[Marisa cosplay] Touhou Project: Photoshoot Sharing of The Black and White Magician

The location for this photoshoot was chosen at Portman Seven Stars Bay Hotel Xiamen, primarily drawn to its European architectural style and ivy-covered stone walls—an environment perfectly matching the magical aura of Touhou Project's Marisa.

This costume was custom-tailored online and adjusted by myself. The black-and-white dress features rich layering with intricate lace details along the neckline and skirt hem. The most challenging element was the oversized hat; its wide brim adorned with bows and lace was extremely sensitive to wind direction, easily flipping over and obstructing vision if not careful. There was also the prop broom with black-and-white spiral patterns, which had substantial weight in hand, so I reinforced it beforehand for smooth shooting.

During the shoot, photographer Kirisame Wakaba was exceptionally skilled at capturing action shots. Especially for the jumping moment in Photo 2, leaping required synchronizing facial expressions, hand gestures, and broom positioning while ensuring the skirt flared out gracefully—it took numerous takes to nail the perfect posture. Because the dress is long with a back train, sitting or crouching on stone steps also required carefully arranging the skirt beforehand.

We utilized afternoon lighting, where sunlight filtered through leaves to cast dappled shadows across stone walls and wooden gates. Backlit shots traced gorgeous rim light along my blonde hair and the edge of the hat brim. To maximize editing flexibility, we primarily used a telephoto lens to compress spatial depth paired with a wide aperture for depth of field, maintaining a bright, sunny ambiance throughout.

For prop coordination, holding the hat brim while looking back showcased the lace structure on the reverse side of the hat, while broom poses referenced standard stances of The Black and White Magician. We tested poses like one-legged balances and mid-air leaps; although balancing on stone steps in platform shoes was challenging, trying multiple takes was completely worthwhile to capture the character's signature agility. Curating the photos took time, mainly refining the fluttered skirt edges and balancing the white balance of the intricate black-and-white lace. This Outdoor photography session at Portman Seven Stars Bay Hotel Xiamen was wonderful; the hotel's exterior is ideal for fantasy-themed cosplay creations, with the architectural depth adding magnificent layers to the composition.