[Ganyu Cosplay] Dancing a Ballet from Liyue Harbor

Shooting in a white studio is actually a major test of early-stage lighting setup and post-production color control. Because a pure white background easily causes intense diffuse reflection of light, single lighting or incorrect light source positioning can easily make the model's face and body look dull and grey. Especially when paired with a blue-purple light gauze dress with low color saturation, a slight slip can make skin tone look dark and lifeless, severely compromising the overall atmosphere.

For this shoot, I specifically addressed this pain point through extensive preliminary communication with photographer @5级摄影8. First, we introduced softboxes and reflectors in the white studio to soften facial shadows while utilizing white wall reflections as fill light, ensuring the skin maintained a translucent texture. For camera angles, we carefully avoided direct top lighting to prevent harsh shadows in the eye sockets and chin. Furthermore, in post-production, we avoided over-raising the exposure to brighten everything indiscriminately, focusing instead on adjusting the skin tone hue—suppressing yellow-green casts so that skin tones and the blue-purple costume palette appeared cleaner and more harmonious together.

Regarding this costume, it derives from the Genshin Impact Ganyu everyone is familiar with, but to fit the ballet theme, we simplified the design structure, transforming originally heavy elements into lightweight gauze fabric. The upper body neckline design retains the original character's elegance, while the blue-purple gradient tulle skirt and detached sleeves strive to enhance visual airiness and dynamic beauty. The wig uses a fairly translucent light blue-grey tone; the ahoge on top and the iconic curled ring accessories on both sides serve as the soul restoring character recognizability. Paired with pure white tights and white high-heeled dance shoes trimmed with plush fur decoration, the overall look resembles a ballet dancer stepping right out of the game.

In terms of pose design, I referenced basic classical ballet hand positions, aiming to blend them with the gentle charm of 2D characters. Poses like closing my eyes with hands clasped, or standing on one leg reaching out toward the camera, all strived to stretch my limbs gracefully and avoid stiff posing. The photographer captured these moments with precision, catching the exact instances of floating gauze and feet hovering mid-air. Especially in the final sitting photos, using carved hollow doors and sheer veil props in the white studio, I adjusted my weight center so the skirt draped naturally around me, adding a rich Dreamy Girl sense of fantasy.

The space at Lumo Studio was extremely spacious, giving us ample setup freedom. White pillars, sheer drapes, light blue floral decor, and vintage mini candlesticks served as props injecting a gentle ambient narrative into the scene. On the shoot day, we continually fine-tuned prop placements based on test shots—such as light reflections hitting the white gauze—ensuring the subject stood out without making the background feel cluttered.

From planning to test makeup to final execution, completing this photo set was a truly fulfilling journey. Maintaining the character's signature traits while challenging a ballet art form made the entire process feel like an exciting visual experiment. Having often encountered the dark-skin issue in white studio Anime-style photography, I hope sharing this experience brings practical inspiration to everyone.