Photo Mode is now officially in God of War Ragnarök, and we’ve loved what the community has shared so far.
To help you create even more perfect in-game shots, we asked two of our most active community photographers to give you the tips you need to take your photo shoot to the next level.
Hosts of the Photomode Unplugged podcast and prolific contributors to the God of War photography community, we asked TheFourthFocus and DotPone for their top tips for those of you looking to photograph God of War Ragnarök.
First steps in video game photography
TheFourthFocus
Virtual photography is a great way for gamers to get more involved with the games they love, and with its recent photo mode update, God of War Ragnarök has joined the photography party.
By enabling a set of in-game tools that mimic the use of a real-world camera, Photo Mode can be used to capture original and creative shots of Kratos and Atreus’ journey throughout the Nine Realms.
Found through the Options menu, Photo Mode will freeze the game and allow players to move around the scene with a virtual camera. As with any type of photography, mastering the composition and arranging the elements within the frame is key to a compelling image, so use the camera with the analog sticks to find a good angle. Pay close attention to the direction of the lighting and be sure to emphasize your chosen subject while avoiding distracting distractions; if you do them right, most of the hard work will already be done.
TheFourthFocus
go to settings
TheFourthFocus
For me, the most important settings in photo mode are those that affect the actual composition of the shot and change the way the camera captures the scene. Start by adjusting the width of the view within the frame, either by directly setting the angle of the field of view, or by changing the focal length to “zoom in” or out.
Keep in mind that a long focal length creates a narrow field of view angle and vice versa, each of which can greatly influence the style of your shot.
As a general rule, a longer focal length is great for getting up close or removing frame clutter, while a short focal length creates a wide angle that adds perspective distortion and can make shots look more dynamic.
If it’s portraits you’re interested in, the 50-85mm is a real sweet spot.
TheFourthFocus
Of course, there’s no point setting up a well-framed shot if your subject is completely blurry, so switch to the Focus Distance setting to put the focus point on your subject so it looks nice and sharp.
An important tip here is to aim for the eyes, as they create the strongest connection with the viewer.
Alongside this setting, you’ll also find the f-stop value that can be used to control depth of field; essentially, that’s how much of a scene appears in sharp focus. Increasing the f-stop value will bring the foreground and background more into focus, while decreasing it creates a shallow depth of field that can be used to separate a subject from the background and create a smooth bokeh effect.
portrait shots
DotPone
DotPone
Portraits are popular for a reason. They represent the character we love (or hate) in the game. If, like me, you’re a fan of black background portrait shots with good character lighting, you can’t go wrong with The Crucible’s main arena in Muspelheim.
However, today I am going to talk about another technique: framing.
You’ll want to capture more than the physical representation of the character in your portraits to make them stand out. You want your portrait to show emotion in viewers; therefore, the character must also display said emotion.
On the photography side, composition will ultimately make or break your shot. A great way to get closer to a good composition is to use an element of your foreground to frame something in the background. God of War Ragnarök gives you the perfect tool for this with Blades of Chaos and its ballet of fire.
Using an animation where Kratos throws the blades, I use his chains to frame his face and ensure that the subject maintains eye contact with the camera.
This choice makes it seem like they are looking directly at the viewer when they show their emotions.
Then, by using one of the many facial expressions available in photo mode and the options in the Shutter section to blur everything except Kratos, I make sure he’s the first thing the viewer notices when looking at my image.
action shots
TheFourthFocus
Getting good action shots can be challenging and it’s all about capturing a dynamic look that allows the image to tell the story of what’s happening. With a limited camera range, you’ll often have to get pretty close to the enemies you want to photograph, but sometimes it’s worth taking a hit to get the shot.
A wider field of view can help catch the action in the frame, and a little camera roll is a really useful way to create a sense of movement or even disorientation that works well with combat.
TheFourthFocus
As usual, it’s also worth thinking about line of sight and trying to find a vantage point that makes it look like characters and enemies are in each other’s line of sight. This is a great way to make combat and action shots feel more engaged and believable.
landscape shots
DotPone
DotPone
God of War Ragnarök’s setting is the perfect subject for a photo mode!
You get a ton of variety visiting the Nine Realms in this game, from the fiery lava field arenas in Muspelheim to the lush jungle paradise of Vanaheim.
However, these levels were brought to life by the talented developers in Santa Monica, and simply pointing the camera and taking a picture isn’t enough to make them your own. If you want your images to stand out, you may want to look for a different angle or look to capture the less obvious.
In my opinion, landscape shots are some of the most complex because instead of having just one element, you want to draw the viewer’s attention to an entire location.
I chose to capture a simple scene that we take for granted while playing the game: a boat parked on the shore of the lake in Svartalfheim. I proceeded with a low angle shot of one of the less obvious things on the lake, blurring the vegetation in the foreground to give the image a sense of depth.
Locations and filters
TheFourthFocus
There are a lot of awesome locations in God of War Ragnarök that make great subjects on their own, but can also be useful for creating a different feel to your overall shots.
Many places come with their own distinct color palette and different lighting feel that can totally transform a portrait, for example. Whether it’s the rich, warm tones of Ironwood or the cool blues of Niflheim, try visiting different realms for more varied results.
The same goes for the color filters found in photo mode and are an obvious way to adjust the overall tones of the image in any location.
However, don’t just rely on the default values, lower the vibrance for a more subtle effect, and change the Vibrance and Saturation settings to control the intensity of the colors. Settings like this can be what sets your shot apart.
TheFourthFocus
How to participate in the VGP community
DotPone
DotPone
The video game photography community is constantly growing! Every time a new game with a photo mode comes out, more and more people from all over the world join in on the fun. This can seem quite scary and overwhelming, and you may feel lost.
Don’t worry, we have the perfect guide to introduce you to the community.
The first step is to have an account on the social media platform of your choice: Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, TikTok, Discord, etc.
Then all you have to do is use the hashtag #VirtualPhotography and the name of the game, in this case, #GodofWarRagnarok!
Remember to tag your favorite studio and publisher accounts and your post is sure to be seen by community members who will engage with it! See? Easy.
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God of War Ragnarök is now available on PS5 and PS4.
Source: news.google.com