The core idea behind this shoot was to experiment with applying makeup to only one eye. Previously, I always felt that a full two-eye makeup look could sometimes feel heavy. This time, I simply affixed a three-dimensional golden teardrop patch near my right cheekbone, paired with red contact lenses, deliberately having the right side of my face partially masked by that massive golden prosthetic hand. At first, I was worried whether doing only one eye would look unbalanced in the frame. But once the final shots came out, the visual focus actually gravitated much more naturally toward the exposed eye and the golden teardrop. Plus, touching up makeup and eating snacks during breaks was infinitely more convenient—no need to be paranoid about smudging the other eye's eyeshadow.
Let's focus on the props and wardrobe this time. That golden prosthetic hand was spray-painted by myself; the surface carries a metallic luster that catches and absorbs light intensely. Under the studio lighting, the highlights on the hand were prone to blown-out overexposure, so the photographer and I repeatedly adjusted light angles to ensure the gold yielded a soft, rich sheen rather than turning into a harsh white reflector. On the costume side, white gauze and navy-blue webbing were spliced together, centered around a huge blue gemstone made of color-shifting acrylic that refracts different hues as light sweeps across it. To anchor the metallic star pendant and pearl necklace across the chest, several layers of clear double-sided tape and safety pins were hidden inside. While gorgeous, wearing this gown was genuinely quite a technical feat.
Yesterday was our Preacher group shoot, and shooting together with friends created an incredibly relaxed vibe. Everyone is an Arknights player, so when wearing these Ambience Synesthesia series outfits, our synergy and coordination during poses were seamless. When taking our group photos, since props were heavy, we helped each other hold the prosthetic hands and lift skirt hemlines. It took a bit of time to communicate blocking, positioning, and lighting, but the whole process was very smooth. It was my first time attempting a pose resting my chin in one hand while using the prosthetic hand to obscure part of my face; I found that sustaining neck and shoulder tension for too long grew stiff, so I eventually switched to a more effortless angle. Great care went into the styling details, from trimming the wig's bangs to placing the golden teardrop embellishment, striving to capture the original design's opulent grandeur.
During breaks between takes, I also chatted with my friends about our takeaways on indoor studio versus outdoor location shoots. For instance, because the fabrics of this gown easily overexpose under harsh direct light, an indoor studio setup is actually far easier to control than bright outdoor sunlight. Because only one eye had makeup, I deliberately accentuated the contouring of my eyebrows and lips to keep facial depth distinct despite a single visual focal point. When we wrapped up, I was certainly exhausted, but seeing those lighting setups and compositions on the monitor that required barely any post-processing touch-ups made every drop of sweat feel completely worth it.