The core concept behind this shoot centered on seamlessly merging modern techwear utility with traditional Chinese design elements. The character Ye Shunguang from Zenless Zone Zero inherently possesses exceptionally distinct visual hallmarks. For the wig, I deliberately picked a style with black-and-red dip-dyed streaks; crowned by the pair of crimson horn-like headpieces, it immediately delivers an adorable gap-moe charm. In cosmetics, the focus was placed on crimson irises and a crystal-clear, translucent base foundation, deepening the reddish smudging around the eye contours so the gaze carried an intriguing balance between languid nonchalance and razor sharpness.
The garment craftsmanship boasts remarkable depth. The top is a sleeveless silhouette anchored in crisp white, incorporating a Chinese mandarin collar with traditional frog buttons, yet tailored into a form-fitting cut cinched at the waist with tactical black utility straps. To enrich dimensional layering, both arms wore detached white sleeves adorned with metallic silver buckles and red linear accents—accents that popped with stunning textural clarity before the camera lens.
The lower-body styling is my personal favorite: the pantyhose utilize an asymmetrical design, with one leg rendered in semi-sheer white patterned with reddish-orange flame tendrils, while the other leg features dense, saturated blocks of crimson and orange, packing immense visual punch. Grounding the look are black chunky-heeled platform ankle boots whose soles and heels echo the crimson palette, finished with yellow tassel charms dangling at the cuffs. Anchored by the massive white plush tail at the back, the entire silhouette achieved rich dimensional presence.
The shoot was staged within a traditional Chinese interior set. The background featured dark wood-carved armchairs, draped ink-wash landscape scrolls, calligraphic hanging banners, and warm-toned square wooden lanterns—backdrops intrinsically attuned to framing this costume. To harmonize with ambient shadows and highlights, we experimented extensively with lighting setups. Because the lanterns cast warm amber ambient light, I had the photographer rely heavily on side-rim backlighting combined with gentle frontal fill light, ensuring even facial exposure while accentuating the textile weave of the fabrics and the airy volume of the plush tail.
In terms of hand props, beyond conventional poses, we brought along a wooden bowl, a Chinese longsword, and a traditional silk round fan. Cradling the wooden bowl, I dialed back the edge to channel sweet, obedient innocence; wielding the longsword, I sharpened my gaze and stretched into an expansive posture, crossing my legs to highlight the asymmetric Stockings; holding the round fan to shield my face, I aimed to capture the demure coquettishness of a classical maiden. To achieve our envisioned aesthetic, we repositioned the chair angles and lantern distances multiple times on set, ensuring beams skimmed cleanly across the semi-translucent stockings to form alluring specular caustics.
Exploring varied angles and facial expressions across this set strived to express the multifaceted persona of Ye Shunguang. The finished cuts achieved everything we hoped for in both compositional tension and chromatic contrast, making this an exceptionally smooth and satisfying production.