This set of photos was captured amidst the sea of Pink muhly grass in Jiabei; visiting Jiabei every autumn to photograph the pink muhly has practically become my annual ritual. This year I wanted to create something different, so I selected this Lolita dress in a Pink color scheme, aiming to style myself like a little frosted cake emerging from the blooms. Whose sea of pink muhly grass just spawned a sweet little pastry? None other than me.
First, let's discuss the coordinate styling. This Lolita dress is grounded in soft pink tones, accented with puffed sleeves, lace trim along the neckline, multi-tiered ruffled hemlines, and an array of delicate ribbon bows, harmonizing wonderfully with the floral ambiance. To elevate the sweet aesthetic, I wore a cherry-themed lace headpiece, paired with pure White stockings and white Mary Janes. The visual dialogue between the white stockings and the pink dress enhances that 2D anime-girl vibe. To break any monotony from solid-toned garments, I crafted a massive prop—a pink oval artist palette adorned with macaron-like colorful polka dots, featuring a pink-and-blue diagonally striped handle finished with a sky-blue ribbon bow. This prop not only introduced playful tactile interaction but also anchored the compositional balance visually.
Regarding gear, this shoot relied on the Sony A7M5 paired with the 50-150mm F2.8 GM lens. I have to say, the 50-150mm GM is an absolute powerhouse for floral landscapes. The pink muhly field is vast and dense; using a wide lens easily clutters the frame. However, the telephoto reach of the 50-150mm GM provided exceptional spatial compression and subject isolation, effortlessly peeling the subject away from busy backgrounds even from a distance. The bright F2.8 aperture produced dreamlike background blur with wonderfully creamy, gradual fall-off.
The autofocus system of the Sony A7M5 was also a lifesaver during this session. In a floral sea, unexpected variables are constant—flower plumes fluttering in the breeze or candid bursts of movement from the model. The real-time eye AF and tracking on the Sony A7M5 proved rock-solid; paired with the swift linear motors of the 50-150mm GM, I could devote all my focus to composition and posing guidance without ever worrying about missed focus.
The ambient lighting that day was beautifully clean natural daylight, alternating between direct front light and rim backlighting. To accentuate the delicate texture of the White stockings and ruffled hemline, I intentionally explored a mix of low-angle upward framing and gentle overhead perspectives. Poses such as bending legs while seated on a white wooden bench or lifting the skirt hem along floral pathways showcased elegant leg lines. Utilizing pink muhly grass as foreground bokeh, combined with the excellent dynamic range of the Sony A7M5, allowed for clean, translucent skin tones with just minor shadow recovery in post.
The shooting process was filled with laughter. Navigating the fields requires careful footing because the stems of Pink muhly grass are quite fragile, so I mostly posed along gaps and walking paths between blooms. My fondest memory was trying to evoke a fairytale forest mood: I squatted among the blossoms half-hiding my face behind the oversized palette prop, but the skirt was so voluminous that I nearly couldn't stand back up, sending photographer Ah Cheng into fits of laughter. Jiabei's pink muhly remains an iconic seasonal destination; year after year the blossoms bloom alike, yet every visit yields a completely unique visual story tailored to different styling.
In post-production color grading, rather than cranking up contrast, I preserved the low saturation of the pink tones while introducing subtle touches of magenta and pale cyan, creating a creamy texture that stays far from gaudy. It was a thoroughly joyful shoot—a pink daydream frozen in time through the lens.