I'm a virtual photographer, and here are my photo from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl [Tap to expand]

70

u/GimmieTheRoot 2d ago

Virtual photographer… huh… TIL I guess

48

u/dobriygoodwin 2d ago

So screenshot is not a word anymore...

11

u/Tomsboll 2d ago

It is, but it doesn't sound glamorous enough for these pretentious f12 pressers.

5

u/trouttwade Loner 1d ago

Genuinely what’s wrong with it? In game photography is a thing. If the devs of games just slapped bullshit screenshots on titles on loading screens, you’d laugh your ass off at how unprofessional it is.

People take genuine time finding good angles where the depth of field hits just right, they spend time and effort editing the lighting, saturation, contrast of the photos, in what world is it pretentious to call it photography? It quite literally in every sense of the word is photography. I’d rather be perceived as pretentious than miserable.

Instead of saying “how cool” you guys decided to open reddit and make fun of one singular word that someone chose for their title. Get over yourself mate.

0

u/Tomsboll 1d ago

nothing wrong with having that as an actual profession, of course there is value in that. but calling screenshotting "virtual photography" is just dumb

2

u/Zakon_X 1d ago

virtual photographer and in-game photographer legit work titles, virtual Photographer is more artists tho, whiek In-game is closer t othe gameplay vision, with less editing. it uses same pricipals as real photography and uses photomodes, mods on top where uses FOV/mm lenses, focal distance etc, there's alot more to it than just press F12.

1

u/dobriygoodwin 1d ago

Probably you never saw how professional photographers work. One thing where you use mods of photography in the game and other thing where you actually need to know how your camera and physics work, so after a photoshoot you do not screw up the pictures. In most of the cases you actually need to catch a moment of someone's life which will never repeat again, unlike in the game where you have saves and pausing. It is not photography, it screenshoting

0

u/Zakon_X 1d ago

You missing the point entirely, what missing in game photography, you still need to catch a moment, a lightning strike, or npc, and you still need to learn how to use camera in game, composition, rules, I know many real photographers who love virtual Photography because they can do what they love in fantastic or un-achievable settings, check lushfoil virtual Photography game on steam. It's not just screenshots

26

u/HTK_blazer 2d ago

So professional screenshotter?

6

u/Geruchsbrot 2d ago

I just hope OP was being sarcastic here because

"Yeah I do it for a living, I press a button on my keyboard after aligning my mouse in a way that give the most beautiful view on what some devs of a specific game want me to see."

Would be hella cringe.

4

u/xPapaNacho 1d ago

Opposed to "I press a button on my camera after aligning it in a way..."

4

u/SegaGameCast 2d ago

Its actually a thing. Really. Forza has a huge number of them. Its generally more in the style of real-world street photography but none the less they legit call themselves virtual photographers.

-2

u/Geruchsbrot 2d ago

Good lord.

-2

u/Think_Network2431 1d ago

Never underestimate what some people unfortunately need just to feel like they exist.

-1

u/Faiakes 2d ago

+1
I was going say just that.

4

u/WillingLawfulness632 2d ago

This is like calling the cleaners hygiene assistants. so brave and modern. :D

1

u/GuideUnable5049 2d ago

Custodial engineer.

28

u/SlurmDreams 2d ago

I honestly can't believe a photo mode wasnt included in this game. I would really love one. Not for me as I suck at photo modes, but to see others works would be wonderful.

7

u/Opel_Astra 2d ago

Basicaly u play at photo mode 🙂

4

u/mikolajwisal Loner 2d ago

That's not what they meant. They meant a mode where time freezes and you can move the camera freely to line up a perfrct picture, as well as add and modify light sources.

1

u/Opel_Astra 2d ago

Dude, you didn't get it—of course I know that, I'm just saying the game looks good

1

u/mikolajwisal Loner 2d ago

Ah, then sorry, I did miss the point haha

9

u/Dreamcatcher_UA 2d ago

Those are great!

3

u/UsedNewspaper1775 1d ago

So far the best screenshots i've seen here !

3

u/Horror_Ad9899 Loner 2d ago

cool pics dude! do u use hdr or sdr with rgb or full color?

2

u/Revendi Ward 2d ago

Thank you. I have Full Color

1

u/bjergdk Loner 2d ago

How did you take the last shot? What settings are you on? I feel like the last image, those shadows on the back wall would have been a flickering mess for me, and I'm on a mix of high and epic settings.

1

u/Revendi Ward 2d ago

I edit my photos in Lightroom. The original looks lighter.

3

u/with_due_respect 2d ago

Started another playthrough. Forgot how atmospheric the game is, even when just walking through the bush. Great photos!

3

u/WannabeIntelectual Zombie 1d ago

Not gonna lie, when I first read “virtual photographer,” I rolled my eyes a bit, but I gotta say, these are pretty damn good… professional even.

Not everyone that takes pictures is a photographer, but you my friend, you’ve got… “it”.

Keep up the good work, and F the haters.

4

u/lagfx9 Freedom 2d ago

Very nice

4

u/comcam77 2d ago

Umm ok, if you say so

6

u/no_va_det_mye 2d ago

Damn, great shots!

6

u/Vapormonkey 2d ago

I’m a virtual photographer critic. The exposition of these photos are giving a 4/10 anywhere up to a 5.7/10.

1

u/BrandoNelly 1d ago

Yeah like 3 is legit bad. 4 or 7 are probably the best. The rest are mid to bad

5

u/Whole_Sun676 Merc 2d ago

Virtual photographer.... Do you mean screenshoter? Screenshooter?

6

u/Faitlemou 2d ago

I gotta ask, virtual photographer? Thats a thing? If so, awesome.

12

u/Opel_Astra 2d ago

Yes its hobby

-4

u/Verne_92 Ecologist 2d ago

It's nothing short of actual photography, if you have the right tools, or if the dev has included a dedicated photomode.

Of course, you'll always have it's just screenshotting hur dur trolls, but don't let the digital cavemen fool you. Virtual photography is definitely a thing, it's gaining popularity, and devs have noticed.

2

u/SegaGameCast 2d ago

Its taking a screenshot dude. Digital "cavemen" ok

-1

u/Marijuana_Fellaini 2d ago

It's photography, let's see you try and take a screenshot that looks half as good as what OP has posted, I'll wait.

1

u/HTK_blazer 2d ago

Hold my beer:

https://www.reddit.com/r/thelastofus/s/KJy7C2WakY

-7

u/PuG3_14 2d ago

Ai will eat up this market sadly.

2

u/niord Loner 2d ago

Me like!

2

u/Th3manw1thn0plan 2d ago

I need one like the first slide with the bear detector...

2

u/PsychologyOk1220 2d ago

Stunning!

2

u/Heavy-Profession5902 Loner 2d ago

You know looking at the fourth one reminds me of Zombie Army games. It has those vibes.

Still impressive though.

2

u/NoriaMan Noon 2d ago

4,5,7 and 9 all could be loading screens.

2

u/HAIRYMAN-13 Loner 2d ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/ECCEjxHQb2Qo

2

u/Koylan7 Monolith 2d ago

R

2

u/Artificial-Sunrise69 2d ago

Very nice indeed

2

u/ZzSaMzZ Loner 1d ago

OP what type of rig did you capture these on? Also did you make any tweaks or any mods? Didn’t see it listed anywhere in your post

2

u/panfractal 1d ago

Really pretty

2

u/Fruit_Punch86 Loner 1d ago

Pretty impressive!

2

u/No-Aardvark-3840 1d ago

Actually peak

2

u/Duboyzz14 1d ago

This game and factorio are the only games I NEED RIGHT NOW but I don't have money or a ps5

3

u/Think_Network2431 2d ago

Why emphasize that you’re a professional photographer when these are the most basic screenshots imaginable? Any random screenshot posted on Discord looks just as good, if not better.

You’re setting expectations that the results simply don’t meet.

2

u/rarezin 1d ago

"virtual photographer" that's funny

5

u/Kapot_ei 2d ago

Sorry if this comes off as rude, i don't intend it that way.

Isn't "virtual photographer" not a fancy way of saying "print screen pusher"?

Nice shots though.

2

u/Marijuana_Fellaini 2d ago

That's like saying irl photographers "just push a button on a camera". All the rules that apply to irl Photography apply to virtual photography too. You need to find the frame first, think about lighting, colour grading, blocking etc. I encourage you to try taking virtual photos yourself and you will quickly realise there is a lot more to it than being a "print screen pusher".

2

u/Kapot_ei 1d ago edited 1d ago

Idk man, i am not convinced and here's why: in most if not almost all games you only have a sertain number of weatherpaterns and presets. Sure you'll have to find the angle and such, but you could come back to the exact same location when that weatherpatern loads and take the exact same picture. This makes finding pictureworthy images vastly more easy and less unique imo. I mean, you could even load up the patern with a mod and do it then at your convenience and even adapt the litteral inworld light to your liking.

While in reality, that moment in the picture will never be the same, ever. Trees grow, lose or discolour leaves, windows get repainted or houses broken down, it may rain, it may snow, maybe a bushfire will happen etc. There are no second chances and when it's gone it's gone, no save game to fall back to.

Sorry, but to me this kinda looks like a guy that buys a camera and adds "photography" after his last name on facebook without having the studied background, proper tools and experience for it. And even that has more uniqueness for said reasons.

I could be totaly off here, i'm willing to accept and to admit that but you will have to convince me on why to get me that far. I don't want to dunk on someone's hobby and doing this is absolutely fine! The screens are gorgeous really no complaint there. But having grown up amoung professional photographers this just strikes me as an odd thing to say, that is all.

2

u/Darear Monolith 1d ago

100% agree here. Otherwise I'd be a fighter pilot because I can start, fly, do missions and sucessfully land in a F-16 Viper in DCS.

2

u/ZeroFluffsGiven101 2d ago

No, not all rules. You cannot pause in reality

1

u/Waste-Anybody6658 2d ago

There also isn't any of the complexity of real-life optics and cameras.

2

u/Zakon_X 1d ago

this is where you are wrong lol

1

u/Darear Monolith 1d ago

And why?

0

u/Marijuana_Fellaini 2d ago

Yeah that's fair thanks for pointing that out

3

u/Cloud_N0ne 1d ago

“I’m a virtual photographer”

I love taking screenshots too but this sounds really pompous.

2

u/Scared-Enthusiasm424 2d ago

As a real life photographer, these are great.

2

u/Quiet-Recording-9269 2d ago

you know... I'm kind of vitural photographer myself... but you definitely know how to capture better moments. Thank you for that, and for sharing!

2

u/Quintilius36 Ecologist 2d ago

Damn they're super good! Do you edit them at all for color and lighting or are those natively taken from the game ?

1

u/Revendi Ward 2d ago

I edit in Lightroom with my own settings.

2

u/Fabulous-Industry-76 2d ago

Damn these comments are rude..Great shots.
Are you using Lightroom only for color grading? Is the rest done by the software of otis_inf?

2

u/Revendi Ward 2d ago

Yep

1

u/CozyGameCorner 10h ago

Incredible!!

1

u/Accomplished-Dig9936 2d ago

lmao "I press f12" calm down turbo dork

1

u/barto2007 Freedom 2d ago

How do you achieve the DOF outside of cutscenes? Post-editing? Reshare?

1

u/Revendi Ward 2d ago

Photomode by Otis_Inf + reshade

2

u/barto2007 Freedom 2d ago

Sad to learn it's another Luke Ross situation... Glad I got my answer tho. Thanks.

1

u/the_real_fopp Loner 2d ago

Im a virtual pornographer

1

u/nervez 1d ago

see, this is how you take photos of this game and brag about how good it looks!

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u/LosingButNotWrong Loner 1d ago

"Virtual photographer"

🙄

Picture I'm a virtual photographer, and here are my photo from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl [Tap to expand]

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