[Xishi cosplay] Honor of Kings Mid-Autumn Festival photo set, the longing of When peach blossoms are red and willows are green

This shooting project had actually been prepared for quite a long time. The theme revolved around "continuing longing," aiming to express the atmosphere where the hardest-to-solve matters of true feeling are precisely the realization of feeling itself. To match this vibe, I communicated with the photographer in advance about the scenes and lighting, ultimately settling on two completely different environments: a Chinese-style courtyard during the day and a waterside scene at night. A lot of effort went into the costume and styling. The golden crown on top of the head was extremely gorgeous, with slender metal wires extending from both sides featuring red bead strings that swayed gently when walking. The white wig was styled into delicate updo and side braids, paired with floral hair accessories, making the overall look both ethereal and carrying a hint of detached coolness.

The upper garment is a white satin slim-fitting bustier, with the chest and shoulders inlaid with gold-red metal accessories featuring flying bird and flame patterns, which are very textured. The cuffs feature a wide water-sleeve design, and the translucent material has a great sense of layering in the breeze. The lower body is a pink-orange puffy skirt with golden calligraphy brushstroke prints on the hem, dragging a long pink tulle cape behind. Since the shooting date happened to be close to the Mid-Autumn Festival, I also wanted to incorporate some festive elements into the styling, deliberately preparing a glowing pink lotus prop and a translucent round fan embroidered with cyan-blue flowers.

During the daytime shoot in the courtyard, the lighting was relatively even, which was just right to showcase the original colors and embroidery details of the costume. To match the atmosphere of the Chinese-style garden, I tried poses with stretched arms and lifted legs. The transparent chunky-heeled sandals were actually not very easy to walk in on the waterside and slate paths, but I tried my best to keep my balance for the sake of the visual effect. The golden flying bird leg decoration on the left lower leg and the red mark on the skin were very clear during the day, adding some extra details to the overall styling.

When night fell, the scene shifted to the waterside. Night photography has very high requirements for fill light. To make the glowing effect of the lotus prop not look abrupt in the frame, we tried to make the best of the warm yellow light strips in the environment as backlighting, combined with artificial light sources to softly fill in light for the face. While holding the glowing lotus, I slowed down my movements and focused my gaze on the prop, aiming to create a tranquil picture sense imbued with the sentiment of longing. The temperature at night was slightly low, but fortunately, the form-fitting clothes were relatively warm, and the overall state was well maintained.

I am quite satisfied with the effect of this photo set this time. Instead of excessively relying on post-processing to modify the atmosphere, we tried our best to present it through pre-production lighting and real props on site. Every location shoot is a test of physical strength and endurance; walking all day wearing these cumbersome accessories and shoes was not easy, but seeing the texture of the light and shadow falling on the clothes in the final shots made everything feel totally worth it. These photos can be considered a satisfactory answer to the setting of "When peach blossoms are red and willows are green".