[Xiangling Cosplay] Genshin Impact New Year Snowscape Chef's New Year Greetings

After taking this set of photos filled with festive New Year flavor, I finally have time to sit down and organize the results of this outdoor shoot. The original intention of this outdoor shoot was to capture that moment steeped in New Year atmosphere. Everyone has seen the phrase in the post description, "A warm hearth brings a bountiful year; fragrant cooking brings peace to the household," which indeed fits the mood we wanted to create perfectly.

This time I cosplayed Xiangling. As a chef character who loves cooking, I feel a New Year theme is practically made for her. It snowed heavily on the day of the shoot, and the weather was indeed very cold, but fortunately, the setting chosen was full of everyday warmth. Traditional wooden doors, inverted "Fu" character signs on the doorway, gold-character red New Year couplets on the doorframes, and icicles hanging from the eaves—these elements combined made the natural atmosphere of the entire photoset feel spot-on. For my outfit, I specially chose this red-and-white cropped winter jacket with thick plush collars and cuffs, paired with a yellow animal-ear beanie hat, which felt festive while withstanding low outdoor temperatures. To give the overall look more narrative depth, I prepared a woven bamboo tray filled with red dates and oranges, as well as several clay jar props labeled with red paper and black ink bearing words like "Bounty" and "Soup", enhancing the New Year vibe.

During the shoot, although standing in the snow made my feet a bit numb from the cold, seeing the traditional Chinese carved wooden door and the strings of red chili peppers hanging under the eaves naturally immersed me in character. As a busy chef in front of the stove, seeing these harvested fruits and abundant New Year supplies made me genuinely happy from the bottom of my heart.

Let's talk about the composition ideas for this shoot. When photographing characters like this, I personally think a key point is avoiding rigidity. Stiff, generic poses standing dryly in front of the door look lifeless. So I tried adding some dynamic interaction during the shoot—like standing on one foot and tossing an orange from the bamboo basket into the air, or simply squatting on the stone steps resting my cheeks in my hands while looking at the camera. This not only shows off the character's playful nature but also enhances the overall breathing room of the image. The cute patterned plush small pouch at the waist was also a nice addition, bringing a touch of soft cuteness to this sleek winter outfit. For makeup, I retained the clean and crisp features of the character, paired with bright blue twin pigtails. Set against the white snow background and red couplets, the visual color contrast looked beautiful, instantly boosting character recognition.

I also specially prepared a large black jar with a big red square sticker on it. Although it felt heavy in hand, it added a lot of prop interaction to the photos, reminiscent of a wine jar on a New Year's Eve dinner table. Holding the jar for a few shots, I suddenly felt that during New Year, the happiest thing is for family or close friends to sit together and enjoy a lively reunion dinner. Xiangling herself is passionate about cooking and inventing new dishes, so placing her at her own doorstep on Lunar New Year's Eve enriches the narrative storytelling of the scene.

Speaking of using the setting, prop placement was also a detail I cared about. The bamboo fruit baskets on both sides, the large tub on the ground, and the broom by the door couldn't be left empty or randomly placed; they needed to naturally integrate into this rustic courtyard scene. On the snow surface, I deliberately preserved natural uneven footprints and marks, so combined with snow piled at the wall corners, the overall look wouldn't feel fake, recreating an authentic cold winter day.

Outdoor Snowscape photography poses a huge test for lighting and outfit coordination. Although it was cold winter, reflections off the snow surface rendered facial lighting very even and soft. But my personal favorite was the atmosphere right around sunset: although the scenery felt cold, the red jacket and gold hat became the most vibrant accents in the frame, echoing the "red-hot" warmth of the holiday.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the process of taking this set. Being able to combine my favorite character's traits with authentic New Year customs through a carefully prepared outfit at the end of the year was a meaningful experience in itself. I hope these photos allow everyone to feel that warmth, capturing that bright spark of New Year life amid busy year-end preparations and spring cleaning.