We’ve saved our share of screenshots over the years, but none come close to the level you’ll see in the awards for Virtual Photographer of the Year 2023. Virtual photography – the framing and capture of artistic in-game imagery – has become a beloved pastime for many players. There are plenty of games about taking pictures, but VP artists don’t let the lack of an in-game lens (or indeed an official photo mode) hold them back. Exploring myriad digital worlds, they’re always in search of that perfect perspective. And the Virtual Photography Awards aims to recognize the very best of their digital captures.
This year, nearly 3,000 submissions were voted on by a panel comprising developers, industry professionals, and expert real-life photographers. Their job? To pick the Virtual Photographers of the Year 2023 in the categories of Environment, Creative, Detail, Portrait, Action, and Abstract. So grab a warm drink, take a seat, and prepare to catch your jaw when it drops as you take in the winners of this year’s Virtual Photography Awards.
Virtual Photographer of the Year 2023 - overall winner
Winner: Taka San (Japan)
Category: Portrait.
Game: Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Virtual Photographer of the Year 2023 winners by category
Below you can find the winners in each category of the Virtual Photographer of the Year awards for 2023. Each photo is accompanied by a quote provided by the winner.
Virtual Photographer of the Year 2023 - Environment
Winner: Ludovic Helme / Shinobi_Space (Japan)
Game: Lies of P
“I loved to create this shot because it combines absolutely all my obsessions,” Helme says. “Symmetry, color theory, composition, framing and movement. It's one of these shots that I knew from the start that it'd be one of my favorites for a long time. I actually worked on it for a couple of days to get as close as possible to the original vision. So, this shot also taught me perseverance and I'm obviously very proud that it won this award!”
Virtual Photographer of the Year 2023 - Creative
Winner: Gabriella Ma (Canada)
Game: Cyberpunk 2077
“Enjoying the progress and having some fun ideas are always my purpose in virtual photography,” Ma writes. “Here I found a small corner that may go unnoticed in the big city and used the eyeglasses to create a frame to focus on my subjects. In the picture, the character is feeding his cat, and both of them are having their restful time in the neon lights. Meanwhile I'm hiding behind the glasses watching and capturing this enjoyable moment. This photo shows my expression and understanding of ‘岁月静好: The time is quiet; the world is peaceful.’”
Virtual Photographer of the Year 2023 - Detail
Winner: Michelle Neumann (Scotland)
Game: Alan Wake 2
“I’m a photographer in real life and find that the beauty of video games and their worlds is just undeniable,” says Neumann. “People put love and effort into creating those worlds for us and the games I play give me the opportunity to capture pictures I will never be able to take in real life. Just some good music to go along with taking screenshots/editing – a time well spent for me.”
Virtual Photographer of the Year 2023 - Portrait
Winner: Taka San (Japan)
Game: Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
“This shot shows the face of my character and the hand of my friend's character while using an emote to create this combined pose,” Taka San says. “It is a simple composition, but one that was taken with a lot of ingenuity and time. Virtual photography has expanded my gaming world and given me a lot of creativity. I will forever treasure the wonderful results I have achieved in these awards!”
Virtual Photographer of the Year 2023 - Action
Winner: Sarvamm Rathore (India)
Game: Assassin’s Creed Unity
“In this shot, I aimed to capture the moment when one triumphs over their fears and breaks free from their comfort zone,” says Rathore. "The juxtaposition of personal triumph against the backdrop of this iconic monument – which itself is a testament to human achievement – emphasizes that monumental feats can arise from individual resilience and courage.”
Virtual Photographer of the Year 2023 - Abstract
Winner: Austin Yi (USA)
Game: Forza Horizon 5
”I entered The VP awards and really didn't think I would win, especially amongst all these talented people,” writes Yi. “I still can't believe it. To quote a friend (Lucent_VP): ‘Express yourself in your work, capture how that moment makes you feel, and never be worried about how others would see it. Your vision is what matters.’”
Virtual Photography Industry Awards
In addition to the in-game captures showcased above, the VP Awards 2023 also highlighted several games and studios – voted for by a community panel – who have helped further virtual photography through impressive photo modes, characters, and more.
VP Industry Awards 2023 - Best Photo Mode
Winner: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Developer: Insomniac Games
VP Industry Awards 2023 - Best Subject
Winner: Spider-Men
Game: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
VP Industry Awards 2023 - Most Innovative
Winner: Lords of the Fallen
Developer: Hexworks
VP Industry Awards 2023 - Best UX
Winner: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Developer: Respawn Entertainment
VP Industry Awards 2023 - Community Support
Winner: Insomniac Games
VP Industry Awards 2023 - Best Lighting
Winner: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Developer: Insomniac Games
The Virtual Photographer of the Year selection is organized by The Fourth Focus. View the full awards by heading to the VP awards page here. Check out 2022’s winners here. Learn more about virtual photography with our the first of our three-part feature series here.
