«Shots that you will be proud of» — Naughty Dog developers told how to take pictures using The Last of Us Part I photo mode

On September 26 the gaming industry celebrated "Outbreak Day", the official day of The Last of Us, during which fans are immersed in the universe of the game. In honor of this, Naughy Dog launched a contest, where gamers were asked to publish their pictures from The Last of Us Part I & II made thanks to the photo mode. At the same time, the developers gave some tips on how to make their pictures even better.

Here's What We Know

On their website, the Naughty Dog team said that they not only love to see fans' photos in photo mode, but also love to take their own! This feature is a favorite for many of the team, as Naughty Dog can explore and see their games in a new way even after many years of working on them. And because the team knows that many gamers also love to take in-game photos, but don't know where to start. So the developers have offered their tips and tricks so that you can quickly take photos that players will be proud of.

Here's What Ryan Chan, Senior Director of Photography, Says:

"Oftentimes, having a strong subject in your frame is a good way to get a strong photo. Here, we’re using the leading lines of the buildings and a strong backlit silhouette to draw focus to Joel as he balances along a plank. I also love using a more vertical frame like Film 2 to accentuate the tallness of the buildings, and using the Vintage filter to add a filmic look to match the frame"

Ryan also gave some tips on staging the shots:

"Capturing an action shot can be tough when trying to pause on that perfect moment. But Frame Forward is a great feature that allows you go frame by frame to help nail that ideal shot, whether it’s a lightning strike illuminating the sky or Joel stealthily taking out an infected. Adding Tilt is also a great way to add drama and tension to a photo by skewing the frame, and using a filter like Noir can help as well, by pushing the contrast and making the lighting feel even more dynamic"

Chan Also Noted the Game's Landscapes and Lighting:

"The Last of Us Part I is filled with beautiful environments and lighting. To capture your own landscape photos, using the Hide Characters feature under the Filter tab is perfect for removing any distracting subjects and making the level art the focus of your frame. Pressing R3 will toggle the Grid - a visual representation of what’s commonly known as the “Rule of Thirds.” Placing points of interest - such as an abandoned truck - along the grid lines or intersections, is a simple and surefire way to create appealing, balanced compositions"

Derek Chatwood, Senior Game Designer, Also Gave His Advice:

"My absolute favorite new features in The Last of Us Part I Photo Mode are the new multi-light rig and the frame-forward. I use the frame-forward constantly to adjust the character pose, move out of an awkward stance, and especially to advance to an ideal facial expression. The new dynamic three-light system turns any frozen moment into a studio portrait. Being able to find a composition no matter the lighting conditions opens up a whole world of possibilities. I usually use one light for a neutral fill to bring out all of the character details; a second light for “bounce” to simulate light reflecting off surfaces and give the character additional color and highlights; and a third light is usually a rim light, positioned to one side to carve out the shape of the character and help them pop from the background. I combine these with a tight depth of field to isolate characters from background, and often with the camera roll to create a more dynamic composition, or for tall vertical compositions (great for cellphone wallpapers)"

Joy Liberatore, Senior Tester Gave His Advice On Silhouettes In the Frame:

"A strong silhouette will draw in the viewer’s attention to the area of interest. Try to keep your main subject dark and against a bright background, or vice versa. Also, that area of interest doesn’t have to be a character; it can be an object the character is holding, some plants in the foreground, something on a shelf… anything! I like to use the Noir filter to check if my silhouettes are strong before choosing another filter, and usually I like the results so much I stick with the Noir filter"

Joey Talked About Tangents:

"Tangents are when two edges of objects at different distances meet. For example, if Joel is aiming his gun, but the end of the gun is lined up with the edge of a door far in the background, that’s a tangent. With tangents, you can accidentally ruin the sense of depth to an image, and tangents also detract from strong silhouettes. While it’s impossible to avoid all tangents, try to avoid tangents that interfere with the focal point of your image"

More about Photography From Joy At The End:

"We humans have eyes that will wander, always searching for something of interest. But good framing can prevent the eyes from wandering too far from your subject. For example, a photo of just Joel and Ellie with nothing else around them makes it difficult for the eye to wander; there’s really only one thing to focus on. But, if Joel and Ellie are surrounded by trees, infected, sprays of blood… the viewer might not focus on any one thing. Thankfully, there are a lot of ways to frame the focal point of your image. You can use the environment and other characters to guide your eye to the focal point. If the photo I’m taking is in an area with a lot of foliage, I’ll try to move the camera so the plants become an almost literal frame. Strong light and shadow can achieve the same effect. Or you can use Depth of Field to literally bring your focal point into focus! Try to use the natural setting of your photo to your advantage as you’re framing it"

Flashback

"Outbreak Day" is an event in The Last of Us that took place on September 26, 2013 with the outbreak of the cordyceps infection that changed the world in "before" and "after". In honor of this day, every year the creators of the game hold a special event where they give fans an even deeper dive into the universe of the game.

Go Deeper:

We've covered all the main events dedicated to "Outbreak Day", so we suggest you read the materials about Naughty Dog showing gifs and wallpapers for The Last of Us, HBO Max showing a full trailer for The Last of Us, PlayStation presenting new merchandise dedicated to The Last of Us as well as the fact that the author of the YouTube channel Speclizer compared the moments from The Last of Us Part I and the trailer of the game's TV adaptation.

Source: naughtydog

Photo: naughtydog