Lushfoil Photography Sim Photo Mode Review

Mik Bromley
Jun 6
6 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

ℹ️ - Lushfoil Photography Sim Review

Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox X|S

Initial Release: 15th April 2025

Reviewed on PS5 with a digital copy

Normally, when it comes to talking about virtual photography, it's a matter of whether a game has a photo mode or not and what kind of features that might include. Lushfoil Photography Sim though, is not just a game with a photo mode, photography IS the game here.

Essentially a walking simulator from solo developer Matt Newell, it tasks you with nothing other than exploring a series of stunning landscapes with camera in hand. You're free to go in any direction and local notice boards offer some guidance with example shots of the various points of interest.

Along with a few collectables to find, seeking out and recreating these photo boards is key to unlocking each of the 9 locations. Each one a fantastic invitation to take in some beautiful surroundings from a photographer's point of view.

Key Photo Mode Features:

Shutter Speed, Aperture, & ISO
Photo Fast Travel
God Mode

The Photo Mode:

There isn't really any single photo mode in Lushfoil as it includes a number of different in-game cameras as well as some even more advanced options on top – more on those later.

Of those cameras, the retro-styled digital compact and VHS camcorder add a bit of novelty with minimal features and vintage overlays, while the classic 35 mm film camera features a dual-exposure option, but it's the DSLR that will see the most use. Not only is it the first camera you have access to in each area, it's also one of the most capable with a range of realistic camera functions and a selection of lenses to choose from.

It's used from a handheld perspective, meaning that camera movement happens by walking and looking around as you peer through the viewfinder. You can reach up or crouch down to adjust the height, and lean to the side to tilt the angle a little, all from a firmly grounded position.

The camera itself can also be flipped though 90° to give a portrait-oriented viewfinder. This can help with framing but seeing as the image resolution does not flip – at least not on console – it's really just cropping pixels in the same way as can be done in post editing.

In keeping with that sense of manual handling, the R2 button functions as a shutter release. A half-press triggers the auto-focus that locks on to the centre of the frame, and a full-press releases the shutter and takes the shot with a satisfying snap.

Weirdly though, the photo isn't saved to the console storage and is only viewable from the in-game gallery. You'll need to screenshot that again to keep the shot. It's a bit of extra effort then, but it can easily be worth it thanks to the camera settings that do a great job of mimicking a real-world experience. Things like colour temperature, contrast, and tonal filters are all present, but it is the implementation of aperture f-stops, ISO values, and yes, even shutter speed that really makes the difference.

Lushfoil can genuinely teach you more about photography...

In Manual mode, these three settings behave realistically as part of the exposure triangle – so called because each setting affects the image brightness along with one other characteristic. Wider apertures (smaller f-number) let in more light while also giving a shallower depth of field; higher ISO values increase the camera's sensitivity to light at the cost of more noise; and shutter speed balances exposure time with motion blur.

For simpler operation, the Aperture Priority or Shutter Priority modes let you concentrate on just one setting along with a straightforward exposure compensator to shift the brightness. In fact, S-mode seems to be the best way to work with long exposures in Lushfoil. It allows the exposure to remain the same at any shutter speed up to the maximum of 20 s for a fuss-free way to experiment with motion blur. Or at least it should be, but an unfortunate flaw tarnishes it slightly.

Any shutter speed of 1 s or longer seems to make the camera disregard the selected lens focal length, defaulting back to a standard field of view. You can see what I mean with these two shots of a waterfall, one taken at 24 mm and the other at 85 mm. Despite the different lenses, they both end up with the same field of view after the shot is rendered.

It is a shame, although the various lenses do at least work as intended at shorter shutter speeds. There are 6 fixed primes to choose from plus an ultra-wide fisheye, as well as a mid-range zoom to easily get the right FoV for wide-angle or telephoto shots. The depth of field behaviour is correct with them too, with the plane of focus appearing shallower with greater bokeh blur at longer focal lengths.

It's a case of realism with some minor flaws then, and it's a similar story elsewhere. The simple camera flash works as expected, albeit with a pretty short range, but the supposed 5-shot burst option has only ever appeared once for me.

In truth though, these things are forgivable for a solo developer and could well be fixed in future updates, but that's not the end of what Lushfoil already has to offer. Explore each area enough and you will eventually find a camera drone that breaks free of the pedestrian confines to fly almost anywhere for completely different angles and vantage points.

It also builds on the DSLR settings, converting the flash into a single remote spotlight and adding a series of different aspect ratios for when you tire of shooting in 3:2. Of course, there has to be a negative to counterbalance that and that comes in the form of constant and obnoxious warning beeps whenever you fly too high or too far away. So, exactly like the experience of flying a real drone then!

Despite that, the drone is pretty much the ultimate Lushfoil camera then, but wait, remember that I mentioned that the game has something even more advanced up its sleeve? Well, that would be God Mode.

Completing all of the photo boards in an area will reward you with access to a powerful extra menu that opens up control of the environment. The sun can be dimmed, brightened, and repositioned in the sky, with ambient lighting and shadows adjusted separately to dramatically alter the lighting conditions.

It's also possible to force the appearance of strong light shafts that are especially effective with the customisable fog. Wind, rain, and even the specific altitude of snow coverage complete the transformative options and, all of a sudden, Lushfoil isn't just about enjoying the landscapes, but manipulating them to your will in search of the best photographic conditions.

It's as though these places have been shaped over time...

Photographic Opportunities:

With or without God Mode, Lushfoil is sure to wow you with its stunning environments that really leverage the features of Unreal Engine 5. The photorealistic locations are brought to life with megascan data and procedural tools that have helped Matt Newell build spaces that are far more believable than anyone could manage single-handedly.

Like these stone steps: each block feels individual, lichen grows naturally, and detritus collects in the corners. It's as though these places have been shaped over time, and it gives them a real sense of existence.

The 9 locations are varied and surprisingly large too. Factor in the 2 or 3 variants of each that are set at different times of day or seasons, and there's a lot to get lost in. Getting around them is easy too as each photo instantly becomes a fast travel point to teleport straight back to.

Landscapes are admittedly the order of the day though and, while there are a couple of more urban areas, don't expect to see a single character populating them. These are deserted spaces with even wildlife being in very short supply.

None of that matters too much though, Lushfoil achieves exactly what it sets out to do. It removes cost and travel barriers to let players roam memorable locations while experimenting with advanced photographic techniques. Shutter speed alone makes all the difference, and it is a joy to capture the motion of windswept grass, flowing water, or to get creative with camera movement.

TIP – set the Camera Smoothing option to 'High' to eliminate handheld camera wobble in long-exposures.

Verdict:

Lushfoil Photography Sim is a remarkable experience that goes well beyond just taking pictures of a time-frozen game with a photo mode. This puts photography as the core element and simulates what it is really like to visit captivating locations with a camera.

The importance of the shutter speed implementation cannot be overstated. It takes the virtual camera to another level of realism, and I can't think of any other game that uses the exposure triangle as authentically as this. A few occasionally misbehaving features take the shine off a little, but Lushfoil can genuinely teach you more about photography and remains a triumph for art, both virtual or otherwise.