[Kurumi Tokisaki cosplay] Refreshing Swimwear at the Summer Pool

Today's set was captured at an outdoor swimming pool. With summer fully arrived, I've long wanted to shoot something refreshing that still preserves the core traits of the character, which led me straight to this monochrome black-and-white swimwear.

Let's talk about the styling, hair, and makeup first. To capture her mysterious and slightly menacing aura, long straight black hair with blunt bangs was essential. The low twin tails on both sides were adorned with purple floral hair accessories, paired with her iconic Red eyes contact lens and black choker to maximize character recognition instantly. For the headwear, I selected a wide-brimmed white hat edged with undulating ruffled folds and a black ribbon band, creating a stark monochrome contrast against the black bikini. The bikini top is bordered with white ruffles, while the bottom is accented with a delicate layer of white sheer tulle—which not only enriches the visual layering, but also floats weightlessly when submerged in water.

However, shooting in the water is genuinely far more exhausting than working in an indoor studio or on dry land. The first challenge was fighting between the water temperature and body heat; though the summer heat was sweltering outdoors, soaking in the water for long periods still brought on chills. Water resistance is also immense; simple actions like lifting a hand or glancing back became sluggish underwater, requiring constant core engagement to avoid losing balance. To capture droplets sliding off my fingertips, I cupped and poured water dozens of times until my hands felt nearly numb.

Regarding makeup, the biggest dread during a summer water shoot is product breakdown. The base makeup utilized potent waterproof and sweat-resistant setting products, and the eye makeup was specially sealed to ensure the Red eyes lens stayed comfortable without shifting when splashed. The wig presented another hurdle: synthetic fibers easily flatten against the scalp or knot up upon entering water. Before diving in, I used numerous bobby pins to section and anchor the hair, doing my best to keep it voluminous with flowing lines even while submerged.

Photographically, I am deeply enamored with the light and shadow across this set. The outdoor sunlight was brilliant, and the blue mosaic tiles at the bottom of the pool made the water surface look crystalline, like a massive sapphire gem. The blue pool water essentially served as a natural bounce reflector, rendering the skin complexion luminous and fair. The photographer used a wide aperture to blur the background greenery and architecture, focusing all visual attention onto the water's surface and the subject.

In terms of posing, we utilized various poolside props. The first shot featured me resting within a transparent inflatable swim ring, using its buoyancy to keep my upper body above the surface while lightly touching the hat brim and looking back—a pose that highlighted the neck and shoulder contours while using the ring's clarity to inject playful visual interest. The second shot had me standing waist-deep in the water, facing the lens sideways, capturing the moment water trickled through my fingers as the splashing droplets formed dynamic foreground bokeh. The third shot made use of the poolside stainless steel ladder from a high-angle downward perspective; tilting my head up slightly not only flattered facial proportions, but also allowed the underwater leg contours and White stockings to be subtly glimpsed through the rippling surface.

Overall, the color grading of this set features a chilled palette of blue, white, and black, visually dropping the temperature. While shooting in water during summer is taxing, the sheer clarity and airy vitality of the final images are hard to replicate in any other environment. I hope this monochrome swimsuit styling brings a breath of cool relief to everyone—remember to stay hydrated and protect your skin while playing in the water this summer!