After finishing this set of Acheron and Black Swan CP-oriented photos under the summer heat, receiving the retouched pictures made all the sweltering heat of summer feel concretely rewarded. As the portrayer of Black Swan, my coordination with my partner Rourourouzi was exceptionally tacit; our high-level matching understanding of the characters allowed us to pose with great inspiration during the outdoor shoot.
Let's talk about the wigs and styling first. Black Swan's wig not only has gradient requirements but also needs to present a natural fluffiness. In the summer outdoors, the bangs easily stick to the forehead with the slightest movement, so my bag was constantly stocked with styling spray and hair wax, requiring me to tidy up the styling from time to time despite the high temperature. In contrast, although Acheron's wig styling looked structured and layered, it was similarly soft hair prone to collapsing. To maintain that look covering half the face, my partner also had to carefully protect the hairstyle between looking down and lifting her head.
Then there are the costume details. This Black Swan outfit looks light and flowy, but it actually has numerous fabric layers—inner wear, outer wear, leather belt—stacked layer upon layer, making it very heavy. Especially the four-petal flower accessory on the arm; its position had to be monitored during shooting to ensure it wouldn't be flattened or block the chest or neckline lines. The tailoring of this outfit has extremely high requirements for a slim fit, and pulling up the zipper took some effort before the shoot.
Figure 4 is my personal favorite composition: a low-angle close-up paired with a hand-lifting gesture, completely preserving that subtle bond and tension between the characters. Wearing gloves to support the other's jaw, to keep this action from looking stiff, we repeated it about seven or eight times to ensure the force and angle were just right—too heavy and it looks like a fight, too light and it lacks emotional tension. The two photographers in charge this time were also very professional; Teacher Xiaoli Feibiao excels at capturing textures under natural light and shadow, while Teacher Ami Is Slacking Again has a unique understanding of atmospheric composition.
The shooting location was chosen near an outdoor railing. We deliberately avoided direct harsh light, opting for architectural shadows and reflected light instead. This diffuse light made the Black tights outfit and skin tones look as smooth as milk, perfectly matching the slightly mysterious vibe we wanted. This photo set didn't undergo excessive retouching, preserving quite a lot of authentic skin texture and light-and-shadow details. Compared to heavily blurred retouches, preserving this genuine atmospheric feel fits Black Swan's mysterious character temperament much better.
Shooting outdoors in the dead of summer is truly a form of torture; wearing a wig for too long makes the scalp stuffy and hot, and makeup easily smudges. To maintain our condition, we constantly touched up our makeup on-site while guarding against sweat dripping onto the black tights. However, we brought plenty of water and electric mini fans, and every time we switched camera positions, the photographers would actively come over to wipe our lenses, providing solid logistical support while keeping the atmosphere cheerful. Despite being tired for a whole day, seeing the interaction state between Acheron and Black Swan brought to life in front of the lens with my partner made me feel my understanding of the characters deepened by another layer. Being able to capture characters' charm in reality with a true understanding of the original work and share this sense of reality is our greatest satisfaction as cosplayers.