If we are asked to choose the best part of virtual photography and gaming, we will honestly say it’s the VP artists. You show us the art in each virtual world and getting to know the people behind these creative photos is one of our favorite things.
For our VP Spotlight of the month, we have Tyler (Amich), a remarkable VP artist from the USA who loves playing video games like Cyberpunk 2077 and has been around games for most of his life. His stunning photos leave us breathless as they speak a thousand words we cannot utter. His style of virtual photography is amazing and unique, with many of his photos in black and white. This editing style serves as the starting point for our curiosity and we couldn’t help but want to know more about the person behind some of the loveliest photos we have seen.
Let’s speak to Tyler!
What is your name and where are you from?
My name is Tyler and I’m from Wisconsin, USA.
How did you get into gaming and virtual photography?
I was always around games, either from my Dad or friends and it was always one of my favorite hobbies. I started out playing Tomb Raider, Madden, and Tetris on my Dad’s PlayStation 1, then we got a PlayStation 3 and 4 and my love for games only grew. I discovered virtual photography when I was playing Cyberpunk 2077. I encountered a sandstorm for the first time and was blown away and I wanted to take a picture of it. I started taking a few more pictures of stuff around the map and wanted to share them and found hashtags and accounts dedicated to it, and now here we are.
Do you play games on PC, Playstation, or Xbox?
I play on PlayStation and have my whole life.
Is there a backstory behind your username? Can you share it with us?
Nothing special, just a username my Dad used, and when I started playing online my friends just got to be familiar with it so I kept it.
What is the inspiration behind your photography style?
Music is also a massive inspiration for me, from the sound and lyrics from Loathe to Sleep Token to ambient tracks from Oneheart to METAHESH. It’s part of my process as a virtual photographer, shaping my photos around the mood and feel of a track to make them whole.
Do you have any favorite virtual photographs that you've taken? If so, what makes them special to you?
I do have a few that I hold high, mainly because of where they took me, in advancing my photography and editing skills.
Do you prefer to edit your virtual photographs after capturing them, and if so, what software or tools do you use?
Editing my photos is part of my process, and often I set up a picture in-game that sets up edits later. I edit in Lightroom (desktop) and sometimes Photoshop (desktop) for some photo manipulation projects.
Can you share any tips or tricks for capturing stunning virtual photographs?
Familiarize yourself with the photo mode, and learn all you can do with it so you then know how flexible you can be. Also, look and study not just other virtual photographers, but photographers. See how their compositions work, see how they use lighting, or how they pose a subject. Virtual photography is an art form, and for it to be successful you have to know the rules of photography.
Are there any game developers or virtual photographers who inspire your art?
My biggest virtual photographer inspiration is probably Evey or @wistfulembrace_, their editing style and moody landscapes are something that really captured me and now it’s a big philosophy in my style.
How has virtual photography enhanced your gaming experience?
Since starting VP almost 2 years ago I have hyper-fixated on the art direction of games and the small details throughout their worlds. Some stuff I would just breeze by if I were just playing the game. Now I check every back alley, or small detail on a character model. It ultimately has slowed my play-through, not just because I’m pausing to take pictures, but because I’m just observing things closer.
What is the most challenging aspect of virtual photography for you?
The easy answer would be the sometimes limiting aspects of some photo modes, whether its poor range and camera movement or lack of natural poses, but a more complex one would be making every shot look unique. Whether it's looking for other angles or things to frame through, or not repeating the same poses and lighting spots. It’s a standard I hold for myself that I feel pushes me to keep things fresh.
Do you have a favorite quote from a game? What quote is it?
I could pick at least a dozen from Cyberpunk 2077, but this one strikes very true to me.
"Give yourself time. Ideas'll come. Life'll shake you, roll you, maybe embrace you. The music'll find you." - Johnny Silverhand
We have five fun questions, ready to answer?
If you could live in any virtual world, which would it be?
All the games I play have a sense of danger in them so that’s tough, but I’d pick Night City from Cyberpunk 2077. I know the city is terrible, but what can I say, I can’t get enough of it.
One day with your favorite game character or access to a game you've been wanting to play for one week?
Hanging out with Judy sounds like a great day.
If you could become an official capture artist for a game studio, which studio would you choose and why?
I would love to be a capture artist for CD Projekt Red, their worlds are so rich and full of things to showcase and I feel it’s something they don’t do a bunch of.
If you could take virtual photographs in any video game world, which would it be and why?
I’m sounding a bit like a broken record, but I would pick Night City. I’ve been playing the game for 2 years now and I’m still finding new stuff all the time. It’s just so rich and it has such a unique flair to it.
If you could create your own virtual photography competition, what would the theme be and what prizes will you offer?
It’s simple, but I saw TheFourthFocus do it for their awards and I loved it, sending the winner a printed version of their picture all framed up.
Great!
What's your favorite feature on Picashot?
I like being able to easily search through games and tags, those simple features seem more and more inconsistent on other social media platforms and it makes everything so much easier when it just works as intended.
Are there any features you'd like to see on Picashot?
Maybe the option to upload videos for photo mode processes.
Any advice for aspiring virtual photographers?
Trust your process, don’t let social media burn your passion out, and always strive to one-up yourself.
Thank you so much, Tyler for sharing bits and pieces of yourself with us. We are utterly fascinated by your creativity and we wish you nothing but the very best in your craft. Keep sharing on Picashot. We love it!
Aaaaannd Cut!
Did you enjoy reading what Tyler had to say about his journey as a VP artist? Share your favorite part of this conversation with us! Virtual Photography will always be special to us and we always want to see you win at it. Keep sharing your awesome photos on Picashot.
Visit Tyler’s portfolio page where he shares his captivating photos as Amich.
Get started on Picashot today. It’s truly the best app for your virtual photos.