For this shoot, I chose the seaside as a typhoon was approaching to cosplay Dorothy's swimsuit outfit from Goddess of Victory: Nikke. Naturally, the shooting environment turned out worlds apart from my initially naive expectations.
The sun was shining brightly just two days prior, but by shoot day, the peripheral winds of the typhoon were already quite fierce. When we arrived at the beach, the sky was still blue, but the sea breeze was strong enough to knock you off balance. Still, since we had already made the trip, I decided to push through and complete the scheduled swimsuit shoot.
The overall makeup and styling leaned fresh and sweet. For the wig, I selected a highly saturated coral pink straight long wig, taking extra care to style and secure Dorothy's signature large circular bun so it wouldn't easily fall apart in the coastal gale. The base makeup was kept clean and translucent, with the eye makeup focusing on enhancing eyeliner and lower lashes, paired with magenta-purple colored contacts to match her character vibe. The lip color was a natural peach pink, complementing the bright tone without feeling overly dramatic.
Regarding the outfit, I picked a white off-the-shoulder cropped top with ruffles, slightly gathered at the low waist. The neckline was accessorized with a matching white pleated lace choker accented with a tiny gold bell in the center, which served as a gorgeous highlight against the pure white palette. At first, I worried the gale would make a mess of the ruffles, but during the actual shoot, the heavy wind blowing the hemline and neckline ruffles created a dynamic visual tension that would be impossible to replicate in a studio.
The shooting process was practically a wrestling match against the typhoon. The white lace cutout parasol in my hand, originally intended to evoke a breezy resort vibe, became the trickiest prop against the sea breeze. The wooden handle kept slipping, and gusts kept inverting the umbrella canopy—several times nearly blowing it right out of my grip. To capture moments where my facial expression looked natural and hair wasn't flying wildly, the photographer had to rattle off shots during brief few-second lulls in the wind. The umbrella even doubled as a balancing cane; while I felt utterly disheveled at the time, it actually came across quite natural in the final shots.
As for the beach environment, although we were on the verge of overcast skies, light was still abundant. The distant waves were far from their usual calm, carrying a turbulent surge. Sand at our feet was whipped up into thin sandy mists that stung our legs a bit, yet lent a wild texture to the entire photo set. The biggest challenge was regaining composure right after a gust to fix messy strands and skirts. Because the wig kept tangling in the wind, we had to pause several times to brush it out.
After half a day of struggle, the resulting photo set carries a distinct summer beach atmosphere. Even though I was questioning my life choices while getting blasted by coastal winds and coated in sand, seeing the relaxed poses and windblown flow in the final images made every bit of effort worth it. Rather than forcing over-the-top sultry poses, I preferred letting my body relax naturally, letting the sea and wind deliver the mood to the lens.
The outfit's cut and Dorothy's character traits shone with even greater fidelity against the outdoor beach background than they would have in a studio. The airy quality of the white ruffles paired comfortably with the long pink hair and the blue sky. The golden choker pendant caught the sunlight with subtle glints, breaking the monotony of pure white and pink while elevating the overall look. I was very satisfied with how the costume held up under harsh light—no blown-out highlights, with the delicate lace cutout textures beautifully preserved.
As for the persistent wind, I was initially terrified it would ruin the styling and make the shots look chaotic. But experience told me that rather than fighting nature, it's better to go with the flow. I dropped stiff standing poses and direct gazes, opting for dynamic turns and sideward glances. This relaxed approach brought even more impact to the photos. The way the sea breeze swept the long hair to one side provided a kinetic energy that post-processing could never truly replicate.
Since we were at the beach, I also took some waterside shots. When the waves washed ashore, I kicked off my sandals and stepped barefoot into the wet sand. Although wet sand felt firm and slightly rough underfoot, the genuine contact with nature made my state of mind very at ease. Many snapshots weren't staged at predetermined angles; the photographer simply followed my movements with continuous burst shots. In that sense, this set isn't just a recreation of the character, but a collaborative creation between myself and the environment under extreme weather.
We wrapped up the shoot right before sunset. Packing up the props, I noticed the parasol ribs had been loosened by the coastal winds, and untangling the wig ends took nearly half an hour. Yet stuffing the messy wig and sandy outfit into my bag brought a deeply satisfying sense of accomplishment. Though dazed from the relentless gale, looking at the vibrant, lively moments stored on the memory card proved that the joy of genuine experience cannot be replaced by any studio set. If given the chance in the future, I would probably choose calmer weather for outdoor anime cosplay—since this truly tests equipment and stamina—but this wild adventure has already become an unforgettable memory.