[Merel Cosplay] Walking the long road in Reverse: 1999

Shooting Merel from Reverse: 1999 in the forest this time was an unforgettable experience. To capture that feeling of walking down a long, endless road, we specially chose this dense forest covered with fallen leaves. As the roaring sound seemed to roll in from afar, and sunlight pierced through the canopy casting dappled light and shadow, at that moment it felt like we were truly immersed in that smoky yet peace-craving world. My partner this time is the cosplayer playing Charon. The setup of our 'grave-escaping duo' is really interesting; although we aren't a CP, we had great chemistry when cooperating. From a costume and styling perspective, Merel's outfit balances capability with a sense of adventure. Retro goggles paired with a dark purple shawl, an inner white waist-cinching trench coat, and long boots give the overall silhouette a fantastic line. Although this look lacks the enhancement of stockings elements, the combination of the long trench coat and leather boots wonderfully lengthens the body proportions, and the exposed leg lines are also very textured under the outline of natural light. In terms of props, the books and those red flowers formed a strong visual contrast in the dark-toned forest, adding a lot of storytelling to the entire frame. The biggest surprise on the shooting day was definitely the light in the woods. This Tyndall effect is rare and hard to come by; to capture the most perfect rim lighting, we kept adjusting our positions. Everyone can see that golden edge light in the photos, which requires extremely precise angle control—just a slight deviation would reduce the effect. Charon's bloody white robe, combined with that black horse, appeared exceptionally mysterious against the backdrop of light and shadow. I love the phrase mentioned in the post description about 'liking the part of being pulled away'—in the frame, me pulling Charon forward, or riding on the horse while being led by him, these interactions not only showcased the special bond between the characters, but also made me feel like I was truly acting out a vivid storyline. Shooting in the forest really tests your physical strength, especially having to coordinate with a horse. The black horse is actually very docile, but keeping that forward-moving posture in front of the lens took a lot of effort from both Charon and me. When shooting those reading scenes, I deliberately portrayed Merel's curious and knowledge-seeking state, like leaning in close to look or pointing at the book with a branch. This contrast between stillness and motion makes the character more three-dimensional. Every time the shutter was pressed, we were striving to restore Merel's true sense of breath in this world. From the trimming of the wig to the wrinkles of the clothing, every detail was confirmed repeatedly. To match that retro and slightly desolate atmosphere, the post-processing color grading emphasized warm brown tones, hoping that friends who love this game can feel our love for the character.