Today I shot a photoshoot set of Genshin Impact's Sandrone at Record of the Western Ocean. Packed with vintage clocks and European antiques, this venue harmonized impeccably with the lore of the Seventh Harbinger, the most intricate puppet creation. To channel that classical patina steeped in the passage of time, we deliberately chose backdrops featuring dark crimson walls and staggered antique wooden furnishings.
The garment's details were remarkably intricate: the tiered skirt blending deep navy and black, the scarlet bow across the chest, and the colossal bow pieced together in orange-yellow and white at the back all required meticulous reshaping before shooting. To emphasize a marionette's uncanny delicacy, I wore white gloves and firmly pinned the ruffled headdress multiple times. The wig was styled in straight pale-blonde locks with blunt bangs, paired with a makeup look prioritizing an inorganic, porcelain finish—muting blush while carving out the eye contours. Completing the ensemble with White stockings and black Mary Janes cleanly accentuated the silhouette whether seated or standing.
Throughout the session, my photographer NightDiva guided my physical control. The greatest challenge in portraying a puppet lies in avoiding overly fluid movements. Sitting before the piano, I had to keep my spine rigidly upright, letting my fingers rest upon the monochrome keys with calculated stiffness and mechanical pauses rather than natural grace. With the sheet music for 'Der Kuß' resting open, I kept my gaze cast upon the notes while maintaining a detached yet focused demeanor before the camera.
We explored multiple compositional angles across the set. Photo 2 presents a full-body composition leaning against a black leather trunk in front of a wooden cabinet; centered framing captured the fluid drape of the skirt and clean leg contours, nestled within antique furniture for serene stillness. Photo 5 was taken from a high angle on the second floor, looking down as I sat before the natural-finish grand piano. Sunlight slicing through the balustrades cast sharp shadows across the floor and skirt, creating high-contrast drama that mirrored the character's icy presence.
A great deal of the set's charm came from the ticking antique clocks on site, which seemed to breathe an illusion of frozen time into each frame. As a cosplay endeavor, from fabric textures to the nuance of each mechanical pose, I sought to project that meticulously sculpted yet inherently distant essence of the Fatui Marionette.