I finally managed to capture Ye Shunguang's iconic sword-wielding pose this time. I previously thought the prop sword's balance and grip would take some getting used to, but in reality, it carried much more weight than expected—especially the ring-shaped ornament on the hilt, which required fine-tuning the grip angle to capture crisp, sharp lines.
For the makeup, to match the character's icy demeanor, the eyeshadow was blended with grayish-red tones, and the eyeliner was slightly elongated. Paired with red contacts to embody that White hair and red eyes look, it conveyed a sharp yet alluring gaze under the intense studio lighting. The wig was one of the most satisfying elements of this shoot: the silvery-white long hair was cut with layered tips that spread out naturally in the breeze, and combined with the animal ears and the red ribbon atop the head, the silhouette instantly came to life.
During the shoot, the main priority was highlighting the costume's layering and the leg details of the Stocking outfit. These red-and-white flame-patterned tights flatter the leg lines tremendously, pairing with ankle boots to elongate proportions nicely. The angle in the second photo, seated between sheer drapes and beaded curtains, is my personal favorite—with my hand gently resting on the beads, the surrounding red sheer fabric and white fluffy carpet create a striking warm-and-cool contrast packed with visual impact.
The photographer's lighting setup was spot-on: frontal fill light kept skin texture translucent, while side backlighting brought out the floating flow of the hair strands. The metallic details on the prop sword and wristbands also reflected rich textures under the lights. The tailoring of this outfit genuinely tests body posture—especially the waist paneling and detached sleeve design—where the slightest movement can alter the overall lines, requiring subtle adjustments to shoulder and wrist angles before every click of the shutter.
Although red-and-white color schemes easily overexpose in studio settings, we managed the exposure very well this time; the saturation of the red drapes was kept grounded without overwhelming the frame, subtly elevating the purity of the white. The most entertaining part of the Cosplay photography session was positioning the greatsword—ensuring the blade didn't obstruct the torso while keeping the grip natural—taking several tries to find an angle that was both cool and effortless. From hair and makeup to set staging and final shots, the entire process was smooth, and resulting images filled with such visual tension truly made all the prep work worthwhile.