[Xishi cosplay] Outdoor Waterside Silhouette of Honor of Kings Xishi's old design

Over the weekend afternoon, I shot this series for Xishi's old design from Honor of Kings by the water, and I've already shared the photos earlier. The caption read, "May the wind convey all my yearning," but on the day of the shoot, the wind was indeed intense, keeping everyone frantically chasing the billowing sheer white tulle.

The costume design for this version revolves around a white-and-blue palette. The main garment is made of a form-fitting deep navy material, reinforced with a structured cuirass and corset cincher adorned with silver water droplet and crescent moon patterns. Paired with this are dramatic double-layered oversized sleeves, with translucent gauze layered on the outside. The silver bells at the waist jingled crisply when walking, adding an ethereal, fairy-like grace. However, this also brought challenges to the shoot, because of the heavy breeze by the water—sometimes when gusts swept in, the wig and the sheer fabric became tangled together.

Material selection for the costume was quite deliberate. The neckline of the white top has an intricate cut that is tricky to wear neatly; it uses an invisible zipper at the back, overlayed with a sheer gauze ribbon bow decoration, ensuring a snug fit at the waist while infusing softness. The blue skirt hem boasts distinct layering, supported underneath by stiff netting, while the flowing outer tulle looked exceptionally photogenic dancing in the wind.

A great deal of thought went into the hair and makeup as well. The long straight black wig was styled into twintails resting along the sides of my waist, bound with blue hair ribbons. The eye makeup leaned toward reddish-pink tones to express her cool yet gentle demeanor. Ample blush was applied, with contouring focused on sculpting 3D definition; in the cool-toned ambiance of Waterside photography, warm-toned makeup notably brightened the complexion.

To faithfully convey the unique aloofness of Xishi's old design, I brought along many props. That large translucent flower prop was actually made of resin plastic and quite heavy; holding it all afternoon left my arms aching. Its material reflected sunlight noticeably outdoors, requiring constant repositioning to catch the soft halo, which also meant dialing up shutter speed and stepping down the aperture slightly to preserve overall image texture.

The location was chosen by the water primarily to use the lake ripples and distant mountains as soft background bokeh, with natural shimmering water highlights. The afternoon light was very soft, illuminating the face just right without harsh shadows from direct overhead sunlight. However, there were challenges: many visitors and boats crowded the background. To bypass these cluttered elements, we opted for wide-aperture shorter focal lengths and even experimented with low-angle or profile framing.

Maintaining natural expressions throughout the shoot was genuinely tough because holding up that flower prop for extended periods made my arms shake, requiring deep breaths before every shutter release. When gusts blew, the skirt hem and sheer sleeves occasionally drifted across the lens, accidentally creating a dreamy, hazy mood—a delightful surprise. Next time shooting with voluminous gauze elements, I should bring extra clips to secure the fabric or add wrist loops to the prop beforehand for stability. I'm sharing these practical tips with fellow cosplay enthusiasts.

Three photos were chosen: the side-profile shot and two front-facing ones all looked great, but I ultimately selected the centered front shot as the main cover, as it offers balanced composition and the most even facial lighting. Looking back at the trio, the highlights in the makeup were applied a bit heavily, but the diffused reflection in post-processing softened any harshness. Color grading preserved the authentic cool blue tones of the water without over-altering the background foliage, maintaining a natural ecological charm. Overall, it felt very faithful to the character. Shooting by the water was an absolute joy, capturing the wind catching the skirt hem nicely, and I welcome everyone to take a look at this waterside silhouette.