For our March VP Spotlight, we have Rosa*, a talented VP artist from Germany. She enjoys taking photos from her favorite game, Cyberpunk 2077. She also shares with us how she got into gaming and virtual photography, the VP artists she admires, some of her favorite shots, and some aspirations when it comes to working in the VP industry.
We enjoyed this chat and you will too.
Meet Rosa!
What is your name and where are you from?
My name is Rosa and I'm from Germany.
How did you get into gaming and virtual photography?
I only started gaming around the time World of Warcraft came out and for years that was the only game I was interested in. Mass Effect 3 was then the game, when I started to get into other things besides WoW. However, my VP journey then began with Horizon Zero Dawn. I was curious about what the Photomode does and thought instantly that was pretty cool.
And well, that's when the Virtual Photography addiction started.
Do you play games on PC, Playstation, or Xbox?
I play mostly on PC. Sometimes on PS5 and Nintendo Switch.
Do you have a favorite game to play? If yes, why is it your favorite game?
My favorite game is Cyberpunk 2077. I love the story, the characters, and the gameplay (even if it's first person, which is usually not my cup of coffee) and I love that, thanks to mods, I can create my own stories and characters.
But I have to mention the Mass Effect Trilogy as well. It's still the best RPG for me and it will always have a special in my heart.
Is there a backstory behind your username? Can you share it with us?
Well, yes. It's a little funny and kinda embarrassing...
I was (and still am) a huge "Buffy" fan and in one episode there was a demon named “Proserpexa”. But back then I always understood "Rosapexa" and thought that was a pretty awesome name. When I later started to play WoW, I named my first character Rosapexa and used that name everywhere on the Internet. It took me a lot of years to finally realize that I misunderstood the name back then. So my name is me not being able to listen properly, although I like my “accident name” a lot more.
What is the inspiration behind your photography style?
In Cyberpunk, it's definitely that I would like to tell a story with my photos. I like to show different aspects of my character(s) so that people get to know who they are.
I rarely photograph other games anymore, but when I do, I simply take photos of everything, that captures my attention. Landscapes, people, creatures, whatever I like.
Do you have any favorite virtual photographs that you've taken? If so, what makes them special to you?
Oh yes, choosing your favorite child is awesome ;-)
I very rarely focus on hands or close-ups of details if it's not a portrait. So this one is kinda special, because of that. And I simply think it turned out pretty good. Also, I like the meaning behind this, the connection between my OC Lexa and Johnny.
My favorite things to photograph are portraits. And I love taking photos of the Mantis Blades in Cyberpunk 2077. So this is one of my favorites.
Who doesn't love creepy Netrunners?!
Do you edit your photos after capturing them, and if so, what software or tools do you use?
I sometimes edit, if I can't get the results I want with the Photomode or on PC with Reshade already. If I want to hide some mistakes/clipping I didn't see while taking the shot, I use GIMP.
Can you share any tips or tricks for capturing stunning photos?
I think playing with lights and shadows can get you pretty interesting and beautiful results. Mostly I don't have more than a rough idea of what I want and experimenting with different light options adds a lot of the time that extra little something to a photo.
Are there any game developers or virtual photographers who inspire your art?
There are so many VPs from which you can learn, take inspiration, or admire them.
Definitely among them are Steffi Syndrome, Dreamskug, Dex-M, and MechXican
How has virtual photography enhanced your gaming experience?
Taking photos has become part of my regular gameplay like moving with W A S D. So I basically got a whole new feature for the games I play. Also if you're looking for cool things to photograph you automatically pay much more attention to the details in games and you see things, that you may otherwise have missed.
What is the most challenging aspect of virtual photography for you?
I think with VP it's the same as with creating every other art.
You have to remind yourself in a while that it's ok to not create anything sometimes. As much as you maybe would like to take photos, you sometimes simply don't have any inspiration, and that's ok. Don't force it or you will sooner or later burn out.
We have four questions, ready to answer?
If you could live in any virtual world, which would it be?
Of course, the first place that comes to my mind would be Night City. It's such an awful place and yet I love it a lot. But I'm also afraid I would not survive very long there.
So maybe a peaceful Greek island in Assassin's Creed Odyssey would be a better idea.
If you were to be a game character, who would you be?
Can I name my own OC? Or is that weird? Probably.
But anyway I name my own which would be Lexa. I'm sorry, but I love her a lot. xD
If you could become an official capture artist for a game studio, which studio would you choose and why?
CD Project Red or Bioware. Simply because they made my favorite games.
But I have to admit, I don’t know if I want that because that would probably mean, I would lose a lot of freedom of what and when I have to create certain things and I’m afraid, that would kill my joy with VP after a while.
Would you rather create a renowned video game or have shares in the world's most profitable video game?
Give me the money/shares, please. So I can freely create my own things just for me while having to worry less about finances. Also, I don't want to be known by a huge audience, which probably would come automatically when you create a popular game. That's way too scary for me.
Very valid answers!
What's your favorite feature on Picashot?
No algorithm. A simple chronological timeline without having to jump through several social media hoops is awesome. Also, I like the albums, because I love organizing stuff.
Are there any features you'd like to see on Picashot?
Two things come to mind.
First, I would love to have the possibility to share more than 4 photos in one post. I think it's simply not enough when you have a bigger set. Maybe 10 (asking for more is probably delusional) like on Instagram would be awesome.
The second thing is, that I miss the social aspect, that we have on Twitter (the only benefit there if you ask me). I think, if we had a similar TL like on Twitter, where we can scroll through comments/replies or where we can have conversations about games or Virtual Photography, it would encourage people to interact with each other and make everything more lively.
What would you tell your younger self about being a virtual photographer?
Try it. It's a lot of fun.
Any advice for aspiring virtual photographers?
Stop comparing yourself to others; whether with numbers (they don’t mean anything), styles, tools, or whatever. You do you. There is no right and wrong when you take VP as long as you like it. Additionally, not everything has to be a masterpiece. You don't have to constantly create something extraordinary. It's enough to take a "boring" portrait if you feel like it.
If you're happy, with what you created, it's awesome. Everything else is “just” a bonus.
Thank you so much Rosa for sharing bits of yourself with us. We absolutely loved getting your perspectives on things. Keep sharing your creativity with us on Picashot.
Visit Rosa’s profile on Picashot where she shares awesome photos.
Join Picashot today!
Check Out Other Creators
Picashot February VP Spotlight: Meet Amich
Picashot VP Spotlight: Meet Arianna
Picashot VP Spotlight: Meet Renan
All photos from @Rosapexa
*not real name