[Xun Cosplay] Neverness to Everness's Proprietress's Red Umbrella and Folding Fan, Freezing Time

A lot of thought went into setting up the shooting scene this time. To match the setting of Xun as the proprietress in Neverness to Everness, an authentic Japanese style was built inside the entire studio. Pushing open the shoji doors and stepping onto the tatami mats, surrounded by red maples and pink cherry blossoms, dotted with warm yellow paper lanterns, that atmosphere of seemingly making time stand still instantly emerged.

As the proprietress, the red paper umbrella is an indispensable iconic prop. Holding that large red umbrella truly requires stabilizing core strength, because the weight of the umbrella ribs and surface is not light. To ensure frame stability and graceful posture, I constantly adjusted how I applied force with my wrists. Lightly waving the folding fan in hand looks effortless, but during the shoot, in order to capture the perfect arc of the fan opening and closing, the movement often had to be repeated many times.

In terms of costume, this modified kimono with a black, red, and white color scheme boasts rich layering. The wide sleeves tend to bunch up when striking poses, requiring constant attention to tidiness. The huge red bow and golden tassels at the waist are the visual focal points; when lying sideways or sitting upright, one must ensure they naturally drape and spread out. The lower body's over-the-knee White stockings paired with geta clogs actually require extra caution when moving around on tatami mats, requiring both the character's composure to be portrayed and snagging or spraining ankles to be avoided.

The equipment used for this shoot was the EOS R5m2 paired with the RF 35mm F1.4L VCM. The 35mm focal length is exceptionally suited for environmental portrait photography like this, capable of both clearly conveying the Japanese scene behind and firmly capturing the character's facial expressions and action details. The F1.4 large aperture performs brilliantly in low-light environments, turning the background lanterns and plants into soft bokeh, while the interweaving of cool and warm lighting gives the frame a stronger sense of layering.

The fox mask is another very interesting prop; playing with it in hand or half-covering the face can add a touch of mystery to the character. Although photos present stillness, during the actual shoot, to pinpoint the angle where the lantern light hits the body while ensuring even facial illumination, I was constantly micro-adjusting my sitting posture and orientation.

Remembering the promise between the wine-brewer in the pot and old friends mentioned in the description, while portraying the role, I tried my best to infuse that feeling of enduring the passage of long time yet remaining composed and calm into my gaze. Whether gently leaning against the red umbrella or holding the folding fan and staring intently into the lens, I hoped to convey a bit of storytelling that belongs to Xun. Although holding the poses throughout the process was quite tiring, seeing the texture of light and shadow in the finished photos, along with the just-right coordination of every prop, made it all feel completely worth it.