[Sui family fan-design cosplay] Arknights Snowy Shoot Record

It's been about a month or so from diving into this Arknights Sui family fan-design cosplay project to actually standing in the snow today. From preparing costumes and modifying wigs to communicating with the photographer and makeup artist about the right location, the whole process was very fulfilling. Finding a relatively quiet courtyard with typical Chinese garden architecture required quite some effort, and we finally settled on a semi-enclosed corridor. Waking up on the day of the shoot, I saw it was already snowing outside. Although a great bonus for the shoot, extreme cold is truly the biggest enemy of outdoor cosplay.

The snow scene naturally brings a cool detachment that perfectly matches the tone of this Sui family fan-design character. Since the setting itself leans toward a deity or mythological figure, the white walls, dark pillars, and fallen snow on the railings in the background perfectly set off the vibrant colors of the outfit. The costume I wore mainly combined purple-red plush materials with a silver-white robe, accented by horns and headpieces; boosted by snow reflections, the color contrast turned out much better than expected. As it snowed continuously during the shoot, a layer of frost quickly formed on my hair and clothing—a natural atmosphere that is difficult to replicate in a studio.

I spent the most time on hair and makeup. Because it leans toward Traditional Chinese style cosplay fantasy, the wig couldn't look stiff; maintaining hair flow while securing headpieces required fine, clever skill. During shooting, wearing headpieces with horns amidst falling snow placed quite a heavy load on my head, but to ensure 3D contours of both frontal and profile angles under the lens, I had to keep my head up and chest out throughout. My partner's red-haired look was also very eye-catching, and the staggered multi-person group composition in the snow scene conveyed the weight of this theme even better than solo shots. With everyone striking poses behind the railing, the immersive atmosphere instantly came through the moment the shutter clicked.

Speaking of the "Sui family" trait, it inherently carries a sense of quietly shifting through the passing of time. Day after day, year after year, time in this lore seems vast yet indifferent, so I deliberately avoided exaggerated facial expressions during this shoot. Being quiet, distant, with a hint of indifference toward mortals or a bystander's gaze at the scenery—this is precisely the state I understand this fan-design character should possess. Rather than forcing eye-catching poses, transmitting the character's divine nature through gaze and atmosphere was the effect I truly aimed to achieve.

There were actually several small surprises during this shoot, such as heavy snow frequently covering camera lenses with water drops, requiring an assistant to constantly blow them clean. Yet precisely because of these uncontrollable factors, the images gained a sense of everyday reality and authentic texture—not a hyper-perfect commercial picture, but Cosplay photography with breathing room. The biggest difference between outdoor shoots and studio shoots lies in interacting with the environment; you have to feel the wind speed and snow density, adjusting your posture and center of gravity according to these natural conditions.

I'm quite satisfied with the final output myself. Although there are areas for improvement—such as wig frizz or not clearing snow off skirt hems quickly enough—these serve as direct experience for the next outdoor shoot. Shooting itself is an exploration; donning this gear, standing in this courtyard, and becoming another character amidst flying snow—this feeling of experiencing the world's cold and warmth through a different identity might be the core drive keeping us in cosplay.

This share doesn't feature flashy post-processing filters; we simply aimed to recreate the snowy state according to what was seen by the naked eye. I hope to have more opportunities in the future to try Arknights creations across different seasons and weather.