[Salter cosplay] Fate/Grand Order Oiran Style: The Ritualism of Re-editing Last Year's Old Photos

Digging out this set of Oiran style photos from last year, I felt the composition and atmosphere were both on point right after the shoot, but the post-processing never quite reached my ideal state. It just so happened that before my subscription expired, I casually dragged the raw files back into the software for another round of tuning, as a way to give closure to last year's self.

This time, I mainly optimized the transitions of skin tone, light, and shadow. The highlight areas were originally a bit overexposed, but after burning them down, they look softer and echo the white floral patterns on the blue furisode much better. The red cord knot around the neck and the brocade texture of the obi sash were also sharpened individually to make the material details more three-dimensional. The wig is a smooth, straight-hair style with relatively thin bangs, which brings out the layering of the overall look when paired with the silk flower hair accessories on both sides. During the shoot, a pure white background was specially selected so that the stark contrast between the deep blue and true red of the outfit becomes stronger without letting stray colors distract the vision. This black long-handled prop in my hand is actually modified from an umbrella frame; holding it not only balances the heavy weight feel of the upper body but also doesn't look too out of place.

This mixed style of traditional Japanese-style photography plus fantasy elements actually tests one's control over colors heavily during post-processing, especially since it easily looks tacky if the saturation of red and blue becomes unbalanced. When color grading this time, I intentionally referenced the color tendencies in the original concept art of Fate/Grand Order, making the red lean more toward vermilion rather than pink, while the blue retained its deep navy base. Although it's just a single portrait, every time I re-process it, I discover details unnoticed during the initial shoot—such as the direction of the folds at the kimono collar on the shoulder, and the tension of the fingers when holding the prop. After correcting these small areas, the completion level of the whole photo went up. It counts as a satisfying review, giving me new ideas for the lighting and post-processing of my next project.