[Cirno cosplay] The Ice Fairy of Touhou Project, Summer Refreshment on Cirno Day (9/9)

To make it in time for the special Cirno Day (September 9th), I specifically chose this stream-threaded forest for a forest location cosplay shoot of Touhou Project's Cirno. The outdoor location was very pristine—towering trees blocking out the sun, crystal-clear stream water, and sunlight filtering through the leaves onto the surface. The dappled light and shadow were perfect for capturing the essence of the Ice Fairy.

First, let's talk about the costume. The overall style is a blue-and-white Lolita design featuring a wide skirt adorned with lace and ruffles, a large dark brown bow at the neckline, an inner layer with white puff sleeves, and pom-pom accents along the waist. To ensure the skirt stayed fluffy above the water, I wore a daily violent petticoat underneath. Because it's easy to step on the hem while wading, I had to lift the skirt slightly with every step. My favorite detail is the set of transparent prism wings on my back made of holographic acrylic; turning them under natural light refracted gorgeous rainbow-colored flares, creating a striking visual contrast with the lush greenery.

For the makeup, the focus was on a sheer, dewy look. Light blue eyeshadow was used as the base, complemented by white eyeliner with subtly downturned outer corners. Combined with the bright blue wig, it gave off an innocent yet slightly stubborn impression. The wig is bright blue, which pops intensely against the green forest background but also easily absorbs light. The photographer took extra care with metering and ultimately chose a slight edge-backlight angle, which illuminated my face while giving the hair color a translucent feel.

The shooting process was actually quite challenging. To stay true to the character's setting, I stepped barefoot into the stream and onto mossy rocks. The water was icy cold and the stones were slick; every posture adjustment required core engagement and cautious balance to avoid slipping. In one shot standing in the midstream, my feet were submerged and the uneven rocks underneath forced me to clench my toes for balance. In another shot standing on the edge of a large mossy boulder quite a distance above the water, the wind blew my skirt around, and having to balance while looking at the camera made me quite nervous.

Cirno's most memorable traits are her "⑨" and "Baka 9" identity. At exactly 9:09 on this day, I happened to be adjusting poses on that big rock in the middle of the water, and the timing felt magically aligned. Even though some people joked that I hadn't shot anything this year, here I am delivering the finished photos! Location shoots are truly a test of stamina—you have to endure bug bites and manage your facial expressions in slippery conditions. But seeing the clear stream and the vivid cool-warm color contrasts in the final photos made it all worthwhile.

Shooting this set also gave me a fresh understanding of Cirno. Her purity and confidence genuinely gave me strength in the warm forest. The white noise of running water interwoven with cicada chirping made the whole shoot feel like a brief escape. I hope this photo set, misted with cool spray, brings everyone a refreshing drop in temperature.