[Changli Cosplay] Holding an Umbrella and Placing Chess Pieces Under the Moon, a Serene Glance Back in Wuthering Waves

For this shoot of Changli's look, our team put a lot of effort into the scene layout and prop preparation. To restore the character's temperament where cool elegance and agility coexist, we not only needed to get as close as possible in appearance, but also needed to heighten it through the environment and atmosphere.

In terms of makeup, I tried adjusting the direction of the eyeliner to make the gaze look deeper. Meanwhile, the pink wig required a lot of layered trimming and styling, especially the detail handling on top of the head and the braids on both sides, which were adjusted repeatedly several times to achieve the ideal volume and texture.

On the day of the shoot, the scene was actually very lively. We set up a wooden boardwalk and bridge, with old trees full of white blossoms placed around. For night scenes, the most testing part is the lighting. It must ensure that the face receives light evenly while giving the full moon and cranes in the background a beautiful silhouette effect. A mix of multiple light sources was used on-site to capture this texture of cool moonlight spilling over the body.

Regarding props, many people are curious about how that oil-paper umbrella was made to look so textured. We specially selected a custom pure white canopy, on which the prop master meticulously spray-painted red and orange flame patterns. Holding it in hand, it doesn't feel flimsy at all, but carries a solid wood texture and weight brought by the bamboo ribs.

As for the chess game scene, it was the most time-consuming part of the entire shoot. The original setting aimed to create a sense of solitude like standing alone by a freezing river, pushing the atmosphere to the max amidst a shroud of smoke. To be honest, wearing this black, white, and orange color-schemed costume, which features numerous cutouts and asymmetrical designs, while semi-sitting on a wooden bridge holding chess pieces to find the right angle, heavily tested my core strength.

The details of the costume were also a highlight of this shoot. The high-slit hem paired with grey leg warmers and black bow high heels presents a sharp sense of line when moving. The arm guards on both arms feature 3D flame-carved patterns, forming a cohesive visual unity with the golden earrings and hair accessories.

We also repeatedly deliberated over the choices in action design for a long time. For example, in the set holding a long sword, I tried placing the center of gravity on my legs, letting the torso tilt slightly backward to better complement the flowing wig and showcase instantaneous motion; whereas the umbrella-holding styling deliberately slowed down the rhythm of movement, creating a sense of composure like strolling under the moon.

Though physically exhausted from shooting late into the night, seeing the resulting photos made all the fatigue vanish instantly. Especially when the fog machine spread a thick mist at my feet, stepping on this layer of cloud and mist combined with the large full moon behind me brought a wave of cross-dimensional immersion rushing over. The rustic texture of the wooden bridge looked highly realistic under the lights, blending with the illusory smoke to display a unique Eastern fantasy aesthetic.

Finally, I would especially like to thank the photographer who guided me throughout the process, constantly adjusting camera positions and apertures to capture the expressions under low light. Although the clothing fabrics are complex and required us to constantly pay attention to behavioral control, through this deep experience, I gained a better understanding of the sense of story within the character.

This is some of the creative journey behind the lens for this traditional Chinese style photo set of Changli Cosplay. I hope that through these insights, everyone can see the nonchalance and determination we wanted to express by the wooden bridge through Anime-style photography.