This shoot plan at Qijiang Park was settled early on, with the core idea of utilizing late summer's distinct sunlight alongside the park's characteristic industrial aesthetic to create a set of JK uniform photography brimming with Japanese-style ambiance. For the wardrobe, I chose a sailor suit consisting of a pale yellow top and light blue pleated skirt, paired with over-the-knee Black stockings and white Mary Jane shoes. The bright overall palette stood out vibrantly under the sun, forming a great visual contrast against the surrounding rustic rusted metal and dark foliage. For props, we specially prepared an acoustic guitar and a gray plush backpack. The guitar not only enriched the visual elements but also provided a natural resting point for my hands while posing, whereas the plush backpack was perfect to hold while seated or strolling, adding a casual, everyday schoolgirl vibe.
We shot under the lighting around 3:00 PM when the lower sun angle cast crisp, defined shadows across metal stairs and railings, adding rich texture to the images. A large-aperture lens was used here, leveraging the spatial compression of the telephoto end to blur out distant trees and architecture, making the subject stand out. Qijiang Park's blend of industrial wasteland and lush nature is wonderfully suited for Japanese style photography. Sitting on the white platform with legs slightly extended (which became the selected cover photo), paired with Black stockings, elongated the silhouette and flattered leg lines beautifully. Shooting from a low angle on the industrial staircase while hugging the plush bag highlighted an alternative cute, playful charm.
Throughout the session, we relied mainly on organic guidance—whether strumming the guitar or glancing back over the shoulder—striving to keep emotional expressions natural without forced posing. Post-processing didn't involve heavy retouching either; while maintaining natural, authentic light and shadow, we slightly lowered the contrast and boosted warm sunlight tones to give the images a subtle, built-in filter look, preserving that slightly sultry yet brilliantly clear late-summer atmosphere. The entire shoot went smoothly and effortlessly. This kind of Anime-style portrait approach that merges ACG fashion with real natural environments often feels far more vibrant and alive than composite-heavy imagery.