On Day 2 of Cpsp, Guangzhou was hit with pouring rain. Shooting this Touhou Project Flandre Scarlet cosplay outside the venue left me completely drenched and in a rather disheveled state. My clothes were soaked and clinging to my skin, water was dripping from my wig, and worst of all, the wing prop on my back slipped from my grip, hit the ground, and chipped a corner—it was utterly heartbreaking. But since we had already arrived, it felt wrong not to finish shooting.
The photographer, Miaonei~ (喵内～), was exceptionally dedicated. Seeing that I was feeling down, he led me over to some smooth floor tiles with deep puddles, utilizing the water surface as a natural mirror for composition. The frontal reflection in Photo 4 was captured this way, visually elongating my legs while adding a cool, moody touch. I'm usually someone who dislikes hassle, but the rainy setting truly helped avoid flat, lifeless visuals.
In terms of post-processing and retouching, I originally aimed for that Yandere style he mentioned, wanting an oppressive, somber mood. I dialed down overall saturation, deepened the shadows, added heavy red-and-black shading around the eyes, and deliberately brightened my skin tone to project a doll-like, world-weary aura. Yet after repeated adjustments, I felt I hadn't quite nailed that pure yandere essence—my gaze was still too clean and lacked that true manic edge. In the end, I leaned as much as possible toward a dark fairy tale aesthetic while preserving the vivid contrast of the red-and-white dress. This outfit has distinct layers; red fabric with white trim and delicate ruffles gave the skirt great three-dimensional volume, looking very photogenic on camera. However, the trade-off was that once the petticoat was drenched, it became extremely heavy, making even a few steps exhausting.
For hair and makeup, I used long-lasting foundation suited for rainy weather, though the eyeliner still smudged slightly toward the end—which accidentally bestowed a disheveled, fragile brokenness to the character. Stepping into puddles in soaked footwear was slippery, requiring utmost caution with every step. Although we couldn't take many photos due to seeking shelter from the rain, the prop was damaged, and I caught a cold for a few days afterward, seeing the finished results combined with the puddle reflections made all the struggle feel worthwhile. The synergy between styling and the rainy setting was a truly unique experience. This Convention photo set captures both the hardship and an evocative atmosphere.