[Skadi the Corrupting Heart Cosplay] Wind So Strong My Soul Was Shivering, An Arknights Journey by the Nighttime Sea

The evening sea breeze was truly far wilder than imagined. The location chosen for this shoot was a sea dike; I originally thought of capturing a serene and melancholy atmosphere during the Blue Hour after sunset, but once on site, I realized the sea wind was practically blowing right through us.

It really almost derailed completely. How strong was the wind? The glowing prop lantern in my hand would have been blown away at any moment if I hadn't gripped it tightly. The wig on my head was blown into a total mess, and my hat had to be secured again and again. To keep the skirt from flying completely wild in the wind, I almost had to press my knees against the concrete platform for leverage, while simultaneously trying to control my expression to act cool and calm, when in reality my inner self was screaming for help.

This seated photo was actually captured during a moment when the wind ebbed slightly or when facing away from the wind. The iron pillar beside me was heavily rusted, and the concrete block showed signs of weathering; this industrial, time-worn ruins aesthetic actually fitted our seaside shoot theme quite well. On a night like this, facing the deep blue water and sky with a warm yellow lantern in hand, that feeling of lonely, fragmented atmosphere instantly came alive.

During the shoot, the hardest part was actually controlling the light. Adjusting the brightness of the lantern in my hand took a long time—if it was too dim, it couldn't capture depth and texture, but if it was too bright, it would overexpose and swallow the original red color and details of the costume. Fortunately, the aperture and shutter speed matched perfectly in the end, making the warm and cool contrast in the frame particularly distinct. The sky overhead was a deep blue-violet, with a tiny hint of lingering sunset glow at the horizon, while the light in my palms and beside my cheek was a warm yellow. This nature-made color palette is something post-processing can hard-pressed replicate.

To prepare for this photoset, wearing and styling this red-and-white layered skirt outfit also took quite some time. Don't be fooled by how quiet and elegant it looks in the photo; when the wind blew, the skirt fluttered so loudly it sounded like thunder, and the stockings on my legs were honestly freezing in the outdoor temperature. But the photographer was amazing, counting one-two-three to help capture a moment with my most natural expression, free from facial distortion caused by the strong winds.

Honestly, before shooting this set, I was quite worried about the weather and environment, but reviewing the previews after shooting, I found that this slight messy realism actually brought a genuine sense of vitality. The real-scene strong wind and prop light, combined with the distant sea water and light strips along the coastline, made this photo far more than just a flat portrait—it created a sense of storytelling belonging to that moment. Though the process was turbulent and almost failed, this photo truly froze the sound of the wind, waves, and cold I experienced at the beach into the frame. I feel this somewhat cool and quiet seaside night scene really resonates with the character's lonely yet resolute temperament.

I'm posting this first finished photo for everyone to see. Although it's just the first one, it already encapsulates most of my emotional experience from this shoot. Other poses and angles were shot later, which I will continue releasing once I finish processing the remaining images. The wind at the seaside at night was very strong and cold, but being able to leave behind a photo whose colors and atmosphere I am satisfied with makes all the hard work feel worth it. This is probably the charm of cosplay—allowing oneself to briefly overlap with the imagined world in a real-scene setting, even if just for a moment.