The morning light at Longkan Wharf in Dali arrived much earlier than imagined. To catch the very first ray of sunlight by Dali Erhai Lake in early November, I woke up at 4 AM to start my makeup and hair styling. Sitting on this huge rock by the lake, as the silhouette of the distant Cangshan Mountains gradually became clear, I knew all the early rising was absolutely worth it.
In this set of photos, I tried my best to draw close to the character's agile spirit. Although the black wings prop was custom-made to be lightweight, carrying it by the water all day still had some weight, especially when I needed to maintain a light, effortless posture as if untouched by the elements. The pointed ears prop was secured with skin-toned glue; fortunately, the gentle breeze over the lake didn't blow it away. The pairing of the red beret and this brown suit jacket went beautifully with the vegetation colors under the warm morning glow, while the white scarf and red bow tie as accents made me look quite spirited.
During the shoot, the photographer @TiebanYougui (Grilled Squid) and I mainly wanted to capture a natural, unforced atmosphere. For instance, in that shot where I sat on a rock by the water, resting my chin on one hand and looking into the distance, it not only showcased my understanding of the character's temperament but also perfectly preserved the details of the black tights and loafers under the morning light. There were also several poses where I squatted by the tree roots, holding the brim of my hat and looking up at the sky. Although my legs got a bit sore from squatting for so long, the captured effect of gurgling water ripples and intersecting tree shadows turned out beautifully layered.
At sunrise, the surface of Erhai Lake displays a color interwoven with faint blue and pale orange, with the distant mountains hiding in the thin mist like an ink wash painting. Before the shoot, I was wondering if this realistic landscape of lake and mountains would look out of place with an anime character. However, after seeing the final results, the character's daily-life vibe was actually magnified infinitely. Standing by the tree trunks or sitting on moss-covered rocks, as the wind blew through my hair and skirt, that quiet and slightly cool temperament flowed out naturally.
This shoot also gave me a new understanding of travel cosplay photography. Unlike studio shoots or convention photography, although the outdoor natural environment has many uncontrollable factors—light, wind speed, and even passersby can affect the frame—it is precisely this unpredictability that gives us room for improvisation. Before every shutter click, I adjusted my body's orientation according to the direction of the light and shadow at that moment.
During post-processing, we deliberately preserved the glistening texture of the lake water in the raw shots, avoiding over-smoothing the skin to keep the most authentic skin tone and the color of the morning light. This film-like light and shadow highly fit the fantasy and nature-filled setting of Touhou Project. Flipping through this Cosplay outfit photo set now, I can almost still feel the crispness in the air and the sound of waves lapping against the reefs.