[Li Sushang Cosplay] The Martial Arts World of Honkai Impact 3rd: Responding to Changing Times with a Sword

Shooting on location in ancient architecture at night with ancient style photography is much more complicated than it looks, even with the support of studio lighting. The prop, a long sword emitting a cyan-blue light, presents a flowing light texture in the night environment, but we had to adjust the angles countless times to harmonize the character with the lighting effects. Because the shooting environment consisted of traditional brick walls and wooden pillars, the light was quite chaotic, requiring us to rely on light sticks to counter the warm ambient light on site to achieve the strong contrast between cold and warm tones seen in the photos.

The characteristics of this outfit lie in the shoulder cutout design and the waist strap structure. Along with the white-and-blue color scheme, it is actually quite a test for one's figure. Aside from the clothing, small details in the hair styling, such as the hair accessories and the small blue hair ribbons, were all meant to fit the aura of this setting. Sitting on the wall holding the prop while looking at the red lanterns truly gave a strong illusion of an ancient swordsman on a night patrol. The line "The martial arts world is not about fighting and killing" mentioned in the post's context is quite interesting. During the shoot, I was also thinking about how to express that heroic yet not overly aggressive feeling through the lens. Climbing up and down the venue multiple times while keeping the clothes clean and ensuring the props weren't bumped required a fair amount of physical strength and core power.

The challenge encountered during the actual shoot was the choice of lighting. Although there were fixed lantern light sources on site, the light was often insufficient for full-body compositions, especially when showcasing the weapon and the patterns on the boots. This is when the photographer's fill-light skills and the model's own state adjustment in front of the lens came into play. Photo 4 is a close-up shot that intentionally used soft-focus processing to capture an elegant and handsome tension; this kind of light and shadow atmosphere can better highlight the focus of the gaze. Every time I do this character, I hope to pose more naturally. Comparing the angles of several photos, the facial expression and detail proportions in Photo 4 are more eye-catching. To present a better texture, I tried different sword-holding postures. The light sword forms a specific blue aura in the dark, which serves both as a visual guide line for the frame and creates a fantasy feel during battle.

Finally, I want to thank the on-site photography team for staying up late with me in the ancient building. Many raw shots already had a great foundation. The post-processing mainly focused on unifying the color tones and preserving the ambient feeling of the environment, ensuring the blue light sword didn't completely steal the spotlight. This white-and-blue outfit indeed has strong visual tension, especially in how well it combines Chinese-style cosplay elements with a fantasy setting, which not only fits the aura of the character's concept but also grants a lot of space for creativity.

Being able to complete this distinct set of works around the Dragon Boat Festival holiday was a fulfilling experience. Sometimes, the moment you face the lens, the existence of the costumes and props naturally allows you to immerse into the character's own personality. During the presentation, besides the external appearance, how to synchronize the inner mind is a direction I have always been practicing. No need for intentionally gorgeous rhetoric; simply treating every shutter drop with seriousness is the most responsible attitude toward myself and this hobby.

Overall, this outdoor shoot was a wonderful attempt. It wasn't just about replicating this character as a flat image, but more about understanding some of its core concepts, such as being free-spirited and resolute. Although shooting into the deep night was exhausting, seeing the results displayed makes all the effort feel worthwhile. For cosplay, character recreation is only part of it; what matters more is how to deliver that sense of vitality and spirit through the photos. I hope these few photos can bring a different feeling to everyone, and I wish everyone who reads this a safe and healthy Dragon Boat Festival.