[Xishi Cosplay] Honor of Kings Mermaid's Song, Agile Moments in the Jiangnan Water Town

For this photoshoot of Xishi's "Mermaid's Song," to match the character's water and dragon attributes, we specially chose to shoot in the water feature area of a Chinese garden. The koi fish on the water surface and the reflections on the bridge became the most natural backdrop for the first set of photos. At first, I was a bit worried about whether the wig's color would distort under the sunlight. Fortunately, during the actual shoot, the white wig combined with the ice-blue transparent dragon horns on my head revealed a very delicate luster under natural light. During the preparation phase, securing the dragon horns and wig for this look took a lot of effort, as we needed to ensure the hairstyle remained fluffy without being flattened while making the dragon horns look like they were floating three-dimensionally. The straps at the cuffs and waist were also adjusted multiple times to avoid any wardrobe malfunctions.

Regarding the costume, the blue-and-white gradient semi-transparent tulle dress is the visual highlight. When the wind blows, the lightweight hem and ribbon flutter naturally. To showcase these details, the photographer adjusted the aperture multiple times to capture the layers of the clothing. As for accessories, the metal dragon-shaped ornament on the chest and the pearl bracelets on the wrists provided different texture feedback at the boundary between light and shadow. We tried many angles along the corridor and stone railings just to ensure the golden patterns on the costume reflected light clearly.

My favorite frame is the one by the stone railings on the bank. The unpredictable afternoon light hit my face, making the makeup look very soft. To fit the setting, I specially chose purple colored contacts paired with light eyeshadow this time to make my gaze feel cooler and more aloof. The shot by the rockery and waterfall was an unexpected pleasant surprise; a gust of wind blew just at that moment, and the hazy water mist kicked up by the flowing water overlapped with the tulle material of the clothes, making it look visually extremely lightweight.

The joy of doing cosplay lies in recreating 2D designs in the 3D world, and trying our best to find real locations that fit the character. Through this collaboration with the photographer, I not only gained a new understanding of the "Mermaid's Song" skin, but also discovered that this kind of traditional style cosplay outfit indeed blends beautifully with the light, shadow, and water features of Chinese gardens.