Every week, the Virtual Photography Archive Hour invites you to revisit your virtual photography archives as a great way to reach new audiences, rediscover past inspirations and even learn from mistakes. Featured below are a selection of the entries shared over the past month.
Title: Ghost of Tsushima | Developer: Sucker Punch | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: 17th July 2020
I love visiting Tsushima's White Dye Merchant. Those white sheets can make great neutral backgrounds for character shots, and here they have been used to make the vibrant colours of the potted flowers really stand out.
Title: Horizon Zero Dawn | Developer: Guerrilla Games | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: 28th Feb 2017
What I like about this shot is how the defocused backdrop lets your attention fall on the single plant that is sprouting out of an improbably small crack in a rock. A beautifully simply capture of the resilience of vegetation.
Title: Red Dead Redemption 2 | Developer: Rockstar Studios | Publisher: Rockstar Games | Initial Release: 26th October 2018
This grainy black & white portrait makes wonderful use of depth of field with a shallow region of focus to ensure that not even the tip of the subject's hat can distract the viewer from getting lost in her eyes.
Title: Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales | Developer: Insomniac Games | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: 12th November 2020
Take a moment to appreciate the details of this shot. If the outstanding lighting, realistic skin texture and fabric weaves were not enough, check out the fingerprints on Mile's headphones!
Title: Horizon Zero Dawn | Developer: Guerrilla Games | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: 28th Feb 2017
An great capture of a Corruptor / Scarab from HZD. Its dark silhouette stands out in the monochromatic surrounding, and its ominous presence is emphasised by a trail of fire and destruction behind.
Title: Gujian 3 | Developer: Aurogon | Publisher: Wang Yuan | Initial Release: 23rd Nov 2018
The sort of shot that looks like a piece of concept art, this epic moment and ultra wide capture are a perfect reminder of exactly why a greater range of camera movement and field of view is a huge benefit to virtual photography.
Title: Horizon Zero Dawn | Developer: Guerrilla Games | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Initial Release: 28th Feb 2017
When thinking of machines and photo modes, the iconic Watcher can never be far away. I love the asymmetrical composition here and the way that the empty, yet misty space lets that trademark anamorphic lens flare really pop in the frame.
Title: No Man's Sky | Developer: Hello Games | Publisher: Hello Games, 505 Games | Initial Release: 9th August 2016
To begin with, this was one beautiful shot of a legendary star ship cruising past a small planetary system. Add in a subtle border and a travel-inspired message, and you have a perfect interstellar postcard. If you were visiting another world, this would be the thing you'd send back to friends and family.
Revisit your archives and share some lost shots on Twitter every Sunday. Look out for the #VPArchiveHour theme post and simply reply with something from your existing archives for a chance to feature in next month's post.
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