[Menma Cosplay] Her on the Slope That Summer, Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Wearing a small white flower crown and carrying a woven basket, I shot this set of Menma from Anohana under the afternoon greenery. Actually, I have always wanted to shoot this character for a long time. Her sense of transparency lies not only in the costume styling but also in her slightly vacant yet gentle demeanor. This time, I specially selected an outdoor venue with natural light and lush vegetation. The mesh fence in the background and the dappled shadows of the trees perfectly created an atmosphere filled with late summer regrets and a tiny fairy-tale vibe.

In terms of costume details, I found a white sleeveless dress with a highly accurate pattern, where the touch of blue ribbon at the collar is the very soul of this look. The irregular small white flower crown used for the headpiece was intentionally not made too dense to fit her light, "ghost-like" setting. As for the wig, the long silvery-white hair must be kept smooth to reflect a very soft gray-toned texture under natural light without any greasy feeling, so I adjusted every strand into place before the final shots.

During the shoot, to recreate the visual of Menma running barefoot, I stepped directly onto the slightly rough concrete platform with bare feet. To be completely honest, the sensation on my toes and soles was extremely real, even getting a bit numb from being pressed against the slightly polished pebbles. However, to maintain the character's sense of freedom and purity, I had to grit my teeth and push through these details. During the process, I specially adjusted angles with the photographer to let the swaying tree shadows fall across my cheeks and shoulders through the leaves. Those natural patches of light and shadow, alternating between bright and dark, have much more breathing room than harsh studio lights.

The small woven flower basket in my hand was a prop we prepared in advance, filled with a few sprigs of eustoma and white roses. In terms of color, it formed a very comfortable negative space with the white clothing and white hair, serving as the perfect embellishment. While shooting, I also specially tried holding the basket out in front of me or letting it rest quietly on the ground, creating a casual yet slightly narrative state. When actually executing this shooting plan, I chose a time when the natural light was coming from a side-backlit angle, so the rim lighting could outline the transparent edges of the silvery-white hair strands. Paired with a shallow depth of field, the green leafy background was softly blurred, preserving the outdoor atmosphere without making the background too cluttered to steal the visual focus from the subject.

As the Guangzhou model for the shoot, my expectation for this set of works was a "sense of clarity." Therefore, when communicating the post-processing direction with the photographer, I specially emphasized retaining the naturalness of the colors, avoiding over-cranking the contrast, and not over-retouching the facial structure. It was best to maintain the character's own skin tone and the authentic colors under the lighting environment. When shooting such a fresh and healing character, the poses don't need to be forced; simply leaning against a comfortable spot, looking into the lens, or turning sideways to daydream can beautifully convey the character's persistent gentleness. I hope this set of images can bring everyone a bit of coolness and healing at the turn of late summer and early autumn, and restore the Menma in my heart who is always searching for her friends.