Shooting on this rooftop was primarily aimed at leveraging the weathered graffiti floors and rusty railings to push the industrial wasteland atmosphere of this gear to the limit. The full-body shot in Photo 1 is my favorite perspective: it not only showcases the completeness of the outfit, but also perfectly captures the visual contrast between long legs in white stockings and the colossal heavy firearm. Captured right around dusk, hard directional light sculpted the armor and weapon surfaces, which, paired with post-processed vignetting and a cool-toned twilight sky, injected immense dramatic tension into the frame.
Regarding the styling details of Exusiai the New Covenant from Arknights: the halo above my head and the white wings behind were custom-crafted from rigid materials with crisp, sharp contours to evoke a near-future sci-fi aesthetic. The black leather jacket featured structured lines, accented by red cords at the collar and wrists alongside leg garters, maintaining a classic black, white, and red palette. The most demanding piece was the massive dark-gray heavy gun prop, which was far heavier than expected. To project the effortless swagger of commanding heavy firepower, I repeatedly adjusted the one-handed weapon hold even as my arm trembled from the strain. Handling such oversized gear as a female cosplayer demands serious physical stamina, but pushing through was essential for the final shots.
Facial expressions paired with composition perspectives were my top priority. The half-body shot reaching toward the lens in Photo 2 used foreground blur with dynamic perspective, where soft fill light made the crimson contact lenses glow translucently, conveying her playful yet confident demeanor. Photo 3 harnessed side-rear rim lighting to outline the white wings and gun silhouette in warm gold; paired with an over-the-shoulder glance, it amplified dynamic tension into a sniper's lethal gaze. Posing required tightening thigh and calf muscles to define leg contours and keep the thigh strap taut.
Despite the gritty, dusty rooftop, lighting served as the true soul of this 2D project. We worked across two lighting windows: the blue hour right after sunset for strong contrast on the mechanical armor, and hard strobe lighting at night to retain the battle-worn graffiti textures in the background. Bringing Lemuel from concept art into reality with genuine vitality brought immense fulfillment, deepening my connection to the Arknights universe and making every bit of grueling prep worthwhile.