"Studying Art History Is Essential to Understand Abstract Art, But It Doesn’t Make You an Abstract Photographer" - Yama

There are virtual photographers, and there are abstract virtual photographers. The ones who delve into the depth of a photo mode, find what a game is saying beyond the surface and extract meaning from a game scene. Such a VP artist is Yama, our virtual photographer of the month of May!

Yama’s photos have caught our attention for such a long time, and having this conversation felt like learning something new and fresh! He shared how he got into virtual photography, what Yama means (I bet you want to know), his thoughts on GTA6 and what (abstract) virtual photography means to him.

It’s a packed chat. Enjoy!

---

What is your earliest memory of virtual photography and gaming?

My first memories of virtual photography probably date back to 2017/2018 when my brother and I would call on the phone to plan shots on GTA online using the in-game selfie camera glitch that allowed us to have a high third-person view for a few moments. In this short time, we would plan the character's pose and some vehicle explosions or bombs as a background scene.

Nice…

Tell us a bit about your username. What does Yama mean?

The username "Yama" in Japanese "mountain", comes from my love for mountains and hiking. One of the few places where I feel good and at home.

You are one of our go-to abstract virtual photographers on Picashot. How did you decide to get into this niche VP style?

The search for abstraction is something that I have developed over time while observing scenes or details of the games I immerse myself in. I have slowly learned to listen and elaborate what is beautiful or harmonious to me, often falling into the abstraction of objects and subjects until losing their identity. I have not exactly decided to dedicate myself to the abstract, but it is where my taste and eye have led me to express myself and to search.

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

I would probably define it as "progressive" as it tends to evolve based on the specific game and the various possibilities given by the photomodes, and clearly given my tendency to seek personal perspectives in virtual worlds.

Interesting…

What does virtual photography mean to you?

For me, virtual photography represents a new tool for personal expression like music, drawing and traditional photography, not necessarily linked to the world of video games.

What game do you find easiest to photograph?

Once you understand how the specific photo mode works and its limitations, in my opinion, each game has its own ease and difficulty in being used to capture the virtual world. If I have to choose one, it is GTAV, being the game that I have photographed the most over the years, so I know what to expect or want from the photo mode and the game itself.

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

As I recently responded to Romancer, I think that the first photo of the "Kleiner Feigling" series fully expresses the way the photo mode in games has allowed me and has allowed us to express, interpret and show those details that are often lost in the complexity of virtual worlds but that make the game world itself unique. Making us no longer just players but true observers and visitors of virtual worlds.

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

I don't think I'm actually inspired by something or someone. With my photos, I try to represent what that game world transmits to me, from purely mental sensations to the wonder of the reality within them, developed as the style of the buildings or behaviours of the NPCs in virtual daily life. Sometimes I happen to make connections with old anime from the 80s/90s, especially sci-fi and take out from the specific virtual world something that connects me to those worlds.

If I have to think of someone in particular, I think it is Fimbulvinter, the VP winner of the first VP Awards, as he was the only VP with whom I had a dialogue and exchange of ideas and concepts in the early years. The golden era of VP where everything was starting, and we didn't know what to expect from this nascent photographic form.

With over 160 photos from Grand Theft Auto 5 from you alone on Picashot, it’s safe to assume you love the GTA franchise. Tell us how you received the trailer for GTA 6.

I'll be honest. Up to now, I've been watching the first trailer with enthusiasm. But after the release was postponed to 2026, I decided not to pay attention to the new trailer or Rockstar's new marketing moves. Also, because I wanted to see and experience GTAVI at its best, something that my eyes are no longer able to do, given a degenerative condition that I discovered 3 years ago. I just hope to get there in the best possible shape, and I hope that both Rockstar and my eyes don't play any more bad jokes 😅

Aww, wishing you the best with that!

What feature are you looking forward to the most from GTA6?

Certainly, the complexity and particularity of the visual and social details that only Rockstar can give in its worlds.

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

Definitely go to the mountains, or look for minerals or strange rocks in my area!

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

I don't have an answer to this question because I believe that the search for the abstract is dictated by the mind rather than by the game itself. I often found myself reading that Control is perfect for this, but personally, it is one of the game worlds where I had the most difficulty in extracting. Because it is already abstract in itself, so much that the abstract can be defined as a pattern/design of the game itself.

What tip would you give to a VPer who would like to niche down to abstract VP but doesn't know how to?

As I have often reiterated on social media, the best way to approach abstract art and art in general is to study art history to understand what, how and why we come to judge something beautiful or harmonious. Both in time and in society. Abstraction is a specific form of expression in the arts (which are already a form of expression). It's like learning to pedal; the more you practice, the more natural it becomes to do it in everyday life.

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

After, my recent purchase of the PS5, no. The two games I always wanted to try were Red Dead Redemption II and Cyberpunk 2077, which were my first two purchases.

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

I think it is the discovery of photography as an expressive tool, something I couldn't see before. I used to consider photography as a simple copy and paste of what you look at, and not a way to show others what I want to see or represent both virtual and real worlds.

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

I honestly don't think so. I've been taking pictures continuously for 6 years, and thanks to traditional photography, I always find a reason to experiment both in VP and in photography. All thanks to the interaction between the two, which often explains and feeds each other.

Thanks for sharing.

When did you first learn about Picashot?

When Twitter was falling, ahah!

What’s your favorite Picashot feature?

The automated ability to create macro folders of your photographed games so you can find everything in one place without wandering through a sea of different photos and games.

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

Idk what to think, you guys did a great job and a very nice app for the VP community.

Thank you! :)

Any advice for aspiring virtual photographers who would like to join Picashot?

If they want a specific place to exhibit virtual photography, Picashot is the right place.

---

Hope you enjoyed this conversation! Before you go…

Please share this with your friends who love VP and gaming.

Follow Yama on Picashot!