[Arknights] Lemuen cosplay: The Laterano covenant of the Guardian Gun and white dove

Finally, I've finished editing this set of Lemuen photos. The overall core of this shoot was how to express that holy yet detached texture of Laterano using solid lens language. I put a lot of thought into the props and set design, especially the huge Guardian Gun in my hand—its solid wood structure wrapped in metallic paint makes it much heavier than expected. When holding it with one hand or posing in an aiming stance, my arm muscles were actually quite sore, but for the smoothness of the action and the tension of the lines, I gritted my teeth and maintained the stability of the posture. Logistics helped adjust the garment steamer, ironing the edges of the cape and hood to be very smooth, so that sharp reflections could be generated on the edges of the white fabric when lighting was applied. Regarding makeup and styling, this time we focused on magnifying the details of the eye area. The golden teardrop-shaped facial ornament and the golden hand-shaped eye mask are the visual anchors of the entire face. To make the eyes have more narrative feel in front of the lens, I used reddish-brown contact lenses paired with relatively heavy eyeshadow smudging, emphasizing a deep sense. The pink and golden highlights of the wig were also layered, and the horn ornaments on top of the head and the cross starlight on the veil tried their best to restore the details of the design settings. The addition of the white dove gave the whole frame a touch of liveliness. I am very satisfied with the light and shadow design on the day of the shoot. The photographer extensively used a smoke machine to create mist, combined with softboxes and high-key lighting, giving the overall picture an ethereal and dreamy atmosphere. The oil paintings and gorgeous photo frames in the background were all built to create a holy yet slightly sorrowful scene. I have been looking for the right angle, making more use of side backlight to highlight the outline, and deliberately utilizing shallow depth of field to blur the background, locking the gaze firmly on the character's face and props. In action guidance, I tried various postures, such as blocking one eye with the golden facial ornament, or lifting the chin to express a subtle sense of detachment. For one of the sitting shots, I deliberately exposed my leg and added a white bandage ring, not only to showcase the characteristics of the costume design, but also to give the overall composition more visual impact. The background setting of Laterano itself carries a strong religious sense, so in controlling the gaze and micro-expressions, I tried to keep it restrained—avoiding overly large facial movements, but conveying emotions through drooping eyelids, focused gaze, and a vacant stare. The moment the smoke dissipated and gathered again, accompanied by the sound of the shutter, it felt like truly being in that square full of white doves. In fact, every photoshoot requires balancing between gorgeousness and real physical sensations; although the weapon in hand is heavy, that solid feeling of holding it actually allowed me into the state faster. This shoot was truly a very devoted experience: from the early costume organization to every gaze adjustment on site, a lot of energy was poured into it. I hope to present this unique temperament belonging to the character completely to everyone.