Fairy Queen. Now I finally understand why Sugou made Asuna the Fairy Queen. This shoot was divided into two sets. The first set featured a cool white-toned background surrounded by blue artificial flowers and white Roman pillars. Wearing a white gauze dress with a red bow tie, the overall color tone looked very clean and pure. To accentuate leg lines during the shoot, I tried adjusting the ankle straps and foot positioning, especially with side-profile poses sitting on a small white stool to make the legs look more slender. The facial makeup was also intentionally adjusted to a cooler tone to complement the cool lighting.
The second set was completely different, switching to a dark-style chain scene. Red roses covered the floor, and the lighting shifted from cool white to reddish spotlights. Holding onto the heavy iron chains firmly required a lot of effort, and while sitting, I had to be careful not to let the chains snag the dress hem. To capture that oppressive and bound feeling, I had to curl up in the corner with my head slightly tilted up and eyes looking upward. This stark contrast was actually quite physically demanding.
There were actually many details and unexpected incidents during the shoot, such as sticking on the elf ears. I didn't notice at first, but midway through the shoot, the elf ears fell off due to sweat and glue issues. Reapplying the glue on the spot was hilarious; half the ear dangling almost ruined the shot. Once fixed, to capture a nice close-up shot, I had to gently lean my head against the back of the chair and close my eyes to convey a tranquil moment. At this point, special attention had to be paid to managing the wig to prevent frizz. Also, when sitting on the floor in the white dress, creasing was a concern, so I tried to smooth it out as much as possible between takes.
Adjusting the lighting also took considerable time. To create an alternating warm and cool effect, the photographer added a blue fill light from the side, giving the white dress hem more dimension, while the red-lit chain scene required careful exposure control to avoid overexposure or crushed blacks. Although the whole process was quite tiring and required constantly adjusting poses, I am very satisfied with the texture and quality of the photos. This outfit is truly wonderful—the details of the elf ears, the material of the dress, and the matching sets all felt amazing. This time, I genuinely appreciated the aesthetic of Sugou making Asuna the Fairy Queen; even if it's just a meme, it is undeniably gorgeous. As a cosplayer, I also have to consider which facial angle looks best on camera. Because of the wig, I had to tilt my head slightly to show the ears. With the first set having white flowers and the second having chains, quick touch-ups were necessary during set transitions because red light can easily make makeup look muddy on camera, necessitating fast setting. In post-processing, I'll also be involved in retouching to adjust the overall color palette, intensifying the contrast between the early blue-and-white purity and the later red-and-black oppression. A lot of thought and effort went into this set from everyone, and completing the shoot felt truly fulfilling.