[Amiya cosplay] Rhodes Island Bunny: Reflections on Gentle Post-production color grading

Sharing some reflections on Post-production color grading for this Amiya cosplay shoot, focusing on handling gentle color tones and addressing details encountered during shooting.

The costume mainly consisted of a white button-up shirt and a black coat with a crisp, structured texture; the blue shoulder strap with lettering on the arm especially added noticeable weight when worn. The most strenuous part was holding the black branch-like mechanical prop in hand—holding it for long periods made my arm ache intensely, so we had to find good angles during the shoot to make the prop appear lightweight.

During shooting, photographer Bai Qi utilized blue-purple and pink light sources alongside white draped fabric in the background to create a soft, gentle atmosphere. In post-production, I focused primarily on reducing image contrast and lifting shadows in dark areas to soften the overall palette. At the same time, I shifted highlights toward pink-purple hues and added a subtle soft glow effect, seamlessly blending the rigid mechanical prop with the white sheer backdrop to echo the visual depth brought by the Black stockings and leg lines.

As for character expression, since the theme is Carefree murmurs, facial expressions were kept relaxed, closing my eyes to immerse in that tranquil dreamscape feeling. Teacher Bai Qi's snapshot composition was classic, positioning the character squarely in the center rather than at the edges. In retouching, I paid special attention to skin texture, smoothing out overly sharp pore details to give the face a flawless, doll-like finish.

Additionally, controlling the fluttering of hair and clothing was difficult on set, but thanks to a slower shutter speed and soft lighting, the overall frame appeared much more natural and fluid. The patterns on the white shirt and the plaid fabric on the cuffs were, in my opinion, the standout details of this styling. Throughout the editing process, I concentrated on adjusting color balance, reducing yellowish color casts to make the skin look more translucent. The final result turned out deeply satisfying; this low-saturation palette paired with a dreamy blue background beautifully brought out the character's serene aura in Arknights.