This cosplay plan for Marisa Kirisame has been in the works for a while, and taking advantage of the light and shadow in the autumn deciduous forest, I've finally completed this set of outdoor shooting. This time, the location was chosen in a late autumn metasequoia forest and a riverside stony beach, and the overall color tone creates a very comfortable color contrast with the black-and-white color scheme clothing I envisioned.
In terms of the reproduction and conception of the costume, the structure of this black and white little witch dress is very complex, layering many tiers of lace and trim, with the cuff and neckline designs both taking a sense of layering into account. The biggest highlight lies in the black leather corset at the waist; while tightening the waistline, it adds a touch of the magician's unique coolness and slickness to the overall sweet and gorgeous feel. The skirt hem is printed with totem patterns similar to daisies and starry skies, excellently materializing the anime fantasy feel into a real-world scene. To match this setting of a magician who travels through the forest and is unconventional, yet retains the due exquisiteness of the dress itself, I made some balance in the accessories—for instance, instead of using overly gorgeous jewelry, I focused primarily on fabric texture and leather embellishments.
Regarding the props, the staff in hand was specially custom-made with this unique silhouette combining a long handle and a small metal lantern. The lantern is truly the finishing touch of the entire look; whether hanging on top of the staff or held in hand, it adds a touch of a medieval retro hunter vibe to the entire frame. This wide-brimmed witch hat on the head is also highly critical; the white fluff and lace decorations on the edges produce a very beautiful light transmission effect when backlit, creating an excellent sense of airiness between the hair and the hat. My blonde long hair is extremely fluffy, which, paired with this wide brim, can perfectly frame the face and maintain the balance of the visual center of gravity.
The shooting time happened to be around three or four in the afternoon. The pillars of light in that towering forest were simply too beautiful, and the photographer's backlit capture struck halos onto both the blonde hair and the hat's fuzzy edges. Especially in those few shots sitting on the grass tossing fallen leaves, the warmth of the golden sunlight casting on the body combined just right with the cold ruthlessness of the black and white. Walking on the path covered with fallen leaves while shooting this set of photos, with the footsteps rustling, genuinely carried the atmosphere of an autumn forest exploration. As a coser who frequently does outdoor shoots under the big sun, this kind of environment that has both tree shade and inherently brings warm color temperature is truly a rare find. Although wearing long boots and over-knee fishnet socks looks great, one still needs to be careful of dry branches and mud pits when navigating through the woods. Fortunately, the black high-heeled leather boots paired this time have chunky heels that grip the ground very steadily, allowing me to walk on the dirt slopes rather gracefully.
Every time after shooting this kind of heavily crafted dress, I feel that perfectly recreating its original appearance brings a great sense of achievement. Although the preparation process and shooting process were indeed quite arduous, the control over light and composition also allowed this set of photos to present a decent texture. In terms of makeup selection, to match the warm light of the autumn forest, I specifically chose slightly orange-toned eyeshadow and matte lip makeup, which can both echo the atmosphere of autumn leaves and stand out from the large area of black and white lace clothing, making the face look more three-dimensional and soft.
In the process of cooperating with the photographer, we also gained more insights into the use of light in autumn portraits—not only preserving the lace and embroidery details on the clothes, but also preventing the frame's highlights from being overexposed, while taking into account the dappled shadow transitions in the forest. Ultimately, this entire set of photos presented exactly the kind of feeling I imagined: a magician holding a lantern, traveling through a golden autumn forest. Whether standing, walking, or sitting on the ground tossing fallen leaves, it can display the character's fluid vividness and the clothing's gorgeousness all at once. This kind of portrait photography combined with natural light carries a few more layers of vitality and irreplaceable uniqueness compared to pure studio shoots, and I hope everyone can feel my diligence when preparing this costume and props from this set of photos.