[Exusiai cosplay] Catching the Tail of Summer, Lemuel's Beach Day Record

At the tail end of summer, the weather in Guangzhou is still sweltering enough to make you want to jump straight into the water. Taking advantage of the lingering summer warmth, I scheduled a shoot with photographer @拟岚芥 to capture this Arknights Exusiai summer-themed photoset. Apologies for having no wings—this time the primary goal was to step away from the usual combat vibe and showcase Lemuel's relaxed, vacation state of mind, so the entire visual focus was placed on the summer styling and scene interaction.

The shooting location was an intricately decorated indoor real-scene studio; the moment you stepped inside, an intense summer beach vibe washed over you. The floor was blanketed with sand, complete with blue-and-white sun parasols, wooden lounge chairs, a cold-drink table filled with ice cubes, and even a small pool tucked in the corner. To match the summer ambiance, I deliberately selected this energetic ensemble featuring blue-and-white stripes paired with a black tank top and shorts. The wig was styled into her iconic orange-red twin-tails; while grooming it took some effort, seeing the dimensional layering of the bangs and sideburns in the final photos made it completely worthwhile. The halo prop atop my head was the true soul of the look—once put on, Lemuel's signature quirky, spirited charm instantly came alive.

The first bar-counter shot was actually captured in front of a wooden beverage booth. The prop team prepared plenty of drink bottles and retro string bulb lights, with paper lanterns inscribed with 'Festival' hanging in the background. Holding a bottle of cola, the lighting was set quite warm, though the indoor studio was actually rather stuffy. For this shot, I kept things intentionally understated: gazing at the lens with my body angled slightly, using the height of the bar counter to partially obscure my frame, which added a touch of cozy, relatable intimacy.

I especially love the poses in the following three collaged frames. To work with that massive transparent inflatable swim ring, I tested several postures on the lounge chair. For the shot holding up the yellow starfish, supporting myself with one hand while keeping my legs suspended mid-air required substantial core strength to keep steady, taking several tries to nail the most natural angle. For the shot slipping into the swim ring, I leaned forward slightly, using the circular frame of the ring to make my face pop. Overall, although this cosplay outfit looks breezy and cool, the nature of the fabrics and accessories combined with the studio lighting heat still had me breaking into a full sweat by the end.

When will Guangzhou finally cool down? Stepping outside lately has been an extreme endurance test. Still, being able to leave behind such a sun-drenched, refreshing set of photos at summer's end feels like a wonderful concluding note to this long summer. The color tones, framing, and light-and-shadow transitions were refined step-by-step with the photographer, and I hope everyone enjoys this version of Lemuel—wingless, but carrying the sea breeze and a bottle of cola.