When shooting this set of photos earlier, I chose a cool gray-blue background because I didn't want the overall image to look overly sweet or too dark. In the lore of Touhou Project, although Remilia is a vampire, she also has a relaxed, everyday side. This time, I wanted to capture a lazy afternoon atmosphere rather than pure majesty.
First, regarding the outfit and wig preparation: the light blue curly wig was specially kept with subtle shimmer, creating a very natural texture under the studio lighting. The retro large hat atop the head, the pink-and-white dress with red accents, and the prominent red polka-dot bow tie were all key elements in bringing out the character's traits. The skirt features multi-layered ruffles, which enrich the lines of the picture when sitting or leaning against the table. The pair of red-brown bat wings on my back were hand-cut and painted with a distinct weathered effect; during the shoot, we kept testing the wings' opening and closing angles to prevent them from looking like a rigid piece of cardboard.
In the first photo, I held a slender prop lightly pressed near my lips, with my eyes deliberately looking away from the camera. This slightly reserved posture better fits a tsundere or contemplative state. My fingers couldn't pinch too tightly; they needed to maintain a casual, lightweight floating feel. The red ribbon draped down my shoulder, which, paired with the semi-translucent white tulle texture, brought out the character's aura.
The second image switched to a standing posture leaning forward. I leaned against a table covered with a white lace tablecloth, extending my right hand forward to touch the red apple. Personally, I feel the visual tension and eye contact in photo 2 make it more suitable as a cover photo because the leaning pose combined with a direct gaze focuses the center of gravity intensely. The white tablecloth, red apple, red ribbons on the skirt hem, and the wings on my back created a clean, organized color structure against the gray-blue background without looking cluttered.
In terms of makeup design, I intentionally created a darker red smudge around the outer corners of the eyes and chose a glossy, dark red lip color. This wasn't meant to be deliberately cute, but rather to express the unique fatigue and cold detachment of a Vampire girl through this makeup look. Eye makeup was crucial—it needed to make me look spirited while aligning with the character's languid persona.
During every shoot, I reflect on prop coordination and visual storytelling. For instance, why place an apple on the table? Beyond the color contrast of red and blue, it adds an interactive element to an otherwise plain scene. Since static standing poses can feel stiff without support, incorporating still-life objects like a table, apple, and tea set enriches the narrative warmth, better representing those peaceful, non-combat everyday moments in Touhou Project.
Arranging the lighting for this set also took careful thought. Instead of using harsh hard light to overly outline contours, we chose soft diffused light. This maximized the retention of lace and mesh textures on the costume without losing details in high-light areas. The gray-blue background inherently neutralizes color variations, making the red and blue color scheme look exceptionally clean under this light.
Overall, this wasn't an attempt to force a grand combat stance, but rather to capture quiet, serene moments. European tea sets, lace tablecloths, retro costume tailoring, along with pondering the character's inner state—I hope this presentation allows viewers to feel that unique atmosphere. For me, it serves as a wonderful log of light, shadow, and emotional control practice in Anime-style photography and Remilia cosplay.