August 16th, Xichong Beach, Shenzhen. The sea breeze was gusty, carrying the briny warmth of summer. This time, I cosplayed the Journalist from Identity V. To better capture the character's temperament, substantial effort went into preliminary hair and makeup. The wig was specially sculpted into vintage wavy curls with a side-braided plait, accented by a blue hairband. For makeup, the focus was on accentuating the eyes—earth-tone eyeshadow carved out facial contour depth, paired with orange-tinted lip glaze, aiming to convey the character's observant insight alongside a cool detachment. For the outfit, I selected a semi-sheer white lantern-sleeve shirt with lace trim, layered under gray-blue suspenders and paired with a blue-and-white checkered pleated skirt. The purplish-black sunglasses pushed up onto the crown of my head and the vintage handheld lantern served as crucial props to elevate the ambiance.
A seaside outdoor shoot demands strict control over lighting. Around 3 or 4 PM, the sunlight was glaring, beating straight down. To avoid harsh, unflattering facial shadows, photographer @龙骧nightfall tested several distinct camera angles, utilizing the diffused reflection from the sandy beach as fill light. Walking across the beach was far from easy—the sand was soft, the wind strong, and the wig and skirt hem were constantly blown into a frenzy. In moments like this, one has to harness the wind: clasping both hands across the chest while lowering the head slightly, or holding the lantern while glancing back against the wind, letting the gusts whip hair strands into organic, dynamic motion. The lantern shot in Photo 4 was captured at dusk; as the ambient light dimmed, the warm yellow lantern glow illuminated my face, creating a striking contrast against the ocean's cool blue hues and rendering an exceptional texture. We shot multiple sets that day, rolling from broad daylight well into nightfall, with clothes drenched in a blend of sweat and ocean spray.
I've always believed that cosplay is far more than just slipping into a costume to snap pretty pictures; it is deeply about experiencing how a character reacts within a specific setting. Standing on that vast, empty beach, braving the sea breeze while holding the lantern and gazing forward, gave me a profound sense of character immersion. This photo set was actually shot a while ago and sat untouched on my hard drive until I recently organized files. Selecting a few favorite shots to share serves as a fitting conclusion to this summer outdoor shoot and seaside cosplay Summer Film.