When I went to Daguan Wetland Park to shoot this set of photos, I happened to encounter the rare good weather in Guangzhou. Autumn in Guangdong is always very short and often plunges into winter in a second, but once autumn clears up, that golden sun paired with a cool breeze really puts you in a great mood. The bald cypress trees here turned caramel-colored in autumn, and the groves of trees look like a natural palette; there's no need to deliberately look for a background, and a casual snapshot is full of rich autumn ambiance.
For this autumn outfit, I chose a very classic Japanese sailor suit. The white long-sleeved top is paired with a dark blue oversized collar; the brown bow at the neckline and the brown stripes at the cuffs create a great color echo. Against the overall golden and dark brown forest background, this contrasting color of creamy white and dark blue makes a person look very refreshing. The lower body is paired with a dark blue pleated skirt, whose hem pleats have a great dynamic feel when walking. Because I needed to walk around in the woods, I didn't choose shoes that easily sink into the mud or are hard to walk in; instead, I paired them with brown chunky-heeled loafers and white mid-tube socks. This can slightly lengthen the leg lines while making it convenient to walk on the forest paths. For accessories, I brought that brown vintage leather bag, which contained a few books that happened to be used as props. When sitting under a tree reading them, the literary vibe is maxed out.
The process of collaborating with photographer Ba cifanggen on this set of photos was very smooth. We started shooting around 3 PM, when the angle of the sunlight was just right, filtering down through the branches and leaves of the bald cypress trees, creating very beautiful light spots. Because the environment itself already has very rich warm tones, we tried to retain the transparency brought by natural light during shooting. For the one where I am sitting on the ground, I deliberately relaxed my body, leaning my back against the tree trunk with legs slightly bent, and the photographer shot downward from a slightly higher angle, which can make the leg lines look more relaxed and avoid the messy fallen leaves on the ground. For those standing by the bridge, we used the white railing as a visual guide line, turning slightly to look back, which is much more natural than standing rigidly. There is also a snapshot of walking, where the moment the skirt hem floats up has a special pictorial feel.
The fabric of this top is a relatively thick cotton-blend, which is just right for autumn. You won't feel cold when a breeze blows, and the cut is crisp, avoiding a limp, saggy look against the body. The pleating of the pleated skirt is very sharp; even after sitting on the ground and shooting for a long time, standing up and smoothing it out slightly restores its smoothness, which is very friendly for long-term outdoor shooting. In color coordination, I deliberately chose color schemes that naturally exist in nature—brown, beige, and dark blue—so that the person and scenery blend into one without any sense of discordance. Although autumn sunshine is warm, the ultraviolet rays are still somewhat strong, and the long-sleeved design just acts as a physical sun protection.
In fact, shooting JK uniform Japanese style photography is all about nature and a sense of relaxation. There is no need to forcefully strike some very complicated poses; just bring out the casual state of ordinary school or after-school commutes. You can put an open book in your bag, or walk casually in the woods, and the captured moments are often more moving than posed ones. Hearing the crisp sound of the loafers stepping on the wooden boardwalk and feeling the fallen leaves rustling by my feet, this set of photos is also my exclusive commemoration of autumn. After all, being able to combine beautiful sunshine and favorite clothes for recording is a very lucky thing.