Ho iniziato a buttare giù una bozza di Manifesto. L'obiettivo è redigere un documento firmato e condiviso dai maggiori attori mondiali nella VP, ovvero i virtual photographers più accreditati (che già lavorano o hanno siti o account social molto seguiti), le softco e gli attori in campo artistico-fotografico che già riconoscano la VP (ad esempio critici d'arte, compratori illustri, archivi fotografici, ecc.). Questo documento sarà poi presentato a istituti e pubblico della virtual photography (tipo alle mostre o nei libri) come strumento conoscitivo finalizzato da un lato alla comprensione della VP, dall'altro al suo sdoganamento presso il mondo della fotografia tradizionale e dell'arte in generale.
Virtual Photography – A Manifesto (v0.3)1.0 – Virtual Photography (VP) is photography of and within the virtual worlds of videogames.
1.1 – Virtual Photography acknowledges Duncan Harris as its father and pioneer, as over a decade ago he was the first to develop professional videogame screen capturing ways and aesthetics elevating it from promotional–purpose bullshotting into a new form of photography.
1.2 – VP is something radically new in the history of photography, because it allows to shoot the original characters and places of a fictional story from inside their worlds. You could not portray Achilles, Frodo, Hamlet or Indiana Jones in action. You can do it with Kratos, Nathan Drake, Dante, Super Mario, Bayek of Siwa and Lara Croft.
1.3 – VP is not about adjusting the camera and applying an Instagram–like filter. It takes multiple skills in both gaming and photography. VP is hard.
1.4 – VP is image composition at its finest. When you can stop time with a Photo Mode, you have no excuses.
1.5 – VP owes everything to the beauty of games. But games need VP to fully show their beauty.
2.0 – VP is made using a virtual camera software. The most common tools are official ingame–built Photo Modes, independent camera hacks and NVIDIA® Ansel™ on the PC. Ingame gameplay cameras are also viable, albeit limited, framing tools.
2.1 – A screenshot from a game movie sequence (cut–scene) is no VP. To shoot a virtual photo, you must control the framing.
2.2 – Technically, traditional photography can be just a click on a photocamera. But that could hardly produce either good or relevant photos. The same goes with VP. Technically, any screenshot button click during gameplay or inside a Photo Mode produces a virtual photo. But it takes knowledge, skill and time to produce relevant results.
3.0 – VP lives on the magic of looking at a beautiful image knowing it comes from a videogame. Therefore, an excess of post–production editing would take away this magic and turn VP into just the first step of a different image production method. Think of those paintings made by tracing a photograph with an oil paint brush. The image creation starts with a shot, but the final result s no photograph. Think of those heavy photoshop blends of multiple shots. They start with a series of real life photos, but the final result is a different thing.
3.1 – This manifesto aims to make clear what VP is and what Virtual Photographers do, not to forbid anything to anybody. Strict rules for VP post–production cannot be fixed, as anybody is free to do what they want with their own VP. However, some shared guidelines can be defined in order to establish a common ground of confrontation among Virtual Photographers and a better understanding of VP from the public and traditional photography and art institutions.
3.2 – Depending on the kind and scope of editing, post–production can be classified as No Post–production (NPP), Minor Post–production (MPP) or Full Post–production FPP. This distinction does not imply either a quality or ethical evaluation of one’s working method, it is only useful to better understand the genesis of an image and to provide a background reference for strictly regulated VP contests. Virtual Photographers may spontaneously choose to flag their virtual photos as NPP, MPP or FPP.
3.2.1 – NPP: Any image adjustment obtained via ingame PhotoModes or officially supported tools such as NVIDIA® Ansel™ does not constitute post–production , as the resulting image comes directly from the original game. Also, image cropping or rotation (for vertical framing) does not constitute post–production.
3.2.2 – MPP: Minor Post–production edits that do not alter the substance of the original shot. This may include: overall or local brightness and contrast adjustments, HUD or small graphical glitches (such as polygon compenetration) removal, subtle color correction, black and white conversion.
3.2.2.1 – Multiple screenshot stitching via image composite editors (in case no photo mode is available for a console–exclusive game) is still MPP, because it widens the game view without altering the quality and content of it.
3.2.3 – FPP: In case of Full Post–production, a detailed notice of the most significant edits is appreciated. FPP includs:
3.2.3.1 – Self–made or software–provided filters, such as old photograph color and grain filters or the Prisma app painting effects.
3.2.3.2 – Combinations of VP and different art forms, such as free–hand drawing or 3d modelling and rendering.
3.2.3.3 – Blending of multiple virtual photos as for multiple expositions.
3.2.3.4 – Any other edit that drastically alters the gameplay situation or aesthetics of the original virtual photo. Deleting a small unwanted branch from the margin of a shot is MPP, while replacing a soldier withn a knight on horse is FPP. Adjusting contrast and saturation of a stormy sky is MPP, turning a midday blue sky into sunset red is FPP.
EDIT: in futuro editerò quest post ad ogni aggiornamento. Daje, qui si fa la Storia
