[Hu Tao cosplay] In the Spring Woods: Genshin Impact's Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Consultant

Cosplaying Hu Tao this time—such an iconic character from Genshin Impact—took a great deal of thought from costume preparation to prop styling. The red plum blossom ornament and tassels on the hat, the golden jacquard pattern across the coat, the draped tassels on the shorts, and the red-and-black staff prop: I repeatedly adjusted every single detail. Prior to the shoot, I scouted several distinct outdoor photography settings, including deep forest groves, waterside rocks, and cherry blossom paths, corresponding to daylight and twilight hours.

When shooting in backlight, the edges of the hair emitted a beautiful reddish-brown sheen. Combined with falling red maple leaves and ethereal blue spirit butterflies added in post-production, the mysterious charm of the entire photo set really came alive. I especially adore the shot sitting beside the water holding the staff—the twilight water reflections set up a gorgeous contrast between the cool-toned backdrop and the warm-toned costume, creating a rich storytelling atmosphere. In addition, the little ghost prop was crafted with a built-in light; holding it or letting it hover near the shoulder looked remarkably cute.

The shooting process was physically demanding, requiring lots of walking while holding steady poses, but seeing the final results made it completely worthwhile. The fabric of this outfit is on the thicker side, the hat required firm fastening to prevent tilting, and styling the twin tails of the wig took quite a while. Overall, I feel the accuracy turned out well—especially the facial makeup and expressions, which strived to capture Hu Tao's quirky, playful yet subtly profound personality. I look forward to experimenting with more diverse scenes in future Anime cosplay shoots to showcase even more facets of this character.