What is Virtual Photography?

Assassins Creed Origins by Myself

Virtual Photography is a modern movement that has attracted both avid photographers, digital artists and gamers all over the globe. Seen by some as a casual hobby and others as an art form, the community has seen a huge increase of members within the year. 

With real photography, to become a pro you have to have money to buy the hardware, a decent camera, equipment and a photo editing suite with a computer good enough to run it. The photographer can then travel to destinations, work with models and wait for the perfect light level and weather condition to take the perfect shot. Of course this will not be the same for every photographer and like any art form, every photographer is different in their methods, aims, ideas and inspiration.  Virtual photography requires none of the above, a virtual photographer can start their journey with a games console or PC and one game that has a built-in photo mode. Most of these games have a few filters, photo editing options and the ability to freeze the game and travel around a scene. 

Star Wars: The Fallen Order by Leonardo Zuno

Personally I am an introvert, I dislike being around people and have a lot of issues being outdoors for long periods of time. For me, Virtual Photography has been a hobby for two solid years. Long have I dreamed that I could take photographs of rich landscapes, beautiful people and scenes of raw emotion. Now within a few seconds I can turn on my PS4 Pro or my PC and be away in a world playing God.  Time freezes at any moment I choose, I can pan around people without worrying about personal space and I can take as long as I like as I am not paying anyone by the hour to be there.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider by Juan Jose Barra

Many games such as Horizon Zero Dawn and many Ubisoft titles have the ability to also change the time of day and weather. This allows photographers, both novice and master, to get the perfect lighting that they desire for any given shot. Cutting down on waiting for the right time of day to pass in game and relying on that moment. Even without such modes people strive to attain the best shots they can. The Red Dead Redemption 2 online community is a fantastic example of this. With no online photo mode players have to rely on each other to work as in game photographers. Due to this the game has developed a huge community of photographers that have embraced not only the game and its mechanics but also the role play aspect of being in an expansive western world. 

Red Dead Redemption 2 by Ana Kandrose

Having been active in the community for a year I have met and communicated with many people across Instagram. I have met people from all walks of life from the ages of 17 all the way up to 63. The majority are kind-hearted and driven by what they do. Like anywhere on the internet there will be those that are not so positive. It is easily the most positive online community I have ever been a part of. One recurring theme is that I am not alone. Many, but not all of the virtual photography community have some barrier in life, be it social anxiety, a lack in self confidence or a more prominent physical or mental disability. Of course there are plenty of individuals that have none of the above, but for me knowing there are others out there that have found joy doing something I also love, makes the experience even more enriching. 

A shot from The Witcher 3 by Wolfwithashield. The game has no photomode on the PS4 or Xbox

Virtual photography is more than just a hobby for most of us, it is a way to express ourselves, like any artist. It is more than simply fan art of the games we love and enjoy, but a journey that we have been on. Anyone that spends even a few brief minutes looking at the collection of virtual photography images out there, will see that a lot of photographers have developed their own distinct style and have connected with a wide variety of games. Some stick to those titles that are beautiful, already have a great built in photo mode and are on a higher end console and PC, while others explore different titles, find PC modes or use software like Ansel, to allow non photo mode games to suddenly be explored in new ways.  A lot of virtual photographers pride themselves on their editing techniques. I personally use a handful of apps on my iPhone, whereas others use far more advanced software and dedicate a lot of time getting that perfectly tuned edit. 

The likelihood is that if you are reading this article, you are already a part of this amazing movement, but if by the off-chance you are not, I implore you to check out the amazing shift in gaming. Take some time out of your day to look at this passionate art form that draws so many into its vibrant waves and enjoy where the journey takes you.