[Robin cosplay] Honkai: Star Rail dream moments in the birdcage

Today I'm sharing this Honkai: Star Rail Robin photo set. To shoot this concept of a bird in a cage, the preliminary preparation work was actually quite a lot. First was customizing this outfit; the blue, white, and purple color scheme is actually very picky about fabrics in reality—too bright looks cheap, and too dark lacks texture when photographed. The star patterns on that outer layer of tulle were found only after searching for a long time. The wig was also trimmed and styled bit by bit by myself, and for the floating halo on top of the head, I used transparent fishing line for traction, plus post-processing to remove the fishing line to achieve the floating effect. The eye makeup part intentionally intensified the smudging of pink and glitter, paired with light blue contact lenses to create a slightly melancholic yet sacred atmosphere. Details like wings and pearl chains were also adjusted repeatedly to ensure they wouldn't look cluttered in front of the lens. A special thanks this time to makeup artist spicy duck chunk; the shimmer in the eye makeup is extremely photogenic.
The shooting location was chosen as a retro indoor studio, featuring an extra-large black metal birdcage set up on site, accompanied by Roman pillars and blue flowers. Sitting in the cage is actually not comfortable because space is limited, and the legs have to be held up constantly to maintain nice lines, just like in picture three, which requires finding a tricky angle that showcases the skirt hem and leg lines without exposing anything. Photographer Motong is very professional, guiding the emotions and constantly hunting for light. The cool blue lighting combined with the soft light around the cage filled the atmosphere of the scene to the max.
Many people ask why birds fly. Actually, while portraying this character, I kept searching for that contradictory feeling of wanting to break free from restraints yet remaining quietly submissive. It's not that kind of fierce struggle, but staying quietly in the cage, looking at the outside world. The transmission of the gaze is particularly important in this photo set; the upward look in picture one and the lowered brow in picture two are actually outward expressions of the character's inner self.
Although the outfit looks pretty, wearing it is really exhausting, especially the wings on the back and those layers of tulle, which tangle together with slightly big movements. During shooting, I always had to pay attention to the direction of the skirt hem to ensure the layered feel when spread out. Actually, shooting this set in the studio, the hardest thing to control was the layer of reflective fabric on the ground—it was extremely slippery to step on, and wearing platform high heels meant I had to walk extremely carefully. Every time I sat down or stood up, I needed staff to help arrange the skirt hem. Moreover, the space inside that cage was much smaller than it looked; sets had to be laid out inside and legs had to be placed, which was truly a test of core strength. During shooting breaks, I even joked that this isn't a birdcage, it's basically gym equipment. Regarding lighting, the photographer used a very strong cool-toned main light hitting from the side, just enough to illuminate half of the face and make the light-and-shadow layers in the gaze richer. To match the glowing effect of the halo, the ambient light was intentionally turned down, and the whole process involved constantly adjusting the light ratio. The wig easily looks lacking in layers against a blue background, so lots of pearls and butterfly hair accessories were used to increase reflections and details, making the overall head shape more three-dimensional in the frame. Whether in color or composition, this photo set is one of my most satisfying attempts recently, and I hope everyone likes this presentation leaning toward a serene atmosphere.