[Robin cosplay] Refreshing moments by the summer swimming pool

Playing in the water with Robin was actually a spur-of-the-moment plan. The temperature that day was simply too high, and the air conditioning in the studio couldn't suppress the heat at all, so the team decided to simply change the originally scheduled indoor studio shoot to an outdoor pool. When ordering this swimsuit, I had already thought about shooting a water scene, and I just took this opportunity to bring the idea to life.

A lot of thought went into the preparation of costumes and props. To ensure breathability and lightweight feel by the water, this white swimsuit abandoned the heavy fabrics commonly used in traditional cosplay outfits, changing to a lighter, thinner material more suitable for summer. The star patterns on the top and the yellow flowers on the skirt hem were all hand-appliqued and sewn piece by piece. The wig consists of light purple long twin-tails. Because of shooting by the water with high air humidity, the hair strands are very prone to frizzing and tangling, so before heading out, I used a large amount of hair spray and hair care essential oil for styling, and designed that floating halo with star decoration on top of the head. To have a glowing texture under the sunlight, reflective film and transparent acrylic board were also used.

The hand-held white bird balloon was an important prop for this shoot. At first, we wanted to use a real balloon, but after trying, we found that filled with helium, it would drift everywhere with the breeze and was very uncontrollable. Later, it was replaced with an inflatable white ball with an internal support skeleton, guided by a thin string, which preserved the floating feeling while allowing it to maintain a stable position in front of the lens. As for the blue popsicle held in hand, it is actually a resin model. Outdoors at over thirty degrees Celsius, a real popsicle wouldn't last two minutes before melting, which would not only dirty the hands but also ruin the makeup. Using a model is much easier, just needing to find the right angle to avoid breaking character immersion.

Around 2 or 3 in the afternoon is when the light is strongest. The strong reflection on the water surface easily causes overexposure in the frame. The photographer not only installed a polarizing filter to suppress the dazzling reflection on the water surface, but also tried several different camera positions. I sat on the edge of the pool with my legs immersed in the water, toes driving water droplets to drip and stir up splashes. This action seemed simple, but in reality, it took several tries to capture the split second when water splashed up and the facial expression was natural. Because of direct sunlight, it was hard to keep my eyes fully open, so most photos show eyes half-opened or looking to the side, which instead added a bit of lazy and casual feeling.

The few small plush toys floating in the water were the finishing touch of the entire frame. Besides the white bird I was holding in my hand, there were also little ducks wearing sailor hats, wearing flower crowns playing the guitar, and wearing crowns in the water. These plush props became very heavy after absorbing water; to prevent them from sinking, we specially padded small inflatable bases at their bottoms. During shooting breaks, I would occasionally stir the water surface with my hand, letting ripples spread out naturally and enriching the layers of the frame.

Shooting outdoors this time, the longevity of the makeup was also a considerable challenge. Although waterproof base makeup and setting spray were used throughout the entire process, after sweating and getting splashed, slight makeup fading still occurred at the corners of the eyes and the sides of the nose. The makeup artist could only squeeze in time during shooting breaks to help me blot oil and touch up makeup, ensuring that the face always maintained a clean and refreshing state in front of the lens.

Overall, this water-themed shooting attempt broke my previous limitations on character settings, completely releasing the tense state usually felt during studio shoots. Being able to converse with the character in such a relaxed way during the hot summer, feeling the water splashes and sunlight, was a very pleasant experience.