This set of Ubel photos was taken on location last week, and I just got the previews back from the photographer yesterday. After organizing them, I'm ready to post them. The spear weapon props were handcrafted together with a friend—featuring a pure black shaft with silver-white spearheads and a trident structure at both ends, along with a small green pendant tied in the middle. The actual piece is very long, and it definitely drew a lot of passerby attention when taking it out for filming. To capture the character's relaxed yet disdainfully confident vibe, I chose a pose looking back while holding the spear over my shoulder. It was quite windy, blowing my green-gradient long ponytail into the air, perfectly capturing a dynamic moment of long hair styling.
As for the outfit, I selected a black backless camisole mini dress with only two thin straps across the back, making upper body fit crucial. The skirt trim features white piping, paired with translucent silver hard arm guards, long black leather gloves, and black straps on the thighs and arms, fully demonstrating the sleek, sharp feel of the character's attire. The location was an outdoor site with continuous stone arch structures; this scene with strong depth of field and a slightly desolate feel matched the character's aloof yet powerful aura very well.
The photographer had a very clear framing approach: because the spear weapon props were so long and involved a big body turn, a full-shot would have made the visual elements look scattered. Thus, he intentionally zoomed in, leading to the issue mentioned in the post cover as "cropped too tight." Indeed, the edges of the frame cropped off part of the skirt hem and the tips of the long hair, but in my opinion, this partial cropping actually brought the visual focus closer to the character's facial expression and neckline. The bokeh effect from the wide aperture on the arch background was also great, preventing the complex architectural structures from stealing the spotlight from the main subject.
It is worth mentioning that the natural light on the day of the shoot was very soft and pleasant, like diffuse lighting on an overcast day. It rendered skin texture beautifully with clean colors. The high-contrast cool-toned combination of black clothing and silver arm guards didn't look rigid under natural light. To capture the character's cool and composed demeanor as closely as possible, I didn't overthink my facial expressions—just a casual glance up, combined with the rigid long-shaft weapon, instantly brought out the overall atmosphere.
Since I didn't want heavy post-editing to ruin the skin texture, the raw photos themselves had a great foundation without heavy smoothing or liquifying, presenting a relatively authentic state. This confidence answers that line in the post, "It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it's the character herself," as solid photography and good lighting truly made the shot. The green pendant on the prop was added in post-processing because, during actual movement, it needs to sway with the spear into different positions; fixing it rigidly would lose fluidity. Although carrying the long spear for miles during the shoot was tiring, the final result was deeply immersive. Every detail, from the cut of the costume to the hair and makeup, came through in front of the lens just as we envisioned.