From the moment I first received Rita's Spina Astera outfit, there were countless details that demanded careful attention. Since the costume features a white, black, and gold palette, it includes numerous gold metal accessories, each requiring care around the edges. When putting it on, the cutout metal pieces across the chest must closely fit the body's contours, and the drape of the tassels needs to be precisely aligned. The choker and necklaces around the neck also require balance—wear them too tightly and they pinch, wear them too loosely and they slip out of place.
For the hair, the light silver-gray wig needed a special gloss spray to enhance its texture. The bangs covering half the face were intentionally styled and set, while the animal ear accessories had to be secured at a specific angle. Combined with the forehead band featuring red gemstones and hanging tassels, the headpiece's center of gravity was somewhat tricky to balance, requiring gradual adjustments to reach the most comfortable state.
In terms of makeup, to capture the character's cool and aloof yet subtly alluring charm, the eyeliner was drawn with a slight downward slant and extra emphasis on the lower eyelid. The lip color was kept relatively understated, paired with reddish-brown colored contact lenses. After much consideration, I finally decided to shoot using the natural afternoon Backlight at home. Backlight can easily cause the subject's front to appear underexposed, so I deliberately adjusted the phone camera's exposure compensation to ensure skin translucency under backlight conditions.
Since it was a selfie shoot, I experimented extensively with compositions. Placing a hand near the chest served to visually elongate the frame, showing off the collarbone and neckline. The first two photos have a slightly relaxed, languid pose, while the third close-up switched to a tighter angle to showcase the intricate design details of the chest and waist. The low waistline and cutout design are very demanding on figure, requiring constant core control. Portraying this character was truly a test of patience: smoothing the wig along the facial profile, preventing accessories from tarnishing, and minding the light flare caused by jewelry reflections under the Backlight. Seeing the final results, however, made it all worthwhile as the intended atmosphere was thoroughly captured.