"I don't like to play first-person POV games because they give me motion sickness." - M (m_nt_13)

There’s no single way to tell a story, and for M, theirs begins with a photo mode.

For the sole reason of the photos shared from games being just a part of the journey, today’s spotlight looks into the ever-talented M, whose photos we’ve been loving on Picashot. In this conversation, we take a dive into what you don’t see — the pauses, the planning, the personal experiences behind the frame, and all that matters just as much as what’s in focus.

We learn about how M started virtual photography, why they choose certain games to play out of many and even tips for newbie capture artists. Enjoy the chat!

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Hi! What is your earliest memory of virtual photography and gaming?

The first game I played that had a photo mode that I can remember is Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. I triggered it by accident the first time. The first pictures I took were of funny glitches. I didn’t get fully into Virtual Photography until 2020 with Mortal Shell, which has an amazing photo mode.

What is your name?

I just go by M online.

Tell us the history behind your username.

This was an extremely old backup account on Twitter that I decided to reuse to share random stuff and then focus on VP. It doesn’t really mean anything.

What do you look out for before you choose to play a game?

First is making sure it’s not a first-person perspective or multiplayer-focused. After that, it just has to catch my interest, and I’ll likely play it even if it doesn’t have a photo mode. But I will admit that I am very picky when it comes to buying games.

If you were to describe your virtual photography style in a sentence, what would it be?

“Jack of all trades, master of none.”

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

I’m bad at picking favorites but one recent shot I’m proud of would have to be this portrait of Kassandra. I had actually taken a different shot beforehand and was just wandering around when I noticed the lighting.

This one was unplanned, I was in a fight and saw Senu’s shadow on the sand, and entered photo mode at the perfect time.

I was more focused on the dark line of shadow, and it wasn’t until I moved the camera a bit that I noticed you could see the FBC logo down below.

Beautiful!

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

No, not really, unless you count shooting for a particular theme. When I’m playing a game, I’m usually only thinking about the game itself.

Which game would you describe as your easiest to photograph?

Probably one of the Assassin’s Creed games, it would be a toss-up between Odyssey and Valhalla. There are just so many things to shoot in those games, no matter what you focus on: portraits, landscapes, action shots, etc. And the photo modes are very accessible.

Do you use any post-processing software? If yes, which one(s) and why?

I use GNU Image Manipulation Program, which is a free alternative to Photoshop. Usually, to crop and resize shots and adjust contrast. Occasionally, I edit out some clipping or other errors if I can’t retake the shot. I don’t have the patience or skill to do extensive edits.

Have you ever had a challenging time when trying to capture a photo?

Yes, and it almost always has to do with timing. Like catching the right moment during a fight or having the light hit a face in a specific way for a portrait.

What's a gaming hot take you'd always stand by?

I don’t tend to pay attention to stuff like that, so nothing comes to mind.

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

I’d really like to try out Cyberpunk, but as mentioned before, I don’t like first-person games. They give me motion sickness.

If you could change one thing in the game “Control”, what would it be?

Gameplay-wise, nothing. In regards to the photo mode, it would probably be adding a lighting system like they did for Alan Wake 2.

You can only play 2 of these game groups at a time. Which one will you pick?

A. Elden Ring, Control, and Alan Wake

B. Horizon Forbidden West, Stray and Red Dead Redemption 2

C. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Mortal Shell, Assassin's Creed Valhalla

D. Silent Hill, Resident Evil 4: Remake, The Callisto Protocol

A and C, because at least 3 of those games are almost always in rotation.

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

I wouldn’t mind getting lost in the Oldest House, and Hiss Clusters would be amazing to see IRL.

Do you have a dream gaming brand to work with? If yes, which one and why?

Definitely Remedy Games. I just love their games and how they embrace the fan community.

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

I finally played Signalis back in May and finishing my first playthrough definitely had an emotional impact. It took about a week to process before I could go back for the other endings.

Thanks for sharing…

When did you first learn about Picashot?

I think when it was first announced on Twitter, but it did take me a while to actually start posting on here. I tend to be slow in trying new things.

What’s your favorite Picashot feature?

The high-quality uploads.

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

Maybe an easier way to organise shots into albums, like a thumbnail grid view of your gallery that you can click and sort.

Any advice for aspiring virtual photographers who have no idea where to begin?

Just start, don’t overthink it. I think it’s best to learn by doing, you have to start somewhere, and you’ll figure out what you like or don’t like to shoot soon enough. I’d also say to join in on community-run themes, that’s probably the best way to figure out what styles you like or to give yourself a challenge.

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Hope you enjoyed this conversation! Before you go…

Please share this with your friends who love virtual photography and gaming.

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