When finalizing the photoshoot plan for this Genshin Impact Shenhe cosplay look, the main focus was on recreating the costume's rich layering and unique fabric textures. The outer garment is heavily crafted—the white fur collar has considerable weight, and the red tassels and Chinese knots are hand-stitched. Combined with black leggings and glossy black high heels, adjusting everything properly once worn took a good amount of time. The red cords and plush ball accents along the legs over the Black stockings fall off very easily, demanding extreme caution during the shoot.
When determining poses for this set, the primary consideration was how to fully showcase the high-slit design and leg lines. On set, to complement the crisp, biting atmosphere, we set up a white plush rug against a dark backdrop and utilized a strong overhead key light. To find the optimal top-down perspective, the photographer was practically squatting on the floor the entire time. Holding this outstretched-hand pose was genuinely exhausting physically; being a first-person perspective, it had to work with perspective foreshortening, bringing the hand as close to the lens as possible to create a stronger sense of intimacy and interaction. To recreate her skill effects, I held a translucent talisman card prop during the shoot, with additional cards composited around me with VFX in post-production to evoke the character manipulating talismans and casting arts mid-air. A white paper umbrella was also prepared on set as an alternative prop to capture a different vibe.
Throughout the shoot, I constantly had to manage facial expressions, maintaining a cold, unworldly demeanor even as my thighs ached from exerting force to hold poses for extended periods. Under the studio lighting, the delicate sheen of the white fabric on this Shenhe costume beautifully accentuated the character's ethereal adeptus presence. This session primarily featured static poses; to better present the Black stockings styling, several shots adopted reclining and straddling postures. In post-processing, facial features were not overly retouched, preserving the cool, crisp quality of the makeup while subtly fine-tuning the blue talisman glow effects. This served as a valuable accumulation of experience in shooting Genshin Impact characters—from wig accessory details to demanding physical poses, finding the optimal angle for every element to convey her cool, glamorous aura was truly no easy feat.