[Gongsun Li Cosplay] Honor of Kings Flower Amidst Dance Alternative Color Version Outdoor Shoot

This shoot features the alternative color version of Gongsun Li's Flower Amidst Dance from Honor of Kings. Jumping straight into the topic, this look replaces the original colors with a blue-and-black combination, which matches highly with the bunny ears and black rose hair accessories.

To present an authentic summer vibe, the venue was chosen in a simulated beach area with palm leaves and straw parasols. During the shoot, we encountered issues with light and shadow distribution, especially with that massive petal prop; its highly reflective material required us to avoid direct noon sunlight, otherwise face fill light would look harsh. Therefore, we adjusted our shooting time to utilize side backlighting to outline the character's silhouette.

Regarding the makeup, the focus was on the clarity of the eye makeup. I chose light blue contact lenses to echo the cool tones of the overall outfit, and the base makeup was applied very thinly to let the skin's natural glow show through. To avoid looking dull, a light pearlescent pink was chosen for the eyeshadow, and black eyeliner was used to slightly extend the outer corners of the eyes. Since the character Ali has a bunny girl concept, securing the headwear was a technical task—both ensuring that the large headpiece didn't mess up the wig's neatness, and paying attention to the direction of the bunny ears; they shouldn't be completely symmetrical, as a slightly uneven placement looks much more natural.

In terms of outfit coordination, this blue-and-black off-the-shoulder design heavily tests the shoulder and neck lines, so I had to constantly adjust for sloping shoulders while wearing it. The gradient of the sleeves transitions from cyan to deep blue, which, combined with the silver-gray stockings, makes the legs look quite slender. During every break in shooting, I had to quickly tidy up the wig and clothing creases. The alternative color version's hem also features 3D black rose embellishments, enriching the details. When shooting the first sitting pose, resting my chin on my hands against the large prop looked lazy without ruining the overall body curves.

Regarding the use of props, when holding that blue petal umbrella, you need to feel its weight. It is very light, but has a large surface area, so the support point is crucial; otherwise, it will get out of control once the wind blows. Especially in the third image where I stretch my hand toward the camera, to create a sense of spatial perspective, the hand movement must exert slight force to present a grabbing state. In fact, when portraying this kind of rabbit-style character in front of the lens, the core lies in the agility of the gaze; it shouldn't be too aloof, but must maintain approachability.

There were actually many small episodes during the shoot, like the straw hat being blown away twice, and the wig always getting caught on rough decorations. But these are normal occurrences during a summer location shoot. For this Flower Amidst Dance look, another benefit of the alternative color is that it creates a stronger visual memory point. The golden luster of the sunlight on the hair formed a beautiful contrast with the black roses. Therefore, during color grading, I requested a slight reduction in blue saturation, shifting the overall frame toward a fresher direction to make the skin look fairer.

If you also try shooting such outdoor characters, I recommend preparing an anti-static comb, which is very helpful for tidying up wigs. Compared to complex studio lighting, the advantage of outdoor natural light lies in its transparency, but it demands higher control over timing. For example, this sitting photo was taken at the exact moment the shutter clicked when the wind just happened to blow my hair. Since the alternative color outfit doesn't have too many flashy colorful panels, more care must be taken with the accessories; the folds of the black roses and the reflective surface of the silver stockings became the focal points of the frame.

This outdoor shoot lasted about four hours in total, which was highly physically demanding, but the overall photos are extremely close to this character's setting in the summer. Whether it was the scattered placement of the petal umbrella or the relaxed pose with crossed hands, it was all an attempt to break free from the stiffness of a simple standing pose in stereotypes. I hope this interpretation of the Flower Amidst Dance alternative color version can convey the unique temperament of this character.