Back in February, I shot this Nalan Yanran set in a white studio. When I first received this outfit, my immediate impression was how vivid the color palette was. The red-and-white dress accented by golden shoulder pauldrons looked both sharp and slightly regal. To match the character setting, I prepared a bright pink twin-tail wig. This shade is notoriously tricky under studio lights; poor lighting can easily make it look synthetic. Because of that, we aimed for clean, translucent lighting in the white studio to emphasize the vibrant color contrast of the costume.
Regarding props, the sword in my hand was definitely a major highlight. The hilt has an irregular white sculpted design, and the blade is adorned with red patterns. To make handling it look natural on camera, I practiced gripping and brandishing the sword beforehand so it wouldn't look heavy or awkward. For the standing shot, I wanted to convey her composed, unshakeable aura, so I held the sword diagonally across my front while maintaining an upright posture. The crouching pose, however, was a serious test of core strength. To create clean, elongated leg lines, my left leg had to extend fully backward while my right hand steadily gripped the sword, all while keeping my torso upright without slouching. We adjusted the angle repeatedly during the shoot to ensure the movement looked fluid while maintaining a fierce, sharp gaze. Since the skirt is short, I paid extra attention to avoid accidental exposure while crouching, ensuring the final shots were both dynamic and secure.
The makeup emphasized the eye contours, using blue-purple contact lenses paired with a slightly winged eyeliner to give the gaze a colder, sharper edge. Although the backdrop was just a simple light-blue studio seamless with a white pedestal, it brought full focus to the character and prop details. During the shoot, to capture the dynamic flow of the hair, our assistant worked hard fanning from the side to give each shot an extra sense of motion.
The entire shoot was quite physically demanding, especially holding that deep crouch—my thighs were definitely sore the next day. Still, seeing the final results was a wonderful surprise; both the poses and the expressions matched my vision. Sourcing the outfit, practicing poses, and collaborating with the photographer make every cosplay a brand-new experience. Bringing an anime character to life and capturing her essence through the camera is truly fulfilling.