[Chang'e cosplay] Honor of Kings Like a Dream: Freezing an Ethereal Moment in Time

This shoot features Chang'e's Like a Dream skin from Honor of Kings. Ever since I first saw the design art, I fell in love with its harmonious color palette—the white-to-blue gradient accented with pastel pink ribbons evokes an incredible atmospheric presence. Heading outdoors required extensive preparation: the wig had to be completely restyled, particularly the pair of horns and plush pom-poms atop my head, which needed countless bobby pins to keep from shifting while walking outside. The metallic ornaments also had to be pinned securely to avoid falling off. For makeup, I kept the complexion clean and luminous, using an earthy eyeshadow palette to softly sculpt my eye contours, paired with a gentle, muted lip shade to complement the character's serene demeanor. My prop was a round fan adorned with swirling water-ripple patterns; because of its slender, elongated handle, finding the right grip balance was essential to keep the fan face from tilting.

For the location, we chose a scenic park featuring a sprawling lake and classical pavilions. We utilized a lot of foreground framing—such as tree leaves and pavilion pillars—to naturally silhouette the figure, lending the composition an air of seclusion and quiet intimacy. Light is truly the lifeblood of an outdoor shoot: the afternoon sunlight was wonderfully soft, and side-backlighting illuminated the sheer tulle overlay with delicate clarity. Lakeside boulders served as our main posing ground. Maintaining seated and standing postures required continuous core engagement for balance, especially when balancing in high heels on uneven, rugged rocks where safety demanded constant vigilance, with the photographer constantly reminding me to watch my footing. The sheer Stockings created a subtle sheen under the natural light, visually elongating my leg lines and lending an airy lightness to the silhouette.

Bringing a character to life goes far beyond costumes, hair, and makeup—it requires stepping fully into their inner world. The lore behind Like a Dream is steeped in romance, gentle longing, and quiet anticipation, so my gazes and movements had to slow down accordingly. Even though heavy gusts kept tousling my skirts and blowing loose strands of the wig across my face, the final shots made every ounce of effort worthwhile. Every fabric texture, every chosen scenery element, and every sliver of natural illumination were aligned to honor the character's distinct ambiance in this setting. As a cosplayer, it brings me immense joy to wear and document an outfit so richly imbued with traditional cultural artistry. Every outdoor expedition feels like a mini adventure filled with unforeseen challenges, from sudden temperature drops to the fleeting window of golden-hour light. Bringing this Like a Dream shoot to completion by lakeside pavilions would not have been possible without thorough site scouting and our team's readiness to adapt on the fly.

In terms of movement design, I strove to reflect the gentle, floating essence of Like a Dream: keeping my wrists relaxed when turning the round fan, letting my gaze drift toward the fan face or out into the distant horizon. Although the process was a constant battle against gravity and unpredictable winds, seeing the interplay of light, shadow, and intricate textile craftsmanship captured so vividly washed all fatigue away. I hope these frames preserved under natural sunlight convey that timeless sense of classical serenity and understated grace.