the composition of various shots, I tried multiple postures such as lying flat, kneeling, and cross-legged. For instance, the photo of lying flat on the moss with legs raised upward was actually meant to elongate the leg lines, giving the white stockings a stronger sense of visual extension from an overhead shooting angle, while also breaking the stiffness of conventional portraits. When sitting sideways, I would try my best to keep my back straight, making the collar and red bowtie of the sailor suit look more three-dimensional. Attention must also be paid to interacting with props during the shoot, such as toying with the respirator or hugging the transparent backpack, which makes the frame more storytelling and vivid.
The entire shooting process was actually quite a test of physical stamina. Since the ground was covered with artificial moss, sitting and lying down felt a bit prickly, and to maintain the gracefulness of the posture, I needed to constantly adjust my body's center of gravity under the hard light. However, I personally love the sense of contrast created by placing regular everyday uniform elements into a non-everyday, rugged scene. In terms of composition, we frequently utilized slightly wide-angle lenses to exaggerate perspective, reinforcing the oppressive feel of the environment, while using discarded televisions or plants as foregrounds to increase the layering of the frame. Whether in terms of the texture of light and shadow or the overall wasteland atmosphere, this set of photos achieved the expected effect in my mind, making it a thoroughly satisfying visual expression attempt. The whole process required not only fighting against the roughness of the ground but also maintaining stable facial expressions, which was also a great exercise in expression management.