Rise of Virtual Photography 

The invention of the camera dates back many centuries. The first photograph taken in history was in the 19th century. There have been great revolutions since those days. A new industry was created with the digitalization of cameras. In addition, photography has taken on a virtual identity with the realistic graphics of digital games. Some games allow taking photos in-game. This feature, which we see especially in open-world games, has become an opportunity for us to capture worlds built with the game engine. Photos taken within the game began to be shared on social media, forums, and blog sites. Some companies have even developed applications to easily take and share these photos. In this way, a new trend emerged. It is known by names such as game photography and virtual photography.

There are some technical features in virtual photography, as in classical photography. Shooting is done by determining features such as light, color, and size. Some games also use extra customization options on photos. Various effects, stickers, logos, and messages. Game companies organize mini-competitions by encouraging the sharing of photos with hashtags. Some photos selected by the team are shared from official accounts. Sometimes even awards are given. In this way, the time gamers stay in the game increases. Some gamers spend more time taking photos than missions. In-game photos create impact based on the game's art design.

Some games are notorious for virtual photography. Red Dead Redemption 2, with its huge and rich open world, is one of them. Ghost of Tsushima, which draws attention with its open world and color palette, Horizon and Assassin's Creed series are also popular games with their photo mode. In addition, some role-playing games that have become outdated over the years have also gained a photo mode with their remastered versions. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt games remain popular today even with their photo modes. There are photo modes not only in open-world games but also in games with semi-open-world, linear, or other concepts. God of War, The Last of Us, and Marvel's Spider-Man series are among the games where the photo mode is highly appreciated.

Capturing photorealistic moments along with the developing graphics of games has started to make virtual photography more attractive. It is eagerly awaited what kind of photo mode GTA VI will offer, which is certain to be the most ambitious game of the new generation. Upcoming years will prove this situation with the visual feasts offered by new-generation games.