Seeing rain in the weather forecast, the very first thought that crossed my mind was that this transparent raincoat could finally be put to good use. When we actually arrived at the location, the rain was light, but the playground—usually packed with noisy kids—was completely deserted. The entire park fell into a serene stillness broken only by the sound of raindrops tapping against the metal slide. Having the whole venue completely to ourselves like this is an extraordinarily rare treat for photography.
The sailor suit paired with an oversized pink bow is a timeless classic, and the dark blue skirt hits at just the right length. To build layered dimension into the styling, I deliberately picked Black over-the-knee stockings and black chunky-heel loafers. That semi-sheer white transparent raincoat over the top served as the very soul of the entire look: rather than concealing the garments beneath, its hazy, frosted texture cast a built-in soft-focus filter across the frame. Honestly though, while the raincoat looks stunning in photos, it is incredibly stuffy—moving around even a little trapped heat like an impromptu sauna.
The metal playground slide was slick and wet. I sat down with caution, exploring various seated poses. Capturing that relaxed yet emotionally charged youthful demeanor actually demands substantial core engagement. Whether crossing my legs or stretching them forward, I had to mind the contour of my thighs and the natural drape of the pleated skirt hem, where the exposed absolute territory neatly counterbalanced the visual heaviness of the dark uniform. Balancing on chunky heels across the wet slide while keeping micro-expressions in check kept the photographer working hard down below—navigating harsh specular reflections off wet metal while securing clean exposure.
Speaking of gear, this shoot utilized a Fujifilm X-S20 body paired with the first-generation XF 23mm F1.4 and XF 35mm F1.4 lenses. Accustomed to modern Viltrox autofocus lenses, on a whim I wanted a nostalgic throwback with these classic XF generation-one primes. In practice... well, going from luxury to frugality is always tough. Wide open at maximum aperture, both older lenses render noticeably soft, and purple fringing showed up conspicuously in backlighting. People online endlessly hype up that 'optical bokeh magic,' but zooming into the raw files myself, I honestly couldn't see any miraculous atmosphere—my eyes have probably been spoiled by the clinical sharpness of modern glass, making it hard to go back.
For the second half, we transitioned indoors. Shedding the damp raincoat, I perched on a high stool and ordered an iced drink topped with strawberries. Indoor lighting was much softer, framed by fresh flowers and window panes, with the camera resting casually on the counter. Sipping a drink through a straw captured the most effortless state: no stiff posing needed, just a quiet glance toward the lens that encapsulated the cozy relief of ducking out of the rain into a greenhouse. That's the beauty of Outdoor photography: uncontrollable weather elements—like sudden downpours clearing out crowds—often give photos authentic narrative weight. Today brought the JK uniform and raincoat pairing to fruition; having Black over-the-knee stockings, rain gear, the playground, and cozy indoor moods in one unified set left me deeply satisfied.