How To Take Better Screenshots Of Your Games
Photo modes have pretty much become a standard feature in modern video games, from low budget indies to triple-A blockbusters. Developers have finally realised that having masses of enthusiastic players posting flattering screenshots of their games on social media is a powerful marketing tool.
Once upon a time, taking control of an in-game camera to snap pretty screenshots was limited to PC gamers using hacks. But now, anyone can be a virtual photographer. The negative side of this, however, is that there are a lot of bad screenshots out there. Here's how to take better ones.
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It's always worth looking at the work of actual photographers. Video game screenshots don't have to be high art, but studying the masters can be inspiring. Say you're shooting in a city like Grand Theft Auto 5's Los Santos. Even a brief glance at the work of a famous street photographer like, say, Vivian Maier can reveal interesting ways to frame an urban environment.
Increasing the field of view lets you show more of a landscape, fitting large, distant objects into frame. In the shot above you can see how this is a great way to create a palpable sense of scale. Just don't go too far with it. Widen the FOV too much and you'll be left with an ugly fisheye effect that looks unnatural. If there's a character in frame, their proportions will be off too.
Most screenshots you see are big, dramatic environment shots. But games today are just as impressive to look at up close. By dramatically narrowing the field of view you can reveal a game's finer details, like the incredible-looking ceiling above from 2016's Hitman reboot. Taking a close, intimate look at
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