[Komeiji Koishi cosplay] The yokai girl under the dusk sunset

A lot of thought went into preparing this set of Komeiji Koishi cosplay from preparation to final styling. To restore that unique aura belonging to a yokai girl, the pattern and material of the costume were the first hurdle. The upper body used a bright yellow fabric with hidden patterns, paired with black lace ruffles. To present sufficient layering in front of the lens, I deliberately added a large amount of handmade details on the chest and skirt hem, including those blue flower clusters and accessories at the waist. As for the wig, this bright green hair color is extremely eye-catching under natural light. When trimming, I deliberately kept blunt bangs and side wisps at the temples, matching a makeup style with deepened eye sockets and color-matched contact lenses to make the gaze look deeper. The wide-brimmed black hat on my head was also hand-decorated by pinning flowers and vines onto it bit by bit, ensuring it wouldn't easily fall off when walking and posing.

The shooting location was chosen by the lakeside in the evening. We scouted the location in advance to confirm the positions of the bench and tree trunk, which happened to make use of the golden hour light during sunset. For the first sitting posture on the bench, to highlight the overall tailoring of the costume, I chose a crossed-leg posture, where black stockings paired with retro platform Mary Jane shoes visually elongated the leg lines. The purple vine decoration in my hand naturally drooped from the costume, adding a bit of dynamism. The skirt hem of this outfit is relatively heavy; when sitting, thigh strength is required to support the skirt shape, making the contrast between the black pleated edge and the white inner lining more distinct. The second shot leaning against the tree trunk by the water's edge tried a strong backlit silhouette effect; under this lighting, complex expression management wasn't needed, focusing mainly on showcasing the overall body curves and the rim light of the attire. The lighting contrast during the shoot was quite large, and the reflection on the water surface was gorgeous. In post-processing, only a simple adjustment of the light-and-dark contrast was needed to achieve that tranquil dusk atmosphere. As a Touhou Project enthusiast, being able to complete an outdoor shoot of Komeiji Koishi under this specific lighting validated many thoughts on actions and expressions at the moment the shutter was pressed. Especially the subtle light-transmitting feeling of the costume's lace edges under the setting sun was much more vivid than studio shoots. The most crucial part to focus on throughout the entire process was controlling the wrinkles and drape of the costume, as well as utilizing props and body language to complement the light.

Outdoor shooting is a test of physical strength, especially switching between grass and hard slate while wearing platform shoes. To keep the hat from blocking the line of sight while still casting a nice shadow, the head angle was adjusted many times. In the photos on the bench, the action of holding the brim of the hat with both hands was not only to echo the prop, but also to open up the shoulders, allowing the lace sleeves on the upper body to expand. The sunset light is fleeting, and camera position adjustments and action snapshots had to be completed within this brief window of time. From the feedback of light and shadow, the matte texture of the black stockings formed a great material contrast with the glossy shoes, which was a detail considered during preliminary coordination. The overall photo output met my expectations for the dusk atmosphere and presented the complex design of the character's costume as fully as possible. Outdoor lighting changes fast, but the resulting texture is hard for indoor lighting to fully simulate, which is why I insisted on shooting this set at dusk.