This photoshoot was set in an abandoned old factory in Wuhan; the post-apocalyptic wasteland ambiance matched the character exceptionally well. The lighting varied greatly on the day of the shoot, and to pinpoint the beam of light spilling into the ruins through the holes, we spent a lot of time finding camera positions.
This time, two similar sets of school uniforms were prepared. The contrast of the red and blue colors stood out distinctly against the gloomy gravel and rusted steel. The combination of over-the-knee socks and high heels was also to enhance the character's body lines, and paired with the bandages wrapped around the hands, it helped us get into that dilapidated yet slightly fragile state much better.
During the shoot, photographer Meiyou had great control over composition, especially in several shots framed through window gaps where the depth from the wide-angle lens made the ruins appear even more oppressive and profound. Walking back and forth across the rubble piles during shooting was quite physically demanding, but fortunately, my partner worked in great synergy with me.
The fifth photo featuring one sitting and one standing used the height difference of the chairs to create great visual guidance: she looked down at me while I stepped on the edge of the chair. That feeling of mutual probing and leaning on each other perfectly matched the storytelling sense this photo set wanted to express.
The overall post-processing for this set didn't involve excessive modification, preserving the grainy texture of the ruins and the authentic light and shadow. To maintain this cold, decadent texture, we also minimized overly warm color temperatures on the model, making the blue-and-white school uniform appear more translucent.
This wasteland-style Anime cosplay theme is quite challenging to shoot, because one must ensure the subjects aren't swallowed by the complex background while letting the narrative quality of the environment blend in. There were also a few unexpected little episodes during the shoot, like the skirt hem snagging on a nail or stepping on loose gravel, but these small details instead added to that authentic, raw texture in the photos.
Everyone gave their all and the shooting process was very pleasant. This set of photos recorded our personal interpretation of the character and work within that specific environment.