[Yixuan Cosplay] Zenless Zone Zero's Ether and Neon Lights: An Aura in the Ruins

This shoot was set as a night scene in an abandoned industrial warehouse, filled with discarded TVs and iron wire mesh crates. Paired with blue-purple neon lights, it created a stark contrast of warm and cool tones against Yixuan's white, blue, and black outfit. I was amazed by the details when I got the costume—the deep gray-blue patchwork jacket features fine white stripes, and the gold round button at the collar along with the blue rose accessory on the chest are all custom-handmade, offering a solid texture. The cross-star print on the white pleated skirt reflects slightly under the flash, and combined with black stockings and patent leather high heels, the overall silhouette is very sharp.

During the shoot, I intentionally tried several different poses. In the first shot, leaning against that black iron barrel, slightly turned to the side with my gaze looking away from the camera, aiming to create a sense of alertness as if ready for battle at any moment. The second and third shots were taken sitting on that vintage leather sofa; the embossed gold English lettering on the back and the mottled leather texture perfectly matched the character's aloof vibe. Sitting poses are actually the hardest to master, requiring one to be relaxed yet keep the spine straight. I gently rested my hand near my ear and naturally sank my center of gravity, which allowed the leg lines to extend more beautifully in the frame. The fourth shot is half-kneeling on the ground near that old wooden crate, with the camera angled slightly lower to include the heels, adding a sense of overwhelming presence.

The photographer really knows how to control the lighting ratio in this kind of scene. The neon lights served as the main light source, which not only traced the rim light around the edges of my hair but also made my skin look more translucent in the cool-toned environment. The wig is a specially styled long, straight white wig. The small tuft of hair on top and the wave-shaped fringe accessory are iconic to Yixuan's look; it took a lot of effort to adjust the angle when putting it on to ensure it wouldn't look distorted from any camera angle. It was quite windy during the shoot, and the scrap iron chains and mesh were rattling, which actually enhanced the immersive feel of the site.

In fact, when shooting this kind of style with a touch of cyberpunk and wasteland aesthetic, the biggest fear is that the environment becomes too cluttered and steals the spotlight from the character. Therefore, when composing the shot, the photographer deliberately used the iron barrel, sofa, and wooden crate in the front as a foreground frame to focus the visual attention entirely on me. In post-processing, there was no excessive skin smoothing, retaining some skin texture to make the film-like quality and industrial texture of the entire image stand out more. For this makeup look, I chose colored contact lenses with a hint of orange-gold, acting as a warm accent against the cool background. The lip color is a fairly natural rosewood red, and the overall makeup feels clean and fresh without too much glitter or heavy eyeshadow, relying mainly on the eyeliner to elongate the eye shape and convey the character's sharp aura.

The shooting process lasted about two hours. Because there were many poses and I had to maintain balance on metal and leather props, my legs were actually quite sore. However, seeing the perfectly placed light and shadow and natural body language in the final photos made it all feel worth it. This kind of on-location shoot carries a stronger sense of storytelling than a pure studio shoot, as each photo can make people imagine the character's daily state in that corner. I hope this set of photos allows everyone to feel the unique temperament of Yixuan—calm yet with a touch of laziness.