This photoshoot features Pozëmka from Arknights in a fan-made ancient style cosplay look titled "Beside the Passing Dream". To match the character's design, animal ears and long pink hair were incorporated into the styling, combined with xianxia-style garments and props to complete this creative set in an indoor studio environment.
For the wig, a soft, slightly lustrous pink long wig was chosen, trimmed in layers and softly curled to give the strands a natural fluffiness in front of the lens. The matching fox ears were custom handmade with an internal support skeleton; the outer fur used multi-colored blended short fur, while the pink inner ear edges were hand-painted to match the overall tone, blending naturally with the hair root without looking jarring as a kemonomimi girl look.
The costume design was the highlight of the look. The upper body main garment utilized a patchwork of silver metallic-textured scale fabric, interspersed with golden leaf embroidery patches, paired with a white-bordered woven collar and a metal pendant with a blue gem, creating rich layers. The shoulder-baring design combined with the collarbone chain visually elongated the neck lines while maintaining an exquisite, glamorous feel.
The outer robe and sleeves used pearlescent gauze interwoven with ice blue and soft purple tones, featuring a delicate gradient effect. Under the light, it displayed an iridescent texture, with semi-transparent fabric allowing skin to peek through, complemented by diamond-pattern cutouts at the cuffs and pearl tassels along the hemline—both ethereal and exquisite.
Details on the lower skirt were equally intricate. Waist ribbons and hanging thin cord decorations, combined with a waist corset featuring metal buckles, grounded the overall silhouette. The back of the skirt featured a cross-shaped geometric cutout design, adding a modern aesthetic touch to the light ancient style dress.
Two main props were used: a textured round fan with tassels and an antique handle, which beautifully reflected dynamic movement during poses; and a semi-transparent iridescent lotus prop, whose laser-effect petals reflected delicate light under strong beams, echoing the background cherry blossom branches when held to enhance the narrative feel of the image.
The studio set featured dark wooden lattice doors and windows to create a classical Chinese courtyard ambiance. Large mirror surfaces with high reflectivity covered the floor, utilizing reflections to integrate the character's shadow and light sources into the shot, adding depth to the overall composition. The photographer used high-contrast side lighting combined with ambient light to make facial features three-dimensional while avoiding harsh shadows that might obscure the pearlescent texture of the costume.
Post-processing color grading was completed by Alum. To maintain a dreamy cool atmosphere while preserving warm skin tones, multiple adjustments were made to the color balance of highlights and shadows. Especially in restoring the metallic texture of the scales and the soft shimmer of the gauze dress, the material's natural sheen was beautifully preserved, yielding a remarkably translucent finish.
To complement the flowy outfit during shooting, I consciously controlled my shoulder and arm lines, using the extension of the props to break the vertical composition, aiming to present a relaxed yet natural oriental fantasy aesthetic. Every shoot of high-end ancient style cosplay poses a test of endurance and attention to detail.