[Jeanne d'Arc (Alter) Cosplay] Lens Metamorphosis in Fate/Grand Order

Looking at the Jeanne d'Arc (Alter) shot from a year ago and the freshly released Nero Claudius from this year side by side, I can truly and intuitively feel the accumulation of time and the refinement of skills.

P2 is last year's Neo-Chinese style folding fan look, featuring silver-white hair paired with a modified black Qipao with red trim. At the time, I communicated with the photographer to focus on a "cool and detached" feeling. The diffuse reflection light used that day was exceptionally soft, minimizing the harsh shadows in the scene as much as possible. Combined with the calligraphy screen and lantern behind me, the entire image was set in a very clean, light-colored palette. However, back then I was still quite reserved in front of the lens, holding the folding fan to cover half of my face; although my expression held up well, the lines of my arms and shoulders remained somewhat tense.

Contrasting that with P3's bar scene from this year, it can be described as a sharp turn in style. Blonde hair, bunny ears, a black leather corset, and fishnet stockings, combined with a form-fitting lace collar ornament. I was initially worried that such a large area of black leather against a dark retro background would look dull, but the photographer put tremendous effort into the lighting. If you look closely, the warm yellow halo emitted by the vintage fringed table lamps on both sides strikes my body, which not only clearly outlines the reflection and texture of the leather clothing but also makes the center of the frame sufficiently prominent. The "SPANISH BAR" barrel and wood-grain wall panels in the bottom right corner give the entire scene a more immersive, slice-of-life feel.

In terms of poses and posture, I am noticeably more liberated this time. Previously, I relied on my gaze and the folding fan to hold up my aura, but this time, I casually propped one leg up on the bar counter, with my hand naturally raised along the direction of the hair accessory; the body's center of gravity shifted, yet the frame stabilized instead. This sense of confidence comes not only from the tension of the attire but also from the lens adaptability honed through numerous outdoor shoots over the past year.

When initially selecting these two characters from Fate/Grand Order, I simply wanted to see how a completely different set of emotions could be captured with the exact same face and the exact same photography team. Jeanne d'Arc (Alter)'s rather cold and detached personality could be brought out through a slow shutter speed and soft lighting ratio; whereas Nero's passionate flamboyance, relying on spotlights to find emotional hooks in a dark environment, indeed delivers a much stronger visual impact.

Additionally, the details of costumes, makeup, and props are handled with more layers than before—the bamboo rib texture of the folding fan, the stitching of the leather jacket, and the pattern of the fishnets were all considered for texture integration during both early conceptualization and post-production. After all, in this cosplay circle, moving from purely copying a design to knowing how to combine it with a scene to shape a character requires plenty of practical experience. Over this past year, our understanding of composition, light, and shadow has elevated synchronously, allowing me to intuitively see the changes in my state when facing the camera.

I know many cosplayers face a sort of "impulse to delete photos" when looking back at their old pictures from a year ago, but looking back today, I can instead accept the differences in each stage. Our current coordination is more seamless than in the past, and I look forward to challenging more diverse themes with wide spans next. After all, freezing each process of character comprehension through the camera is inherently the most fulfilling part of Anime-style photography in this Cosplay photoshoot journey.