This shoot was for the character Shu from Arknights. The entire shooting process was quite interesting, so I organized it to share some personal impressions.
Starting with the hair and makeup: the wig this time was blonde, layered intentionally during trimming, with braids on both sides of the crown, and adorned on the left with small pink-purple and blue flowers along with several wooden hairpins. The horns on the head were crafted props—golden-brown at the top and blue at the base—requiring adhesive and bobby pins to secure. To faithfully recreate the character, I wore an Elf ear style, selected yellow-green contacts, smudged red eyeshadow at the outer corners of the eyes, and applied heavy blush; paired with the makeup, it genuinely felt like stepping out of a CG illustration. The costume featured a contrasting yellow and purple design, with a large white feather stole around the shoulders and a thick green, yellow, and blue braided cord across the chest adorned with 3D fabric flowers. Wearing this outfit was quite exhausting, especially the purple sleeves and hem bordered with heavy white tassels, which felt weighty and were easy to trip over when walking.
Speaking of props, my right hand held a longsword with a wooden hilt that had a slightly weathered texture; my left hand carried a woven bamboo basket filled with bright yellow feather decorations, which stood out brilliantly under the afternoon sun. I booked an outdoor shoot with photographer Siyu Zhenbeiju at the Spring Banquet anime convention; because the background was heavily blurred, we relied mainly on lighting to bring out the subject's texture. We tested angles and lighting multiple times back and forth; the photographer was very sharp at capturing expressions, and since staring into the lens with contacts easily dries out the eyes, we shot quite swiftly.
There were actually quite a few unexpected incidents during the shoot—feathers getting tousled by the wind, tassels sticking to the ground, and passersby bumping into the props. However, the atmosphere of this photo set turned out wonderful; the Spring Banquet theme aligned perfectly with the character's gentle, protective warmth. Seeing the finished photos made all the meticulous costume, makeup, and prop preparation feel entirely worthwhile—the serene and blessed atmosphere it conveyed suited the concept of this set perfectly. Through this shoot, I also gained a deeper appreciation for the grounded and steady aura of this character.