[Elysia Cosplay] Honkai Impact 3rd Peachy Spring Look Photoshoot Record

The main focus of this shoot was placed on recreating this Peachy Spring look from Honkai Impact 3rd. Visually based on the pink, white, and red tones of spring peach blossoms, it is a lightweight Chinese-style cosplay design infused with an Eastern fantasy style.

Regarding the costume, the tailor put a lot of effort into the tailoring of the top and shawl, especially the heavy embroidery on the collar and cuffs, which was very time-consuming and labor-intensive. To recreate the lightweight and soft effect of the skirt hem, a multi-layered semi-transparent chiffon splicing approach was used. The outer layer is a transparent pink tulle skirt, while the inner lining is a layer of white underskirt. This splicing produces a very translucent light and shadow effect under studio backlighting or side lighting. The red strap design on the legs provides a great visual balance when paired with the short skirt, preventing the details from looking overly complex.

The scene set design also took a great deal of energy to arrange. The most core part was the huge circular glowing prop behind me, used to simulate the cold white light source of a full moon. Dried branches and twigs were built around it, enriched with a large volume of simulated peach blossoms and cherry blossoms. Combined with the hanging crystal bead curtains, the spatial layering of the frame was instantly maximized. Retro wooden tables, chairs, and paper lanterns were placed nearby as embellishments. The team's prop master also prepared a long-handled staff, a traditional white oil-paper umbrella, and a lightweight white round fan. These props worked beautifully to shift the visual focal point during different movements, keeping the frames from looking monotonous.

During the actual shoot, the physical exertion was quite significant. Holding a pose for a long time with the entire outfit plus the long-handled staff started to feel a bit heavy. Especially the robe and skirt hem—due to the extremely lightweight material, they tended to tangle and knot when blown by the fans, requiring constant smoothing and straightening. To achieve that dreamlike effect of petals scattering everywhere, several powerful fans were specially used on site to prolong the suspension time of the petal materials in the air, making it easier to capture the lively moments. To overcome the tediousness of repetitive shooting, I would discuss poses and positioning with the photographer during scene changes, striving to harvest a different composition each time the camera angle changed. For instance, making full use of a low-angle shot to elongate the silhouette, or holding the white round fan to simulate a visual interaction as if catching falling petals.

This 'Peachy Spring' look actually presents a very unique character aura, possessing both the gentleness of Eastern fantasy elements and the character's intrinsic playfulness and vividness. During the shooting process, I also tried to break free from entirely rigid poses; for example, adding a bit of a lazy, relaxed feeling into movements like tossing the skirt hem, lying sideways, or sitting poses, trying to match the carefree state of spring blossoming in this setting. The entire process heavily tested the on-camera expressiveness. Whether I could convey this seemingly relaxed yet highly detailed state was a point I kept pondering during early communications. Although the studio environment was quite muggy, and wearing a heavy wig with various accessories felt a bit stuffy, seeing this finished set woven together by light and shadow in the end made me feel this attempt was highly valuable.