[Sui family cosplay] Welcoming Second Brother to the Island: Arknights New Year Courtyard Gathering

Welcoming Second Brother to the landship for the New Year, this Sui family team building was set directly in a traditional Chinese courtyard. Dressed in costumes representing our respective factions, wearing iconic horns and wigs, we completed this festive outdoor shoot together.

The location was chosen in a classical garden with ancient architecture. Stone tables and stools paired with a chessboard, along with that white stone bridge, immediately created a sense of depth, perfectly capturing the aesthetic of Xianxia combined with traditional Chinese style.

The equipment preparations were actually quite demanding this time. To maintain an upright hairstyle for the wig, sponge padding and wire frames were stuffed inside, and high-temperature water-wave styling was used when straightening the hair ends to ensure it remained flowy yet structured in outdoor winds. The horn accessories had a strong metallic texture that refracted under lighting; to secure them against slipping, I used two glues of different hardness to bond them onto the wig cap, combined with bobby pins that created a tight hold. Although wearing it all day strained my scalp, the resulting shots made it totally worth it.

For clothing, we selected fabrics that possessed a crisp silhouette yet had a nice drape, accessorized with leather straps and metal buckles. The movement of the capes and wide sleeves while walking looked fantastic, bringing out that cool, dashing vibe unique to the characters. Standing on the bridge in turns, the photographer guided us to use tree branches as foreground framing; combined with soft lighting, facial contours and outfit details were clearly captured, resulting in a clean yet multi-layered image.

There was plenty of fun during the shoot. When simulating a family reunion scene inside the pavilion, with glares exchanged or fans waved, we often broke into laughter, but this accidentally caught very vivid and natural expressions. The chessboard prop was a delightful surprise; sitting on the stone stool with a posed stance genuinely felt like strategist gameplay. It was quite windy that day, making everyone's wigs blow wildly, so we had to pause frequently to fix hair strands and clothes—such spirit of mutual cooperation is essential for outdoor shoots.

Some hidden gimmicks on the costumes, such as velcro concealed inside cuffs and custom tailoring at the waist for a slimming effect, were communicated with the tailor in advance. The makeup was done with mutual help among friends; to fit the characters' temperament, eyebrow angles were adjusted, eyeliner was flicked upward for depth, and matte lipsticks were chosen to keep the overall look clean and crisp. As for the wigs, hair wax and setting spray were used to shape some messy strands, allowing the hairstyle to retain a natural sense of motion even when standing still.

On the shoot day, we arrived at the venue around nine in the morning to start makeup, hair, and outfit prep, touching up base makeup twice as sweat and natural oils affected the finish. By the time we reached the stone bridge scene, it was near noon with strong lighting, so everyone hid in the shade, waiting for softer light before trial shots.

The chessboard scene by the pavilion took nearly half an hour, mainly to position all six people properly while managing spatial perspective in the frame, with the photographer constantly adjusting our standing and sitting angles. When the afternoon sun hit at an angle, we rushed to take group photos on the bridge. The wind on the bridge was intense; to keep head ornaments from blowing off, almost everyone had one hand supporting their headpieces while managing facial expressions. Though a bit chaotic, looking at the exported photos afterward, everyone was moved by the naturally flowing, relaxed atmosphere.

Matching accessories, like tassel earrings and waist sashes, added a fluid rhythm to the overall styling. In this pavilion surrounded by ancient elegance, it wasn't just about taking photos—it felt as though we had stepped directly into the characters' world. The fans and chessboard in our hands were not merely props, but media connecting our emotions as companions. Every eye contact, every turn and wave of a sleeve was our personal interpretation of the characters' core essence. Outsiders might just look at the spectacle, but as participants, the care and sweat from preparation to final output made this Spring Festival team building truly rewarding. There's no need for overly florid words; simply capturing the genuine state of the moment is touching enough. Successfully completing this theme during the Spring Festival serves as a wonderful milestone for ourselves.