HuaYu: Starting with Photography to Navigate the Entertainment Industry

Chapter 49: The Resonance Between the Play and Reality

Qin Feifei cried for more than half an hour.

As midnight approached, Xu Lang looked at Qin Feifei, who was still crying, and couldn't help but shake his head.

"Hey, that's enough. It's the middle of the night. If you keep crying like this, you'll attract ghosts."

Perhaps Xu Lang's scare tactics worked, because Qin Feifei's crying finally subsided.

She slowly raised her head and looked at Xu Lang.

"what!"

When she looked up, Xu Lang was genuinely startled.

Qin Feifei looked like a cat with a smeared face; her makeup was ruined, her face was streaked with black and white, and her eyes were red from crying.

When illuminated by the lights, it actually looks quite frightening at first glance.

Seeing her like this, Xu Lang's heart stirred:

"If I take a picture of her like this, and she becomes famous in the future, I'll probably have to spend a lot of money to destroy the photo."

After thinking it over, Xu Lang restrained himself from the impulse. "Qin Feifei's emotions are unstable right now. What if she destroys me on the spot? That would be a huge loss!"

Thinking of this, he got up and tidied up his filming equipment, saying, "It's getting late, let's go back quickly."

"No!"

Qin Feifei struggled to get up from the ground. Because she had been kneeling for so long, her legs were numb, and she had to try three times before she could finally stand up unsteadily.

"Xu Lang, you're right. I was trapped by my own limitations before. I've made up my mind. I'm going to prepare for the role of Guo Fu with all my might. I want to prove myself."

At this point, she stopped Xu Lang from packing his things.

"Tonight, I'll do my best to cooperate with you. You have to take photos that I'm satisfied with, or you're not allowed to leave!"

"what?"

Xu Lang rubbed his eyes, looking miserable. "Sister Fei, you're determined to work hard, but don't torture me."

"I don't care, who told you to wake me up?"

You just vented so freely and thoroughly, so it's only right that you put in some effort now.

"Sister Fei, I feel like what I pointed out to you wasn't about 'setting goals,' but rather your unreasonable arguments. You're practically being a scoundrel!"

Although Xu Lang complained, he still cooperated by taking out the photography equipment he had just put away.

"Alright, come on, let's fight to the death tonight. I want to see if you drain me dry first, or if I can find out your limits first!"

"Okay, you wait here, I'll go touch up my makeup."

"etc!"

Xu Lang stopped Qin Feifei, who was turning to leave. He interlaced his index fingers and thumbs, looking at Qin Feifei's face through the viewfinder of his fingers.

"Hmm, you know what, the look on this face really does have a kind of broken and then put back together vibe."

As he spoke, he led Qin Feifei toward the dressing room, "Today, I'll show you my makeup skills."

"You can even do makeup?"

"I know a lot more than that; you'll see as you go!"

Photography and makeup are inseparable. In his previous life, Xu Lang worked as a photographer for more than 20 years, so he naturally knew a lot about makeup, or rather, makeup and styling.

He has a particular expertise in creating unique designs.

Upon entering the dressing room, Xu Lang looked at Qin Feifei through the mirror, still analyzing the situation:

"I have an idea. I think this time, you need to upgrade the original image of Guo Fu."

"Upgrade to what level?"

Qin Feifei pouted, her face full of distrust.

"I think what you said about Guo Fu's experiences and mindset was very insightful. Don't upgrade it recklessly."

Xu Lang ignored her, lost in his own thoughts, and said:

What I told you before was Guo Fu's "tear and struggle after her pride was crushed," but that was only the first step. What's more important is "rebirth, awakening, and grounding after being broken."

This aligns with your current state. True pride isn't about "never bowing down once in your life," but rather, "even if I have to bow down, my value is defined solely by myself."

"Is my value defined solely by myself?"

Qin Feifei repeated the sentence to herself, looking at Xu Lang, who was serious and focused, through the mirror with surprise in her eyes. "This young lad can actually say something so profound?"

Xu Lang leaned on her shoulder, staring at Qin Feifei in the mirror.

"The redness in your eyes is just right. It fits the scene of fierce battle on the battlefield, as well as Guo Fu's heartache, pain, and broken state of mind. There's no need to cover it up."

As Xu Lang spoke, he picked up the makeup tools on the table and began to apply makeup to Qin Feifei. "It won't be good if her face is too smooth. Make the scratches on her forehead look more realistic. Don't be afraid to apply some dust. It's okay."

For the face, use only a light, matte, long-lasting foundation for spot concealing, and lightly set the T-zone and cheekbones with colorless loose powder, leaving the cheeks with a very subtle skin glow to simulate the translucent look of someone who has just finished crying.

Eyes?

Xu Lang shook his head and removed the glitter, pearlescent finish, heavy eyeliner, and false eyelashes.

"Hey, you..."

Qin Feifei couldn't stand it anymore, "How can this look good?"

"You're naturally beautiful, so don't worry about your appearance. This scene isn't about highlighting your beauty."

Afterwards, Xu Lang adjusted Qin Feifei's entire look, from her eye makeup and lips to her hairstyle.

At first, Qin Feifei was full of worries, but seeing that Xu Lang spoke logically and had never heard of some of his ideas before, and that his techniques were very skillful, she felt relieved.

"This kid actually knows how to do makeup, and he seems to be quite skilled at it."

After finishing his makeup, Xu Lang immediately adjusted the lighting, explaining to Qin Feifei as he did so:

"Originally, I planned to use the opposing logic of 'clash of warm and cold, tearing apart light and shadow,' but now, I plan to abandon the tearing apart and instead use 'warm light as a foundation, cold light as a framework, and symbiosis of light and shadow.'"

Qin Feifei knew a little about lighting, but she knew that Xu Lang was the real professional, so she stopped talking and just watched Xu Lang work on it by himself.

Xu Lang adjusted the main light source to a warm golden dusk soft light, the auxiliary light source to a cool white double-sided fill light, the contour light to a silver-blue backlight with gold edges, and finally the ambient light to a layered battlefield light.

Finally, Xu Lang picked up the camera, activated the [God-Level Photography System] in his brain, and said to Qin Feifei through the viewfinder:

"You'll be standing there for a moment, and I'll give you a medium-close-up shot."

Following Xu Lang's instructions, Qin Feifei stood in the designated position and began to prepare her emotions.

Xu Lang held up his camera, observing as he spoke, offering reminders as he went:

Note that emotions should be divided into three layers:

The first layer is the surface emotion, what everyone sees at first glance. There is no hesitation or retreat; her eyes are unwavering and evasive, only the solemnity and determination of having made a choice. It's immediately clear that this kneeling was a choice she made true to her heart.

Listening to Xu Lang's words, Qin Feifei's expression became somewhat dazed, as if she had returned to her old acting classes, where the professor was guiding her step by step.

"Why is Xu Lang working as a photographer? He should just become a director!"

But she also genuinely admired him, saying, "Xu Lang's grasp of the character and his inner emotions is truly accurate."

"Okay, that's what I mean."

Xu Lang looked at the camera, nodded in satisfaction, and secretly praised Qin Feifei, "She really does have talent."

At the same time, he also reminded:

"It's important to note that besides the first layer of emotion, there's also a middle layer of emotion, which is meant to evoke empathy from the audience. Guo Fu knew the significance of kneeling, but she still made the choice without the slightest regret. It's about taking responsibility—'I chose it, I accept it, I'll take responsibility'—not a resigned compromise. It's about conveying a sense of clarity and enlightenment, like waking up from a dream."

Xu Lang's words resonated with Qin Feifei.

Only she knew that at this moment, she was not playing Guo Fu, but herself, the self that had been trapped for ten years and reborn after being broken.

As she was thinking, Xu Lang said again:

"There is a third layer. You should know that in the play, Guo Fu completes her soul awakening. She finally understands that her arrogance, stubbornness, and obstinacy throughout her life were just because she was afraid of not being worthy of the identity of 'Guo Jing and Huang Rong's daughter,' afraid of not being loved, and afraid of losing."

Her kneeling signifies that she has finally accepted her imperfections and become herself. From now on, she is no longer Miss Guo, but Guo Fu.

But off-screen...

At this point, Xu Lang raised his voice.

"Ten years of isolation, rejection, and stubbornness have all been in vain. From now on, you can live your own life without having to rely on 'never bowing down to anyone'."

At this moment, you and Guo Fu resonated in spirit, simultaneously achieving reconciliation with yourselves.

Xu Lang's words sent a shiver down Qin Feifei's spine. Her gaze towards Xu Lang became incredibly complex.

How could he see through me so clearly?

Just then, Xu Lang said something:

"Sister Fei, listen up, forget Guo Fu, at this moment, you are yourself."

Upon hearing his words, Qin Feifei felt as if a thunderbolt had struck her mind, leaving her completely stunned.

"Thump!"

Qin Feifei bent her knees and knelt down in front of Xu Lang.

Just as Qin Feifei knelt down, Xu Lang pressed the shutter.

"Snap!"

The moment Qin Feifei knelt down was captured on camera.

And at that very moment.