[Keqing cosplay] Shooting Notes of Keqing at Jinbo Beach and Jiangnan Folk Customs Garden

This time, I finally got the official photos shot and post-processed by teacher Qixiao, and a huge weight in my heart has finally lifted. Running around Jinbo Beach and Jiangnan Folk Customs Garden for a whole day left my body quite tired, but seeing the photo results made me feel it was all worth it. To accurately recreate the character Keqing, I practiced her gaze and movements in front of the mirror for a long time before heading out; after all, her capable yet slightly tsundere temperament can easily look stiff if not captured precisely.
The first stop was Jinbo Beach. The wind by the sea that day was exceptionally strong, and the sunshine was also very glaring. To match the open feeling of the seaside, we chose the breakwater area. The seawater was unbelievably blue, and I stood on the tetrapods holding the prop sword. Teacher Qixiao kept looking for angles, and to avoid cluttered lighting, he specially utilized backlighting for shooting. Actually, standing there made the soles of my feet a bit sore because although those purple high heels have great texture, standing on uneven ground for a long time truly tests core strength. However, the resulting pictures—with the sea-and-sky-in-one background plus lens flare—really felt a bit like the scenery of Teyvat.
When moving to Jiangnan Folk Customs Garden, the style changed completely. White walls and dark tiles, wooden long corridors, exuding a strong traditional Chinese antique charm. I particularly love the composition of the window opening in the second photo; teacher Qixiao had me lean against the window, using the foreground leaves as obstruction, while natural light hit my face with very soft light and shadow. The third photo was taken in the long corridor, specially showcasing the black patterned stockings. Leaning against a pillar, that interlaced light-and-shadow atmospheric vibe instantly came out. This pair of stockings paired with high heels visually makes the legs look very long. Holding a small burrito-like prop in hand was actually intended to showcase a contrast moe that breaks the character setting.
Finally, for that large scene in the fourth photo, I really have to praise the post-processing. The raw photo was actually shot in front of the stone archway, but to increase the dynamic feel of Keqing's skill release, teacher Qixiao added several purple-pink afterimage special effects in post-production, making the entire frame look like a combat state. I held the sword in a slashing pose, and my gaze also tried hard to look sharp.
From organizing clothing details and wig styling to on-site positioning and lighting cooperation, this shoot taught me a lot. Good weather, a responsible photographer, plus careful preparation are indeed the keys to producing great photos. Looking at these images, it feels like all the hard work was completely worth it.