Shooting this Inubashiri Momiji cosplay from Touhou Project took place in late autumn, right when the autumn leaves by the water were at their peak. During pre-shoot preparations, I kept thinking about how to capture a gallant, heroic feel, so I specifically adjusted the positioning of the shoulder armor and cord knots to give the overall look a sharper, cleaner silhouette. The white fur collar was very warm, though it shed fur easily while wearing. The trickiest part was the geta sandals on my feet—stepping on wet, slippery rocks was quite a test of balance. To maintain my center of gravity, my leg muscles had to stay constantly engaged and my toes had to grip firmly, which made the resulting leg contours look toned and firm on camera, turning out to be an unexpected bonus.
The streamside location the photographer scouted was fantastic, and the sound of flowing water was so soothing. To match the White Wolf Tengu identity, I brought a long katana and a fox mask. Holding the plush white fox called for gentler, restrained poses, but switching to wielding the blade and holding the mask required quickly shifting my gaze and muscle tension, transitioning from a cute vibe to a fierce, gallant presence. In Photo 3, sitting on the rock and looking directly into the lens, sunlight fell right across my legs, which, paired with the geta and off-shoulder Japanese-style clothing, naturally highlighted dynamic, tense lines. During the shoot, I also picked up red maple leaves from the ground as atmospheric accents or held one over an eye to add a touch of mystery. Finding the right pose for holding the blade took repeated attempts—it needed to convey strength without being gripped too stiffly, or else it would look like holding a simple stick. In framing, the photographer focused on using blurred water reflections and autumn leaves as soft bokeh to make the subject pop. Because the lighting was soft, post-processing leaned toward preserving natural skin textures and the rich red hues of the foliage.
The shoot took around two to three hours. Although walking back and forth in geta left my soles aching, seeing the final photos capture that delicate blend of youthful girlishness and untamed wildness made all the physical strain feel worthwhile in this Autumn outdoor scene.