[Rei Ayanami cosplay] Rainy Night Huxi: Kimono, Hydrangeas, and the Serenity of Neon Genesis Evangelion

This shoot really left a deep impression on me. I had planned it for a long time, specifically picking a weekend to go to the Huxi campus of Chongqing University to shoot hydrangeas. However, upon arriving on-site, I realized I was completely dumbfounded—because we went too early, the flower clusters all over the trees were still crisp green, not having turned into that dreamy white at all. But thinking about it carefully, this unripened greenery paired with the lighting in the dark night conversely created an unexpected sense of a cool yet stubborn atmosphere, which could be counted as a unique stroke of serendipity.

What I expected even less was that it started raining just as we finished setting up our equipment. The sound of raindrops pattering on the flower leaves and the oil-paper umbrella was very crisp, but the shooting time indeed became extremely tight—we retreated in a hurry after shooting for less than an hour. Fortunately, the team coordinated with great chemistry. The strobe light captured the graininess of the raindrops, and against the deep black background, those rain-washed leaves and cyan flower clusters looked exceptionally textured. Wearing a kimono, holding a folding fan and an umbrella, and hunting for angles back and forth in the rain—although the time was short, the photo success rate was unexpectedly high for this kimono night portrait.

In terms of costumes, makeup, and props this time, I am highly satisfied with the reproduction level of the blue-grey wig combined with the red colored contacts. The white kimono and light-colored obi sash naturally carry a translucent quality under intense night lighting, and the dangling tassel hair accessories and the oil-paper umbrella also added extra points to the entire frame. I hope this set of Japanese-style photos imbued with moisture and a cool temperament allows everyone to feel the sense of serenity inherent to Rei Ayanami as I understand her.