This shoot in an abandoned classroom was set in a little-known old school building in Shanghai, where light filtering through the iron-barred windows became the best ambient lighting. The mottled traces on the walls contrasted with the wildly growing greenery outside the window, creating the exact feeling of vitality within a wasteland that we aimed for. Without using exaggerated props or poses, we simply wanted to tell the story of two people using the most fundamental school uniforms and gazes.
The angles for duo interaction are difficult to master, especially considering the height difference and positioning. Today, my partner's state was in perfect sync. We tried various compositions, such as one looking up at the other while the other reached out toward her chin, or a back view of them holding hands side by side. Light blue overall skirts and short-sleeved white shirts were the main outfits for both, complemented by red bowties that brightly popped against the dark tones of the ruins. The character with short hair had a clear outline, while the hair of the character with long hair blew with the wind; utilizing side backlighting allowed a rim of highlight to form around the hair edges, instantly boosting the picture's texture.
A small episode during the shoot: the classroom was very dusty, and whenever the wind blew, dust stuck to the hair, requiring frequent stops to tidy up and ensure the wigs stayed smooth. Meanwhile, to fit the wasteland feel, we deliberately rubbed a bit of dust onto the skirt hems and shoe surfaces before shooting so the characters wouldn't look overly pristine, giving a realistic sense that they had been here for a while. The benches and desks served as great props; rather than having both stand plainly, we fully utilized the height difference of the school furniture—one sitting and one standing—to create a subtle difference in identity.
Post-processing and Atmosphere: No heavy filters were used in post-processing. We mainly unified the color temperature and lowered some deep blacks in the shadows so the wooden grain of the desks could show through, while highlighting the light source coming in from the left to give the overall lighting a sense of depth. I didn't pursue an exaggerated skin-smoothing effect, preserving some skin texture instead, because I felt the flavor of a post-apocalyptic wasteland would feel jarring if paired with excessive beauty filters. The red graffiti on the wall was already there, creating a color echo with the red bowties, while the orange of the twin tails looked exceptionally warm in the cool-toned classroom.
Shooting Reflections: Shooting this set wasn't about expressing intense battle scenes; instead, it focused on the delicate emotional tension between the two. Whether holding hands, looking back, or sharing a silent gaze, it all fit the theme of wasteland redemption. Finding such an undisturbed location in Shanghai for ruins style cosplay was truly fortunate. We spent an afternoon shooting slowly without rushing, making it easier to capture the actors' natural performance in a relaxed state.
After shooting, we packed up our things, wiped the tables clean, and restored the room to how it was before we arrived. This story feeling born from the collision between characters and scenes is hard to replace with studio shoots. This wasteland theme experience was wonderful, and if time permits in the future, we might bring props of different styles to do some supplementary shots. We share this presentation with everyone, hoping you can feel the quiet power through these images.