[Ciel cosplay] Black Butler Halloween Limited: Lantern Little Devil and Afternoon Tea

This time shooting Ciel's two Halloween-themed photo sets, a lot of thought went into everything from preliminary preparation to the shoot. For the first afternoon tea styling, a deep purple velvet-textured coat matched with a black-and-white striped bowtie and white lace ruffles creates a retro yet somewhat courtly style. This material has a very high-end feel in front of the lens, but to avoid looking dull, I deliberately adjusted my wrist angle while holding the teacup, making the movement as light as possible. Holding the teacup while wearing black leather gloves not only flatters the hand lines, but also adds a bit of gorgeousness to the details.
For the second set, the lantern little devil, I changed into a black high-collar pleated shirt and a dark vest, paired with devil horns and a small black top hat, instantly turning the aura mysterious and dark. The retro four-corner lantern in my hand is definitely the soul prop; the warm yellow light emanating from inside forms a strong cool-warm contrast with the cool blue ambient light coming from the right side of the frame. This dual-color-temperature lighting particularly tests the photographer's control over the on-site environment. Coupled with the scattered pumpkin lanterns in the background, the Halloween atmosphere is maxed out. The blue-purple highlights on the wig also have a special sense of layering under the cool light.
To pull off a great cosplay, besides costumes, props, and makeup, the coordination of scenes and light and shadow is crucial. The study room setup this time is amazing: dark wooden bookshelves, foreign wine bottles, plus that gorgeous crystal chandelier nearby. Stacking these elements together brings out a gothic dark fairytale feel. After the light spots of the crystal chandelier are blurred in the lens, they add a sense of spatial depth to the frame. To match the two outfits, expression management was also switched. While drinking tea, the gaze appears gentle and elegant; when holding the lantern and looking at the lens, I lowered my chin a bit and sharpened my gaze to bring out the little devil's cunningness.
The photographer gave a lot of suggestions on composition this time; for example, in the lantern-holding shot, using a slightly tilted perspective gave the frame more tension and dynamism. Fitting the character's personality through subtle facial expressions and body movements is my favorite thing to ponder every time I do a cosplay. Both stylings have their own cute points—which set do you think touches your heart more?