- Mik Bromley
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
The Virtual Photography Awards are the leading celebration of the modern art of virtual & in-game photography, and the 2025 edition served as another showcase of the outstanding creative talent of digital artists around the globe.
With support from major gaming and media brands, the latest awards attracted 3,200 entries that were captured in more than 300 software titles. These were submitted across the 7 thematic categories, designed to inspire and challenge creators with new ways to approach their shots.
- THE VP AWARDS // 2025 STATS -
You can see more than 250 of the finest entries in the Shortlist Galleries, while the winners and runners-up are shown below along with comments from the winning photographers and insights provided by the Judging Panel of experience game industry creatives, real-world photographers, and digital capture artists.
VIRTUAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR // HARY G
Through the commanding use of subjects, lighting, and shadows, the overall winner and VIRTUAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR is Hary G (@Hary1495g).
These meticulously crafted images – captured in multiple titles including Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, and Ghost of Tsushima – also claimed top prizes in two of the thematic categories by delivering consistently evocative visual storytelling across a wide range of scenarios. The judges had particular praise for the originality and execution behind each creative concept, noting how the work stood out on both technical and emotional levels.
ACTION WINNER
"This shot was one that I actually only spent a few minutes on as I quickly realised I had something cool to work with. I entered it because I thought it might stand out from the entries of other participants in the action category and appeal to the judges. Never did I expect to win! Thank you to the judges for choosing my capture."
Session Skate Sim, PS5
What the judges had to say:
“A very creative shot which cleverly uses the shadow silhouette to imply dynamic movement, while the POV perspective provides depth and offers context that literally puts the viewer in the shoes of the skater. It is an image that carries the vibe of game cover art.”
ACTION RUNNERS-UP
Black Myth: Wukong, PC
Marvel's Spider-Man 2, PC
COLLECTION WINNER
"Virtual photography continues to evolve as a serious artistic practice, and initiatives such as The VP Awards play a defining role in shaping how the medium is perceived, discussed, and developed within a broader artistic context. The consistency and quality of the selected works reflect the growing maturity of the field and its potential to exist beyond isolated images as a meaningful, sustainable form of visual expression."
Red Dead Redemption 2, PC
What the judges had to say:
“While individually beautiful, these images form a well thought out collection that is close to perfect. With excellent framing and alignment, they create an overall narrative that carries real weight and provokes thought about the effects of time.”
COLLECTION RUNNERS-UP
Horizon Forbidden West, Cyberpunk 2077, Ghost of Yōtei, PS5
The Matrix Awakens, PS5
ENVIRONMENT WINNER
"My primary inspiration was the work of Aydin Büyüktas; I wanted to adapt his 'Flatland' style onto the natural landscapes of Red Dead Redemption 2. I spent 12 hours scouting the perfect train tracks to serve as leading lines. Using precise camera positioning, I captured 11 shots – ranging from a 0° horizontal to a 90° top-down perspective – then manually stitched and aligned each frame in Photoshop using warp and transform tools to create this unique curvature. The final piece is a result of meticulous manual work and colour grading."
Red Dead Redemption 2, PC
What the judges had to say:
“By using a panorama-like technique, this work uses the virtual world to create a seemingly impossible and surreal perspective. It’s a strange and fantastic concept that could be hung on a wall or used as a movie poster.”
ENVIRONMENT RUNNERS-UP
Grand Theft Auto 5, Xbox Series X
Assassin's Creed Origins, PC
LO-FI WINNER
"When I go for this type of shot, I’ll usually scout a location that I like and wait for something to happen or just open the photo mode and see what I can find. I think this helps when trying to capture moment that feels spontaneous. It’s a fun little way for me to combine my love for playing video games and street photography."
Cyberpunk 2077, PS5
What the judges had to say:
“A great execution of the Lo-Fi style with an authentic photo-like aesthetic that captures the feel of an old camera and flawed optics. The composition also works well with the overexposed sky and darkness under the overpass to emulate a casual urban shot.”
LO-FI RUNNERS-UP
Ghost of Yōtei, PS5
Ghost of Yōtei, PS5
OPEN WINNER
"I love experimenting with shadows and had a story in mind about the Human lending a hand to nature along with other beings like the bird. I feel like AI is creating chaos and deteriorating nature while humans have lost track, so this image tries to give a short narrative on that idea of protecting the natural world. It may not change much of what is going on, but it speaks of what I had in mind at the time, and that is how I work with storytelling in my shots."
Cyberpunk 2077, PC
What the judges had to say:
“What came first, the man or the tree? This is a really striking image that tells a story and keeps the viewer fascinated with deep narrative connotations. An amazing and uniquely perfect creative concept.”
OPEN RUNNERS-UP
Cyberpunk 2077, PC
Marvel's Spider-Man 2, PS5
PEOPLE WINNER
"This image captures the quiet moment just before change. It focuses on the space between two people, where emotion exists without action. That sense of uncertainty is what gives the image its meaning."
Horizon Forbidden West, PS5
What the judges had to say:
“A beautiful capture with an obviously intentional framing that focuses the viewer’s attention on a very interpersonal moment. It’s can feel both calm and tense as we are left to interpret whether these people like each other or if this is a more threatening confrontation.”
PEOPLE RUNNERS-UP
Cyberpunk 2077, PC
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, PC
STORYTELLING WINNER
"Games with good raytracing – or even path tracing like in Cyberpunk 2077 – enable me to tell stories from different perspectives with more depth and layers than normal. Reflections and shadows can be a more subtle way to tell a story, like someone is looking away from what’s happening instead of directly facing it, leaving the ending open to whatever the viewer thinks of.
Cyberpunk 2077, PC
What the judges had to say:
“A really fantastic image with all the right elements that add another level of depth and detail. It can be seen from the viewer’s or even the cat’s perspective, which we know of course through the reflection, all contextualised by the framing within the car window.”
STORYTELLING RUNNERS-UP
HITMAN World of Assassination, PC
by REVOLVERÉ
The Last of Us Part I, PC
RESULTS SHOW // 2025
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