"You Can Never Run Out of Options With Car Photos" - Curtis (Cb_vphotography)

For many gamers and VP artists, this art form started in childhood. They either started gaming so young or even watched an older sibling or a parent enjoy the game, and so, naturally, they developed an interest too. This is the exact story of Curtis, our virtual photographer of the month.

@cb_vphotographer has always enjoyed gaming, but he has a special love for racing games. This had led to his contribution of over 400 photos of Gran Turismo on Picashot alone! I guess that’s what happens when someone is gifted Forza Motorsport 4 for Christmas!

Let’s not spill all the tea here. Read our conversation for yourself. Enjoy!

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What is your earliest memory of virtual photography and gaming?

My earliest memory of gaming was on Metal Gear Solid 2 when I was, I think, 2 or 3, and my dad played it. After that, the love of gaming was born. The earliest memory of virtual photography was getting Forza Motorsport 4 for Christmas, and it all spawned from there. Besides Minecraft, the hours I spent on it easily ranged from 10k.

Tell us a bit about your username. What does CB stand for?

Very imaginative, but it’s just my initials. It’s been the same since I made my pages back in 2010, so I just stuck with it.

You mostly only take car/automobile photos. Why is this your favourite thing to photograph?

You can do so much composition-wise with a vehicle that you’re never really out of options or choices. It never gets boring. There’s always some other way you can do it. I’ve been trying to branch out after seeing Amich’s work, their shots, chef’s kiss, but I’m always being drawn back into the automotive world.

If you were to describe your virtual photography style in one word, what would that be?

I have no idea, to be honest. I’ve heard it be called brochure-esque or advertising level, which I very much appreciate. I tend to change my style often enough, no one style has ever stuck with me.

You’ve shared 400+ impressive photos from Gran Turismo on Picashot. Why is this game a dear one to you?

It was the first game I played fully; GT3 on the PS2. It was gifted to me by a family member, and I've never enjoyed a game more, that is, until GT5 came out. The variety is why I love Gran Turismo, where else are you going to find a multi-thousand-horsepower rocketship and a van that can barely do 100.

Haha!

Do you have any favourite photos that you've taken? If so, what makes them special to you?

This is my most favourite photo so far, It was 2am, had been awake for 20 something hours and i found a map by power7329_ and it just started from there. Took maybe 20 shots and didn’t get to sleep that night till 8am.

This shot is a close second because it was one of the few shots of mine that I felt looked right, if that makes sense. It was inspired by Northborders on Instagram, which was again a late-night shoot.

This will hold a pleasant memory as it’s the first shot with the new graphics card, and I had maybe 2 seconds to spot and get into Photo mode. I’ve never seen such fidelity in a game before and was blown away, even after playing RDR2 for 100+ hours before that shot, it never looked that good.

Are your photos inspired by anything/people, i.e game devs or virtual photographers?

The automotive shots are inspired to some degree by Top Gear magazine, Autocar and the likes. I love the rig and tracking shots. Astonparrot, Larry Chen and Charlieb.photography on Instagram will always be a big inspiration for me.

Is there any difference in your gameplay when you play non-automobile-focused games?

Not really. I'm always looking out for shots, even if I'm engrossed in the story. There are loads of games I haven't finished because I'm looking out for shots and replaying bits here and there. Red Dead Redemption 2 and Cyberpunk are good examples.

What do you look out for in racing games as a standout feature?

For VP, a wide variety of cars and good lighting. If I'm playing it for the sole purpose of racing, it needs a decent variety of races and tracks. Forza Motorsport 4’s event list springs to mind. Oh, that was amazing.

What’s your favorite thing to do apart from taking game photos/gaming?

Take photos in real life, I would say. Go out for a walk and see what I can capture, great for helping with the plethora of mental health issues I have.

If you were to recommend one racing game to a beginner VPer, what game would you recommend to them to start with?

Any of the Forza Horizon games… they have massive amount of cars and a decent variety, tons of races and a really decent photo mode, Horizon 5 being the best, especially now with the event lab.

Is there a particular game you want to play but haven't been able to?

Oh, there are loads! Alan Wake 2, Rise of Ronin, God of War, Elden Ring, TLOU Part 2, just to name a few.

If one of your photos could come to life, which one would you choose?

That’s a tough one, i think it would have to be this one from RDR2. As spooky as it looks, i would want to light a fire and just watch the stars.

Can you share a gaming/virtual photography experience that had an emotional impact on you?

The first start-up and playthrough of Cyberpunk. That will forever stick with me.
I was lucky not to get any of the glitches, so it was smooth sailing all the way through, but that story will forever stick with me.

Have you ever been stuck in a creative rut as a virtual photographer? What do you do when this happens?

Many, many times. In one at the moment, to be honest. The way I get out of most of them is just take yourself away from all things gaming, VP, anything and do something completely different, you’ll see inspiration pop out in life, and you’ll want to shoot something. That then leads to another and another, and before you know it, you’re back to normal. It may take a few weeks or months, but it’s worth doing sometimes.

Do you have a favorite quote from a game?

"I've struggled a long time with survivin', but no matter what, you have to find something to fight for." - Joel, TLOU

Thanks for sharing.

When did you first learn about Picashot?

A few years ago, I saw it talked about on Twitter and thought it seemed like what the VP world needs.

What’s your favorite Picashot feature?

The vast variety of games and how nicely they are laid out.

Are there any features you'd like to see on Picashot?

An easier way to sort shots, like most popular, most recent, most liked, that kind of thing.

Any advice for aspiring virtual photographers who haven’t found a style yet?

Experiment, practice, patience. Repeat, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Try taking shots no matter how you’re feeling, some moods can lead to different results. Some of my favourite shots are when I'm too tired to even keep my eyes open. You haven't got to edit or post them, just take.

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