For this 3-day Guangzhou trip, I brought along my Luo Tianyi cosplay. Walking through the city over three days allowed me not only to soak in the bustling neighborhood atmosphere of old Guangzhou, but also to figure out a survival guide for outdoor shoots in such humid, sweltering weather. I prepared two outfits for this trip: one was an olive-green New Chinese style outfit dress with a mandarin collar accented with pearls, and the other was a light blue dress adorned with bows and ruffles. Trimming and styling the wig took quite a bit of effort, and I wore green contacts to match the character's signature look. The hair ornaments and horn-like accessories were repeatedly adjusted to ensure great camera angles from every perspective. However, the weather here was intensely hot and humid. Walking through old alleys and outdoor heritage sites in a long dress and platform shoes drained substantial energy, and my makeup became shiny quite easily. Occasionally, when stopping to eat or shield myself from the sun, my facial expressions slipped into brief OOC moments—apologies in advance to everyone!
Guangzhou's streetscape is exceptionally suited for outdoor shoots. In the vintage alleys where red and grey brick walls intersect, sunlight filtering through narrow openings produced textured light and shadow for our Old alley photography. We also captured photos on balconies with traditional tiled roofs and in front of elaborately carved cultural relief walls; these Chinese elements harmonized effortlessly with the wardrobe. In the evening, we visited the illuminated Canton Tower, where the night cityscape paired with the wig's sheen under city lights to create delightful final shots.
As a devoted foodie, the most important mission of this trip was exploring Guangzhou cuisine. Guangzhou simply has too many delicacies to offer! Every morning began with yum cha morning tea, filling the entire table with shrimp dumplings, chicken feet, rice noodle rolls, and fresh hot congee. The rice noodle rolls were paper-thin and generously filled, paired with perfectly balanced sauce that made every bite deeply satisfying. At noon, we enjoyed Cantonese roast meats; holding up an entire platter of crispy roast pork for photos made my arms tremble, yet seeing the glistening crackling skin made me dive right in. Desserts were equally essential—black sesame paste, mango sago pomelo, and various ice creams instantly revived me, though I had to protect the wig carefully to prevent it from dipping into sweet soup. At night, we had slow-simmered herbal broths and claypot porridge, leaving my stomach happily rounded by the end of each day.
The three-day itinerary was packed to the brim, juggling landmark check-ins, scouring alleys for hidden bites, and keeping up with the photoshoot schedule. Despite the fatigue, bringing a beloved character to a city so rich in everyday vitality was an extraordinary experience. Outdoor shooting inherently requires immense patience—smoothing garments, touching up makeup, and hunting for angles demand continuous energy. Fortunately, despite brief rain showers, the overall lighting was great, allowing us to capture many satisfying frames. I'll take a good rest in the coming days, reflect on the shooting lessons learned during this trip, and aim for even better condition next time to keep OOC moments to a minimum.